S. COWAN AND CO., STRATHMORE PRINTING WORKS. CONTENTS Chapter Page [Pg 3] [Pg 3] DANGEROUS DILEMMAS. DANGEROUS DILEMMAS. CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF "DANGEROUS DILEMMAS." THE ORIGIN OF "DANGEROUS DILEMMAS." The gambling tables at Spa— Compulsory mud bath—Saving one's life by exchanging an overcoat—A fortunate shipwreck. "You are in a vein of luck and yet cease to play," said the Dutch banker Oppenheim to me over my shoulder at the roulette table at Spa. Since that bright autumn day both Germany and Belgium have seen the evil results attending public gambling when practised by weak-minded individuals, and have banished the too fascinating game to Monaco, to the great delight of the prince of the smallest kingdom in Europe. Man, being a speculative animal by nature, finding trente et quarante and roulette forbidden by a paternal government, has had recourse to écarté and baccarat, and instead of playing at the kursaal in the sight of everybody he now stakes his money in the seclusion of a club. The facilities for gambling are more numerous than of yore, but you cannot always depend upon the fairness of your opponents' game, nor on realising your winnings. At the public tables there could be no cheating, and when you won you could rely on getting your money. [Pg 4] [Pg 4] The bankruptcies and suicides
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