Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-20
CHAPTER ".
SEVENTEEN TINES,

SEVENTEEN TINES.
"seventeen times?v
"seYenteen timesw
eyes, the red has passed seventeen
timesw
sis it possiblew
cit may be impossible, but 1t So"
"And tue players are mad against it?"
'sAfOre than 900, 600 francs won by the
bank"
seventeen timesi Seventeen timesy
cat roulette or trente-et-quarantep
cat trente-et-Quaraute.
alt is fifteen years since anything like
IT,"
Fifteen years, three months, and four
teen hours" cOOlly replied an old gam
bier belonging to the honorable class of
the ruined, Yes, sir, and very strange
thIng--it was in the height Of summer on
J June 16, 1871 know something about
itr'
Such was the conversation, or rather
the chorus Of exclamation that was
heard In the vestibule and peristyle or
the Cercle des Strangers at Monte Carlo,
on the evening Of October 3, eight days
after the escape Of Carpena from the
Spanish penitentiary.
Among the crowd OF gamblers, men
ana women OF all nations, ages and
classes, there was quite an uprOar Of en-
thusiasm. They would willingly have
greeted the red as the equal OF the horse
that had carried of the EPSON Derby or
the Longchamps Grand Prix. In fact,
for the people that the Old and New
Worlds daily pour into the little princi-
pality OF Monaco, this series of seventeen
had quite the Importance of a political
event affecting the laws and equilibrium
Of Europe.
1t viii easily be believed that the red
IN Its somewhat extraordinary obstinacy
had made good many victims, and that
the winnings OF the bank had been con-
siderable. Nearly a million Of francs,
said some-which meant that nearly the
whole OF the players had become in.
furiated at the extraordinary series Of
passes.
Between them, two foreigners had paid
large part Of what these gentlemen Of
the board OF green cloth call the ''deveine."
One, very cool, very self-restrained, al
though the emotions within him were
-tFaceable in his pallid face, the other
with his features distorted, his hair in
disorder, his look that Of a mailman or a
desperate, had just descended the
steps OF the peristyie, and were strolling
out under the trees on the terrace,
'Tnat makes more than 400 900 francs
that t1e cursed series has cost u.s." said
the eldest.
'sYou may as well say 41S, OOO," said the
younger, in the tone of cashier casting a
column.
"Aud now have only got 100000
and hardly that" said the first gambler.
none hundred and ninety-seven
thousand" said the other, In the same
tone.
'Yes. OF nearly 1000, 1000 that once
had, when you made me come with
you"
''One million, seven hundred and soven-
ty-nve thousand francs"
"And that Ia less than two months
sin one month and sixteen DAYS"
s'Sarcany," exclaimed the eldest, whom
his companions GOODNESS seemed to ex.
asperate as much as the ironical pre-
cision with which he rolled out the CT
piers.
swell, sIlasY'
Toronthal and Sarcany were the speak
ers. Since leaving Ragusa in the short
space OF three months they had reached
the verge OF ruin. After dissipating all
that they had received as the reward OF
their ab0minable treachery, Sarcany had
hunted his accomplish out OF Ragusa, tax.
ing Sara with them, and then had enticed
him into gambling and every dissipation
In which be could squander his wealth. II
is only just, however, to say that the old
banker, daring Spectator as he was, had
In times gone by more than once rlsked
which luck was his only guide.
How could TOronthal resist? Was be
not more than ever in the power or the
TripOltan brokery Sometimes he revolt
ell, but Sarcany had obtained an lrresist-
able ascendency over him, and the wretch.
ed man fell 50 heavily that strength al
most failed him 10 rise again, 80 that Sar-
cany was not at all uneasy about the oc.
easionAl fancies that TorOnthal had 70
UVIfhnFn u from hwt.
tally ofhis retorts and the applicability
Of his logic soon brought Toronthal back
beneath the yoke.
lnleaYing Bagusa under circumstances
which will not have been forgotten, their
arst care had been 70 put Sara in some
lafe place under the charge OF Namir.
And now In this retreat at Tetuan. ON
the borders OF Morocco, 1t would have
been difficult, II not impossible, 10 find
her. There sarcany's pitiless companion
undertook 20 break down the girls
resolution, and tear from her her
consent 70 the marriage. Unshaken In
her repulsion and strengthened by the
recollection OF Pierre, Sara hitherto had
obstinately resisted. But could she al
ways do so?
In the meantime Sarcany never ceased
from exciting his companion 10 plunge In
20 the iollies ofthe gaming-table, although
he had lost bis own fortune in q similar
way. In France, In Italy, in Germany
in the great centres where chance keeps
house In all its forms, on the Exchange
on the race-eOurse, ia the clubs Of the
great capitals. In the watering.places as
in the seaside towns, Silas Toronthal hac
followed as Sarcany led, and had soOr
been reduced % few hundred thousand
OF francs. While the banker rlsked hi,
own money, sarcany risked the banker,
and down this double slope both went q
ruin at double-quick time. What gam
blers call the "deyelne" had been dead
against them, and IL Was not for want OF
trying every chance that offered. In shOrI
their amusement cost them the best part
OF the millions received from the posses
siops u Count sandorf and II had
even become necessary 20 offer foi
axle the house IN the Stradone az Ragusa
And 90 they had been al
Monte Carlo for the last three
weeks. never leaving the tables Of the
club. trying the most infalllble lodges
working ouf schemes that always went
Ia - al