Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-02-09


amounted to 100000 roubles. The
game at present was ecarte, and had
been four against four; but the betters,
becoming alarmed, thought it prudent
to resume their stakes; they were re-
newed by the Prince and Rally, and the
stake now amounted to the round sum
of $4,000 forms
The cards were shullled and distrib-
uted, the trump card was hearts they
were to be renewed twice.
Fire sparkled in the eyes of the Prince,
but those of Rally were impenetrable.
1t was not man but statue, the ex-
precision never changed.
"flearts.' said the Prince.
-" have it,"
Hearts," he replied.
=" Here it is.
4" Hearts I" again.
{" Here !"
2" Hearts,
Rally leaned back in his chair, look
ing with Indifference on the table at the
heap Of gold, to which the hands of the
Prince were eagerly extended.
The joy of Goloubskoff amounted to
intoxication; "you will notquit playing,
! hope, Sir James," he said can En-
glishman never abandons the field oe
battle"
"Ncver, Prince nor Russian eth
CT. Is it not So p
1t is national prejudice with us
but perhaps you would like to change the
game. VIII faro for two suit your"
Z" Faro let it be-"
The adyersaries entered helists again.
The Prince held the bank and gained
20, goo roublcs. His good fortune
seemed fatality itself Yet the perfect
calmncss ofthe Englisman was not less
astonishing lie pursued his object with
the impassability of his compatriots be-
fore the French battallions at Waterloo
when Wellington, seeing his soldiers
fall one after the other, took his watch,
and said " They die at 50 many min
ute ! have yet such a number Of mon
it will be an hour before the last one
falls Boucher will have time to arrive;
the victory is mine p
Rally dealt IN his turn. This time
fortune passed over to his side. lie
gained. He doubled his stake, and
gained again. lie had just gathered uT
SO, 600 roubles, when be announced that
he had triplcd his stakes.
The Prince was too good player to
recoil. Rally still gained. Goloul-skof
still played on till he had exhausted all
the gold and notes at his disposal. Tic
then proposed to play on credit, chalk
ing the stakes upon the table. Rally
accepted, and gained three times in sue
cession.
BY st. George" he cried, & have
gained 100000 roubles"
% congratulate you" said tho Prince,
with nervous contraction Of the coun-
tenance. lie began to suffer
. You will not quit playing, 1 hope,
Prince. a Russian never abandons the
field ofbattlo."
" Never, Sir James, as l told you.
But, shall we change the game? The
air is sitting here Let US 90 into the
garden You have reputation as a
marksman; suppose we try shotF"
Rally, who saw the feyerish agitation
Of his companion, readily accepted. Be
sides, custom required that he should be
at thc disposal Of his adversary
In a moment the hall was empty.
81 What shall be the stake, said Sir
JamesY
90 Two hundred thousand roublcs."
"Agrced, but | have no more gold /;
and Unjust not exhaust my credit at the
Bank Of Vienna, which is quite indis-
pcnsablc to me-"
'Then will wager 200, 900 roublcs
against one Of your estates"
3" DO you wish to become a liuscovite
proprietor p i.
Its mere within, like any other. 5"
"And one which | an not disposed to
thwart. / have something Of that value
near Moscow. 1t is on the decliyity ola
hill, from which you can see admirably
the yet smoking ruins Of the holy city.
have also womilcs from Yologdo-"
Rally shrugged his shoulders 1t
is too cold, " he said.
F" All. then / have something else
which may suit you, charming little
village near the Volga."
&" Here goes for the Volga, then.
And you estimate this property
" At something more than 100000
roubles."
"Then add So, 900 to my stake"
4" Agreed but | have not the title
deeds here
&" Pen, ink and paper can supply them !"
Writing materials were brought and
the Prince engaged in writing to transfer
10 Sir James, If he were the winner, the
title Of bis domain upon the Volga.
The bet was to be decided by ten shots.
They drew lots for the first FIRE, and the
Prince won, and took bis place
About seyeuty-fye feet before him
were placed, in a circular line, five small
cages, twelve feet apart, each containing
a pigeon. Cords were attached TO the
trap-doors which closed the cages, and
were sufficiently long to reach the spot
where tho marksmon stood, which was
called the post
Those cords, by a rule Of the game,
were to be placed in the hands Of the
adverse party, who always stood behind
the marksman and, while the latter had
his eye intontly fixed upon The cords, his
Antagonist was permitted to agitate them
and % faen 70 pull befare doinaso thns!