Speculation and most forms of gambling are synonymous with debt and ruin.

It is only a question of time.

Whether Mr.Vassall was in debt or not at the time, that I cannot say, but this I do know, that ever since that unfortunate loss to him of about L1000 he has kept his house in nicer style than before, and he now has a good banking account at the Lancashire and Liverpool bank, which he opened a year after his 'heavy loss.'" "But it must have been very difficult--" argued Polly.
"What ?" he said.

"To have planned out the whole thing?
For carrying it out was mere child's play.

He had twenty-four hours in which to put his plan into execution.