Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-08-23

tity had he not voluntarily chosen to
reveal it. He saw the gleam of recog-
milton in my face, and anticipated my
exclamation, by saying quietly:
"Ah, see you remember me now.
Let me give you my card as remind
err" at the same time handing me q
card on which was printed, Mr. Edwin
Brown, dealer in French and German
wines"
"Scarcely comprehenol1g his mean
ing, began:
But surely you are----
Accept my assurance that you are
mistaken, Mr.. Lancaster, and that my
name (for the present. is Edwin Brown.
I am sure can rely on your discretion,
or I should not have ventured to claim
your acquaintance"
81 will endeavor to justify your con-
fdence, Mr.. Brown. Will you allow
me to offer you cigar" l. a aes
"Thank you," he replied, selecting
weed with great deliberation. "Have
you been trying your fortune at the
tables?"
Not at present; but [ think 1 shall
risk a few thalers presently. I know
little or nothing about the game, how
ever. Perhaps you woald give me
the benefit of your advice"
q will advise you with pleasure not
to play at all. You may depend upon
one thing-no outsider ever wins in
the long run, at places of this descrip-
ton; and though you begin by stalking
fny oh ind
ings mount up to pounds, and pounds
to tep-pound notes, with alarming rap
idity." ms.
But why should not an outsider
win? Surely chance is the same for
ALL" --.-s-ssfE S
" Chance, doubtless; but chance is a
very small element in matters of this
description. Come, I will make you
an offer-you talked just now of risk
ing few thalers. Are you disposed
to spend couple of sovereigns to be
quite convinced you had better not VEN
ture your money on games of so-called
chance - a a
With pleasure. | am quite sure
they viii be well invested under your
guidance"
Come to me me, then, in half an
hour Il am staying at the Three Kings /,
and you shall make the acquaintance
of one of the most distinguished pro-
fessors of the art Of correcting fortune.
Till then, good-by! for | have, in the
first place, to find the gentleman in
question; and in the second, to satisfy
him that you are to be trusted with his
secrets. Don't forget; the Three
Kings. Mr.. Brown, Numero 49,"
IA was punctual to the rendezvous,
and found Ferret in the company Of
an individual whom he introduced to
me as lie Chevalier Koltoff, and who
greeted me with a ceremoinous bow,
assuring me that any friend Of Mon
sieur Brown would always be the object
of his most distinguished considera-
ton. [ returned his complim ents
rather awkwardly / am afraid, and we
drew round the table, on which coffee
and cigars were placed. The appear
arce Of the Chevalier was decidedly
striking; tall and almost painfully
thin, with scanty gray hair falling al
most to his shoulders, keen piercing
eyes, and hard vulturine profile:
dressed in blue frock coat deliberately
braided, and with the ribbon of some
order at the button hole, but worn ab-
solutely threadbare, and buttoned up
close to the chin, showing not vestige
of linen. Shabby almost to the last
degree, yet scrupulously neat and
clean, and with something of faded
aristocracy about him the Chevalier,
once seen, was not readily forgotten.
To what country he belonged was at
a loss to discover. His name seemed
to indicate Prussian or Polish origin,
but his features gave no clue to his ma
tlonallty, and his language was a poly
glot Of nearly every European tongue,
! French, however, predominating At
ter few sentences of casual CONVEX
sation, Ferret remarked:
"Chevalier, my friend is very anE-
ity with the cards. Will you oblige
| him 20
MATS certainement. Wiz re great
est pleasure. [ will do mon petit pos
sible. But NJ. Lancashire will give me
his word Of honor, fol de gentilhomme,
Eat he Will not make no bad use of my
lecon."
"Sir |" I exclaimed Indignantly; but
Ferret interposed with smile.
You mistake, my dear sir. The
Chevalier has not the least objection to
your making a personal profit by his
instructions. What he refers to as a
bad use would be your exposing his
secrets to Others" rt
"Oh-!" exclaimed relieved but still
more than half indignant, she need
have no fear on that score" AS I
spoke | caught Ferret's eye, and was SO
tickled by the quaintness of the idea
that [ was to pledge my "word Of
honor Heaven save the mark to
use the information I was about to OBJ
tain for swindling purposes only, that
could not control my risible faculties,
but was compelled to give way to a
hearty laugh. The Chevaiier looked
extremely scandalized at my levity;
and it took all Ferret's tact, and the as
surance that he would answer for me
as himself to restore orr friend :