Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-05-29

old opponent, but still he played on.
The large sums he lost, and his pale,
excited face, deeply interested me;
and / stayed on and watched him un-
til late at night, when he left the
room, his last Napoleon was gone.
"After supping at a coffee-house
| went back to my room at the hotel,
but for some cause could not sleep.
The heat was oppressive and my
room small besides, the game had
been watching had excited me strange
ly, and l only fell into troubled
sleep near morning.
II was awakened about daylight
by voices in the adjoining room
those of man and woman, evident
ly. The mans voice was low and
pleading, and the woman seemed to
be cgying. I could hear enough to
understand that she was refusing him
some request, for his tones became
loud and threatening, and at last |
heard him say
eff you refuse me, you seal my
ruin and your own. | have no more
gold-and I must have the diamonds
to retrieve myself
Hysterical sobs were the only an
swer he received, and he continued,
Something tells me 1 shall win to-
night and | must have the ring
''Never, Charles 1 cannot give it
up. 1t is all l have left. 1t was my
mothers and / will not let it leave
me-"
The mans voice was so choked
with passion that his words were in
articulate, but with a burst of wild
anger he left, slamming the door af-
ter him. The woman's sobs became
lower, her crying ceased, and | fell
into another nap, not waking until
near ten.
Il saw neither of my gambling ac-
quaintances that day, and the night
found me again in Monsieur Carlos
rooms. The old man was again on
hand-not satisfied, | thought, with
his innings of the night beforehand
again / saw a CLEAN of satisfaction
cross his face as his victim of the
previous evening came in and got
ready to play.
"'Make your game-the game is
made up?' cried the dealer, and was
about to end the cards when the
yonng man who just entered called
out in loud voice.
''Fifty Napoleons upon the red J"
Seeing he placed no money upon
the table, the croupier paused mo-
ment, then said,-
"Slr, you must stake the money.
The gambler started and turned
paler than ever, a long, shuddering
sigh broke from him as he felt first
in one pocket. then in another, and
finally grasped his hat and fed from
the room. The playing went on for
while longer, and then one by one
they went out, leaving only the at
tendants, the old keen-eyed gambler
and myself present. Something-an
indefnable feeling of interest in the
unhappy young man who had left the
house in such despair short time
before-held me there. | must see
if he returned.
Suddenly the door opened and he
ran in, as if fleeing for his life. |
shall never forget that sight, Louie.
His face was CHASTITY, his dress dis
ordered and he trembled as though
with ague. AS he rushed up to the
table, in the strong glare of the lights
l saw great drops of perspiration
standing on his brow. He thrust his
hand in his pocket and tossed a ring
down before his opponent.
"'There 1t is worth ten thousand
francs. Now, cover my stakes,' he
cried.
: Il instantly recognized the beauti
full diamond as the one his wife ha(
| worn in the cars, and the converse
ton | heard that moning came bacl
to my memory, and | knew my fellow
t travellers were the man and woman
1 l had heard disputing in the earl,
morning hours. But he had succeed
ed in overcoming her determination
for he had the ring, and my hear
t ached for the poor wife as | wonder
: ed how he obtained it.
5 . Red | bet on the red?' agai
: shouted the young man; and in
7 moment the croupier called 'Blacl
wins 7 and the ring was no longe
: his.
4 "With wild cry the wretched los
: er fled from the house; and complete
/ ly unnamed by what | had seen,I re
e turned to my hotel, hoping the youn
Y man would soon follow me.
q 81 found them all-travelers, pre-
n prietor and servants, wild with eN
e citement over the murder of the beau
tiful Russian lady. An hour befoI
: her maid had gone to her room an
n found her deluged in blood from
q wound in her head, and dead. Th
n husband her been in and left som
o few moments before. / went up t
S her apartment and to the bed wher
d she lay. Her exquisite face was fail
t er than in life, for it had lost the III
e happy look, and seemed at peace
s As | turned to leave the room, / sa-
II this picture among heap of thing
e turned out of mans travelling case