Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-01-27
sion which gave warning that under

his lustrOus eyes. Black was Ii whole
dress from heal to foot. its neatness
evidencing the unmistak able cut of a
fash enable artist Black, also, were
his closely fitting gloves His coat, of
the finest cloth. was buttoned up to h is
chin, and showed To advantage his
statuesque bust. Altogether there could
not have stood in any princely hall
more ariSlocratic looking parsonage.
a poet would have called him the god
Of darkness.
This strangcr-for no one present
knew hm-seemed To abstract himself
completely from his surroundings, and
for a while looked intently at the gam
ing board, as if he meant to imprcgna'e
it with the magnetic NJ fluid Of h 5 W u.
Then suddenly addressing Sterlain. IN
front Of whom no had stationed him
self: Sir he said in Spanish. with
courteous bow and a musical but some.
what metallic voice. 'are the stakes
limited?" "No.' briefly answered
croupier. The unknown deliberately
took off his right glove. showing hand
which woman might have envied,
with long nails eXqustely shaped and
pearly in color. With it he drew out
an apparently well filled pocketbook of
black morocco ornamented with gold
clasps. He extracted from it few
bank notes. which he laid on the table,
saying calmly; My deal is for So
000 " An elcctr shock seemed to
have struck the by-stander,, and a
thrill shot through every one heart
that almost stopped its beating.
The wheel turned. The bank lost.
Take your plunder" shouted Ster-
Ian with an oath.
NO. Let il stand. 90 the who'll"
The ball was again set in motion.
and again fortune favored the Spaniard,
who by this time had become the only
player, all the rest gazing with absorb
ing interest at the terrible duel which
had evidently begun between the
two advcr,aries. Unused to such bad
luck and such crashing loss. Sterlain
appeared TO be beside himself. and
growing like an angry mast fl, jumped
mp. Excuse me, gentlemen he
said. IL am out of funds, and must
apply to Mr.. Davis to replenish the
bank
a few minutes elapsed, during which
the spectators remained clutered to.
gether in profound silence and staring
at the lucky gambler, while meanwh lc,
without taking the slightest notice Of
the surrounding crowd, kept his eyes
stead ~ fixed on the roulette, as if bur
led in the deepest meditation.
Sterlaiu returned with hi, hands full.
"Why have YOU not removed your
trash and cleaned the board? Inc said
gruflly TO the stranger.
because. lep ed he, IL choose to
leave it where it is and stake the
whole"
Sterlain turned pale and brea,hed
heavily as if something pressed against
his chest Again the ivory ball OF fate
twired in the bowl Aga it stopped.
The bank had lost Up started Sterlain
frenzed with rage, to get another sup
ply from those ample funds which Day-
is and his assoc ates always kept in re-
serve. On his com NC back Sterlain
was so demoralized that all he could
say to his adversary, on whom he cast
a bewildered look. was; in Il tone of
frightened interro CATION: "Well, what
next?n
II stake all have en- the board
was the short reply.
Round and round went the roulette
and for the fourth me the mysterious
stranger won. The total game was
enorOmo Us.
The bank is completely broken and
closes for tonight" Stcrlain announ-
ced in a voice which emotion rendered
almost inarticuate. and vault'ng over
the table he rushed upon the Spaniard
brandished his closed fists and exclaim-
ed: In the foul fend's name,
what have you eaten to day"
The stranger had retreated few
steps ut the sight of the threatened as
saut, aud stood still, waiting for n
closer approach. With n diabolically
sardonic smile on his lips, with look
which froze the blood of the spectator,
and made Sterlain reel back as if II
stiletto had struck him full in the
chest. the Spaniard with perfect com.
posture, answered In his rich native
language: IF you are, amigo milo. in
terested in knowing what have eaten
to-day. | have no objection to telling
you that it is chocolate. senior, pard
SerUir uSted."
The reader may laugh at this ridi-
culous finale, but we were assured 10y
one of the spectators that none of them
was so disposed at the time. so trag
was the information with which the
stranger pronounced in Spanish the
word chocolate. 1t never was known
Al.