Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-02-13


dence. Half an hour passed in this man
ner, and the presence of Valleja was be-
ginning to be forgotten, when he sudden
ly drew heavy rsuleau of gold from his
pocket and placed it upon a card. The
game went on: Vallejo lost, and with his
usual Indifference saw his stake thrown
into the bank Another followed, and
third, and fourth. In four coatps he had
lost three thousand dollars. Still not a
sign of excitement Or discomposure APP
peared upon the handsome conntenance
of the Mexican; only an officer who was
standing by him observed, that pack of
the thin Spanish cards, which he had
been holding in his hands, fell to the
floor, torn completely in half by one VIC
lent wrench.
The four high stakes, so boldly played
and so rapidly lost, riveted the observa-
ton Of the gamblers upon Valleja's pro-
ceedings. Everybody crowded around
the table, and even the slight buzz of
conversation that had before been heard,
totally ceased. His attention attracted
by this sudden stiffness, Rafael rose from
his chair and joined his friend. A glance
at the Increased wealth of the bank, and
the eagerness with which all seemed to
awaiting Valleja's movements, made him
conjecture what had occurred.
"You have lost" said he to the count,
"and heavily, fear. Come, that will do
for to-day. Let us 60"
"Pshaw?" cried the Mexican, "a mere
trife which you shall see me win back"
And then turning to the banker, who was
just commencing q deal,
"Copo," said he, ''the king against the
ace"
For the uninitiated in the mysteries of
monte it may be necessary to state, that
by uttering these words Vallejo bound
himself, if an ace came up before a king,
to pay an equal amount to that in the
bank, as well as the winnings of those
who had backed the ace If, on the other
hand, the king won, the whole capital Of
the bank was his, as well as the stakes of
| those who bet against him.
"Copo all rev."
| There was a general murmur of aston
ishment. The bank was the largest that
had been seen in that room since a GER
tain memorable night, when King Ferdi-
nand himself, being out upon one of the
nocturnal frolics in which he so much de-
| lighted, had come up in disguise with an
| officer of his household, and lost sum
! that had greatly advantaged the bankers
and sorely diminished the contents of his
Catholic Majesty's privy purse. There
| were at least thirty thousand dollars on
the table in gold and paper, and besides
that, scarcely had the Mexican uttered
the name of the card he favored, when,
on the strength of his previous ill-luck,
some of the players put down nearly half
| as much against it. The two bankers
| looked at each other; the guardsman
| shrugged his shoulders and elevated his
| 10Th ,n,,{c
| slight as to be scarcely perceptible, but
observed and understood by his partner,
the high dried old Marquis, sitting oppo-
site to him. who laid the pack OF cards
upon the table, their face to the cloth,
and, after placing piece of money on
| them to prevent their being disturbed by
any chance puff Of wind, opened his gold
box, and took prodigious pinch of snuff.
Having done this with much deliberation,
he let his hands fall upon his knees, and
leant back in his chair with a cOunte
nance expressive of inexhaustible pa
tlence. The players waited for nearly
minute, but then began to grow impatient
of the delay. AT the first question put to
the Marquis, as to its motive, he waived
his hand toward Valleja.
Il am waiting for the Senior Conde,"
said he.
For me?" replied Vallejo. 1t is I'M
necessary.
''TheIe were about twenty thousand
dollars in the bank" said the Marquis,
leaning forward, and affecting to count
The rouleaus lying before him, "and some
eight thousand dollars staked by these
gentlemen. Win you, Senoria, be pleased
to place similar sum upon the table,"
Several of the gamblers exchanged
significant chances and half smiles. The
rule Of the game required the player who
endeavored to annihilate the bank at one
fell sWoop, to produce a sum eqnal to
that which he had chance of carrying
off At the same time, in society like
this one, where the players were all
more or less known to each other-aIl
men Of rank, name and fortune-it was
not unusual to play this sort of decisive
coup upon parole, and, if lost, the money
was invariably forthcoming the same
day.
Vallejo smiled bitterly.
a thought l had been sufficiently
known here" said he, ITO be admitted to
the same privilege as other players.
Rafael added he, turning to his friend
and handing him key, 'your fathers
ten thousand dollars have melted, but |
have packet of notes and current sure
ties to considerably more than the need
full amount, in the brass bound box in
my apartment. VIII you have the kind
ness to fecth them for me? I do not
wish to interrupt my observation of the
game"
With pleasure p replied Rafael, tax
ing the key, and eager to oblige his
friend.
"And perhaps" continued Valleia,
smiling, and OBTAINING him as he was
about to hasten out of the room, "per-
haps you will not object to tell these
gentlemen, that, until you return with
the money, they may take Luis
Valleja's word for the sum he wishes to
play"
"Most assuredly, 1 will, answered the
young man hastily, "and l am only sorry
that the Senior Marquis should have
thought it advisable to put any thing re-
sembling slight upon friend of mine
and my fathers. Gentlemen!" he con-
tlnued to the bankers, II offer you my
guarantee for the sum Count Valleia 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 well. His Senoria, the
Count Vallejo, is only known to me as
Count Vallejo, and l am certain that, on
reflection, neither he nor you will blame
me for acting as do, when SO heavy a
sum is at stake
Don Rafael left the room. The formal
MARQUIS removed the nioco of ,,o,,o