The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-07
THE LOUIS DOR.


last banknote raked in by the croupier,
and risen from the roulette table where
he had just lost the shattered remains of
his fortune, collected for this last effort
to retrieve his previous losses, he felt
strange dizziness stealing over him and
thought he was going to fall Master
ing himself, however, he sought with
unsteady step and dazed brain, one of
the leather benches of the gambling hall
and threw himself upon it. For a few
moments he stared blankIy about this
claudestine gambling house, in which
he had wasted the best years of his
youth. He realized that he was ruined,
lost. It occurred to him that he had at
home in enc of the drawers of his bureau,
The ordnance pistols which his father,
General Hem, then simple captain, had
SO distinguished himself in the attack
upon Zaatcha; then, overcome with ia
tigue, he fell into a deep sleep.
When he awoke his mouth was dry
and parched. He glanced at the clock.
The hands marked On the dial a quarter
to twelve. He was seized with an ire
sistible desire to breathe the night air.
Rising, he stretched himself and looked
out into the darkness The snow crys-
tails sparkled like diamonds when the
light fell upon them. A muffied figure
passed with quick step and disappeared
II the shadows. An ironic play of his
memory brought before him the picture
of his early life. He saw himself, quite
a little child, stealing down to hang his
stocking in the chimney corner.
At that moment old Drovski, the clas-
steal Pole, one of the fixtures of the
place, clad in a threadbare cloak orna-
mented with braid and wreaths of olive,
approached Lueien and mumbled through
his stained, gray beard: ''Please lend me
a tivefranc piece, sir. For two days
have not budged from the cercle, and
for two days the seventeen has not come
out. Laugh at me if you will, but will
eat my head if, on the stroke of mid
night, that number does not APPEAR
Lucien de Hem shrugged his shoul.
ders. He had not even enough in his
pocket to satisfy this trihing demand,
that the habitues of the place called the
Poles dollar" He passed out into
the yestibule, put On his hat and pelisse,
and descended the stairs with Ieverish
haste. During the foar hours that Lu-
Glen had been in the gambling hall the
snow had fallen abundantly and the
street was white.
The ruined player shivered under his
furs, and quickened his pace, but before
he had proceeded many steps he stopped
suddenly before a piteous sight On a
rude bench, placed, as was formerly the
custom, near the monumental doorway
of mansion, a little girl of six or seven,
scantlly clad in tattered black dress,
ho L. E.
asleep there in spite of the cruel cold,
and all unconscious of the falling fakes
that were softly kissing her white ]ips
and closed eyes, weaving with magic
hand pure white robe around her little
form. Her attitude betrayed fatigue
and grief, and the poor little head and
delicate shoulder were pressed into an
angle of the wall against the cod stones.
One or her wooden shoes had fallen from
her hanging foot, and was lying ruefully
before her.
With mechanical gesture Lucien s
hand sought his pocket, but he remem-
hered that moment before he had not
been able to find even one franc piece
In some forgotten corner, with which to
up the attendant at the gaming house.
Moved, however, by an instructive sense
vi plIy. ne appTOacueu tAe uItle CIR
with the purpose of carrying her to some
place of shelter for the night, when, in
the fallen shoe, his eye fell upon some
thing bright. He leaned over. 1t was &
louis dor. Some charitable person--s
woman, no doubt-in passing had seer
the shoe lying before the sleeping child
and had put there, with discreet hand
a,royal aims, that the poor little aban
ooned one might still preserve, in spite
OF her misfortune, some confidence anC
nope in the bounty of Providence.
"A louis! 1t represented several day.
OF rest and wealth for the beggar girl
ana Lucien was on the point of r1usins
ner to tell her this. when he heard nea
MS ear. like an haliucination-the voice
Oh the Pole-murmuring again the words
For two days / have not budge6
from the cercle, and for two DAYS tn,
seventeen has not come out l will ca
my head if, on the stroke of midnight
mat at, number does not appear"
Then this young man OF twenty three
VINO had never before failed in point OF
nonor, le,, conceived a frightful thought
1iancing around he made sure that h,
was was quite alone in the deserted street
anu, StCOI.lnfr