San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-11-06
PAUL JONES'S ALIAS.
BYDAvID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
Author of "Joseph's Coat" "Aunt Rdci'-
e." "Cyntc Fortune" Etc.
Com me u.ea la No. 20;

with the stakes still upon 'he table, and
the money passing to his CO nrades hands,
the position of affairs needed little ex'
PLANTATION.
"This isn't the system, Major" Med.
hurst whispered, bending above him. 1t
never crossed his mind that the Major had
broken into the cash-box. He supposed
him to have begun with the contents OF
his pocket-book, and to have risen to this
daring play by sheer luck and audacity.
The Major answered nothing. but left the
stakes upon the table. The game went on,
and the next two or three turns OF the
wheel made great inroads on the second
pile Of notes.
"That'll do for tonight, Daisy" Med
hurst whispered again. ''Be content with
what you've done already. Now, be per-
suaded, there's good fellow. You know"
he went on, seeing that the Major pre-
served an obdurate silence. "that You au-
thorized me to stop you if found you
going outside the system. You seem to
have done pretty well as things stand, but
you'll spoil it all if you go on at this pace"
The tone was measured carefully enough
to reach the Majors ears only. The words
had no more effect upon him than il they
had remained unspoken. Medhurst be-
came charged with a cold anger at the
others obstinacy, and stood by to watch
whilst the Majors money melted at an
average of some five hundred pounds for
each turn of the wheel. At last there were
but two or three notes of the second pile
left, and Medhurst tried again.
"Come," he whispered, you're where
you started now, or thereabouts. Give it
up for tonight"
For sole answer the Major turned to-
wards the chef and extended his hand.
The chef held the cash-box towards him,
and Medhurst. with start and an mar
ticulate groan of anger, which was audible
to all the table, intercepted it. The Ma
jor turned in his chair, and, Selling the
cash-box violently with both hands, drag
ged it out of Medhurst's grasp, set it upon
the table, and unlocked it. At that, the
whole truth flashing upon Medhurst's
mind in second, he seized the Majors
burly shoulders as if he would tear him
from his seat.
You unmitigated ASST he said, forget
ting to measure his tone this time. you
have squandered fourteen or fifteen thou
sand pounds! Didn't you give me your
solemn word Of honor not to play tonight?
Give me that cash-bOx. You sha'n't throw
the rest away"
go to the devil, STRIP cried the Major,
wrathfully. mind your own business"
This is my business" Medhurst an
swered.
'I'n be hanged if it is, thought" said the
Major.
At the noise of the strong voices people
ran from all parts of the room.
II have DONE" said Medhurst, loudly.
but with a self-possession in the midst of
his anger which the Major could not COM
mand-'I have done what you yourself
besought me to do. You told me that you
were fool and not fit to be trusted at the
tables after dinner. You begged me to
keep you away, and authorized me to take
the money from the table if you played
wildly. have done my duty, and wash
my hands of you. You may take your
idiotic course alonep'
81 am glad" responded the Major, call
ing after him as he forced his way through
the crowd, 81 am glad to be rid Of your
damned impertinent interference on any
terms, STRIP
Anu having uellNtTtu ulIuStll JuuS, uc
turned back with foolish, fruitless valor
to the tables, and did not rise till his last
bank-note was gone. He had seen that it
was going, and had reconciled himself so
perfectly for the moment in that irrespons-
ible. happy -go-lucky mind of his that he
laughed with unfeigned good-humor when
it was all over. He had still a double
handful of gold pieces left, but he was not
going to fall to stakes which anybody
might play after that superb losing game,
so he staggered with perfect seeming
tranquility to the UeStiGirC, secured his
stick and hat and overcoat, and, returning
to the hotel went to his rooms and ordered
wine. As he sat drinking alone he laughed
with great enjoyment once or twice at the
recollection Of certain small episodes in
the history of the evening, but he began
10 feel that there was a cloud above him.
little by little it descended, until he was
saturated with it's gloom. He ordered
more wine, and the waiter brought his
bill. He paid it with lordly oaths, de-
handing to know why gentleman should
be insulted by the proffer of his account
before he asked for it, and threatening to
quit the house next morning. But the
news of the Majors prodigious losses had
reached the hotel before him, and the
manager was not unnaturally anxious to
secure his money. Perhaps the waiter
had heard the like objurgations before.
People keep hotels under unusual condi-
tions at Monte Carlo, and the gay-hearted,
loud, and lordly person for whom nothing
is good enough on Monday is pretty often
a mournful hanger-on on hope and suffer-
ance by the Saturday. What Cresuses
there are there for a day or twol What
holders Of the Fortunatus' purse for an