The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-11-15


friend and handing him a key, "your fathers Ten
thousand have melted, but have packet of notes
and considerable securities to considerably more
than the needful amount, in the brass bound box
in my apartment; will you have the kindness TO
fetch them for mel I do not wish to interrupt my
observations Of the game"
"With pleasure" replied Rafael, taking the
key, and eager 10 oblige his friend.
"And, perhaps continued Valleja smiling and
detainiug him as he was about to hasten out Of
the room-'perhaps you will not object to tell
these gentlemen that until you return with the
money, they may take Louis valleja's word for the
sum he wishes to play"
"Most assuredIy, will" answered the young
man hastily, "and | am only sorry that the senor
Marquis should have thought it advisable to put
any thing resembling slight upon friend Of
mine and my fathers. Gentlemen" he continued
to the bankers, 81 offer you my guaranty for the
sum Count Vaeja is about to play"
The old Marquis bowed his head.
"That is quite sufficient, Don Rafael" said he
81 have the honor of knowing you perfectly we'll
His Senoria, the Count Vaeja, is only known to
me as Count valeja, and | am certain that, on
reflection, neither he nor you will blame me for
acting as do, when SO heavy sum is at stake"
Don Rafael left the room. The formal Marquis
removed the piece of money from off the pack,
and took up the cards with as much dry Indifference
as if he were no way concerned in the result of
the important game that was about to be played
Valleja sauntered to the window, humming tune
between his teeth, and, stepping out, pushed the
awning little aside, and leaned over the balcony
The banker began to draw the cards, one after
the other slowly and deliberately Nearly half
the pack was dealt out without king or an ace
appearing. The players and lockers on were
breathless with anxiety; the fall of pin would
have been audible; the tune which the count
continued to hum from his station on the balcony,
was heard in the stiffness that reigned, as distincy
as though 1t had been thundered out by whole
orchestra. Another card, and another, were
drawn, and then-the decisive one appeared
The silence was Immediately changed for tumult
of words and exclamations.
"Que eS eSo2" said Vaeia, turning half round,
and smelling as he spoke at superb flower, which
he had just plucked from the balcony. "What's
the mater;" ..
'The ace" said the person nearest the win
dow, who then paused and hesitated.
"Well!' said Yalleja with sneer, ''the ACE
what then? 1t has won | suppose!"
at has won."
".Nuy bieni 1t was to be expected It would,
since went on the king" And turning round
again, he resumed his tune and his gaze into the
street.
"Ha de ser rico" said the Spaniard to another
of the players. stHe must be rich 1t would be
difficult to take the loss of thirty thousand dollars
more coolly than that "
Five minutes elapsed, during which the bankers
were busy counting out their bank in order to see
the exact sum due to them by the unfortunate
loser When the jingle of money and rustic Of
paper ceased, Valleja looked round for the second
time.
''How much Is there, Senores'" cried he.
"Thirty thousand four hundred and thirty dol
lars lost. Senor Conde," replied the old Marquis,
with bow OF profound respect for one who could
bear such loss with such admirable indifference.
every good," was the Counts answer, "and
here comes the man who will pay it you"
Accordingly, the next minute hasty step was
heard upon the stairs. All eyes were turned to
the door, which opened, and RafaeTsolano entered.
"Where is the Count: exclaimed he, in hur-
ried voice and with discomposed countenance.
Again every head was turned towards the win
dow, but the Count had disappeared At the same
from the street below, which was a quiet
and unfrequented one, there arose an unusual
uproar and noise of voices The monte players
rushed to the windows, and saw several persons
collected. round a man whom they were raising
from the ground. His scull was slightly fractured
and the pavement around sprinkled with his blood
Rafael and some others hurried down; but before
they reached the street, Count Louis Valeja had
expired. The gamblers last stake had been his
life
When young solano reached his fathers house,
and, repairing TO his fathers apartment, opened
the desk of which Valleja had given him the key,
he found that 1t contained neither notes nor any
thing else OF value, but merely few worthless
papers Astonished at this, and, in spite of his
in favor of the Count, feeling his
suspicious little reused by what he could hardly
consider an oversight, he hurried back to the
monte room where his arrival served as the signal
or the catastrophe that has been related.
The same evening the amount lost was paid by
Rafael Solano into the hands of the winners. The
following day, the body of The Count was privately
inferred.
After the lapse of few weeks there came a
etter from Mexico, in reply TO the one which Don
lose Solano had written to announce the arrival
of Vaeia. His Mexican correspondent wrote in
Ill haste, anxious, if still possible to preserve Don
lose from becoming the dupe ofp swinder. The
1onde de valleja, he said, was the last and un-
worthy scion of noble and once respectable |
amily From his early youth he had made himself
emarkabe, as well for the vices of his character
IS for the skill with which he concealed them |