Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-01-28

PiooScN fEiue AUout man pass = NC
proposed to adjourn, eagerly assented to by
Mr.. Merton, who had for some time exhib.
tied unmistakable symptoms of impatience
and unrest
'You will accompany us Waters2" said
Sanford, as we rose to depart. There is,
suppose, no vow registered in the matri-
mental archieves against locking on game
played by others?"
"Oh, no! but do not ask me to play"
Certainly not :" and a devlish sneer
curled his lip. Your virtue shah suffer no
temptation, be assured
We soon arrived before the door OF a
quiet, respectable looking house. in one Of
the streets leading to the Strand low
peculiar knock, given by Sanford. was
promptly answered; then a password,
which did not catch, was whispered by
him through the keyhole, as we passed
in.
We proceeded up stairs to the first floor.
the shutters of which were carefaily closed,
so DO intimatitn Of what was fetnc on
could possibly reach the street. The apart
inent was brilliantly lighted, roulette ia
BILE and cards were in full activity wines
and liquors Of all varieties were paraded
There were about half dozen persons
present, | soon discovered, beside the gang.
AMI that comprised eleven or twelve WE'LL
dressed desperadoes whose sinister aspects
induced u momentary qualm lest one or
more of the pleasant party might suspect
or recognize my vocation. This, however.
l reflected, was scarcely possible. NV
beat, during the short period had been in
the force, was far distant from the usual
haunts of such gentry, and | was other
wise unknown in London. Still, question
ing glances were eagerly directed toward
my introducer and one big burly fellow, a
foreigner the rascals were the scum of va
riuus countries-was unpleasantly inuuisa
torial, "J'en responde % | head Sanford
say, IN answer to his reiterated queries:
and be added something in whisper which
! brought sardonic smile to the fell rvs lips
| inducing total change i'll bis demeanor
toward myself This was reassuring for
though provided with pistols, | should,
felt, have little chance with such utterly
reckless ruffans as those by whom | was
surrounded. Play was proposed and tho
at first sIoutly refused, feigned to be over
come by irresistible temptation and sat
down to blind hazards with my foreign
friend for moderate stakes | was nraci-
ously allowed to win, and in the end found
N yself richer in money by about ten
pounds. Mr.. Merton was soon absorbed in
the chances of dice, and lost large sums,
for which, when the money be brought
with him was exhausted, he gave written
acknowledgements. The cheating prac-
| ticed upon him was really audacious, and
any one but tyro must have repeatedly
/ detected it. He however, appeared not to
entertain the slightest suspicion of the fair
play of his opponents, guiding himself en-
! tirely by the advice of his friend and conn-
! sellor, who did not himself play Tho
| amiable assemblage broke up about six in
! the morning, each person, retiring singly,
/ by the back way, receiving as he depart
/ ed, new password for the next evening.
! A few hours afterward | waited on the
! Commissioner to report the state of affairs.
| lie was delighted With the fortunate debut
| | had made, but still strictly enioined pa
tience and caution. 1t would have been
easy, as ! was in possession of the pass
word, to have surprised the oonfederacy in
gaming that very evening; bat this W luld
only have accomplished a part of the object
aimed at. Several of the fraternity-San-
| ford among the number was suspected of
uttering forged foreign notes, and it was
essential to watch narrowly for legal evi
dence to restore, if possible, the'property
and securities of which Mr.. Merton had
been pilaged.
Nothing of especial Importance occurred
for seven or eight days. Gaming went on
as usual every evening. and Mr.. VI rton
became. of course more and more involved
even his sister's-which he surreLttiously
obtained, to such degradati IN will this
vice plunge men otherwise honorable-hld
been staked and lost, and he was, by the
advice of Sanford, about to conclude a
L..
only to be clear Of his enormous debt Of
honor" but acquire fresh means of win
ming la ck"--that ignis fatus of all gam
biers-his tremendous losses A new pre-.
urinary dodge" | observed, was now
brought into action. Mr. Merton esteemed
himself knowing hand at ecd1te 1t was
produced, and he was permitted to win
every game. much to the apparent annry>
ance and discontinue Of the losers AS
this was precisely the snare into which
had myself fallen, l of course the more
easily dete cted it, and felt certain that the
grand coup was meditated In the mean
time | had not been idle. Sanford was
confidentially informed that | was Only
waiting in London 80 receive between four
and five thousand pOunds-part of Uncle
PassgrOve's legacy-and then in endel to
imme 1iatelv hasten back to canny York
shire. To have seen the williams eyes as
accidentally did, as it were announced my
errand and intention! They fairly flashed
with glee! All, Sanford! Sanford you
were, with all your cunning, but a sad
blind idiot to believe the man you had
wronged and ruined could so easily forget
the debt he owed you!
The crisis came swiftly On. Mr. Mer>
toms mortgage money was to be paid on
the morrow and on that day, too, au-
nouuced the fabulous thousands received
by me were to be handed over. Mr.. Mer-
ton, elated with his repeated triumphs at
ecdrte, and prompted BY his friend Sanford
resolved instead of cancelling the bonds
and obligations held by the conspirators, to
redeem his losses by stalking on that his
ready money against those liabilities. This
was at first demurred to with much APP
parent earnestness by the winners, but Mr..
Merton, warmly seconded by Sanford, inN
sisted upon the concession, as be deemed
it, it was finally agreed that ecarte should
be the game by which he might hope 10
regain the fortune and peace of mind be
had SD rashly squandered the last time
should he be successful-and was be not
sure If success The assured Sanford, that
he would never handle cards or dice. He
should have heard the hooking merrimeEt
with which the gang heard Sanford repeat
this res luton to amend his ways ,oten he
had recovered back his wealth
The day so eagerly longeG for ny Merton
and his confederates-by the spoilers and
their prey-arrived. and L waited with feT
erish anxiety, the coming night. Only the
CHIEF cOuspirators eight in number, were
to be present, and no stranger bus myself
"a privilege l owed to the moonshine leg
aey had just received-was to be admit
ted to the browning triumph of successive
fraud. One only hint had ventured to
give Mr.. Merton and that under q promise
ION his honor as gentleman" of invlola'
tlo secrecy. This was it.
''Be sure before commencing play to
l. l.. - rhlifrn.