Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-07-04


As his master appeared to have too
much brandy already, Ambrose affected
not TO hear the command.
"B andy, dye hearw repeated Theodore
with maudlin irritation.
Brandy, Yes, sirv' the valet answered,
not venturing TO be deaf any longer, And
setting on the table large soda water
glass he began TO pour a small quantity of
spirit into it.
"Give me the bottle, you fool" said
Theodore, snalching it from his hand ;
and poaring out liberal supply, ke toss
ed off nearly half of it raw.
Monte Carlo" he muttered, in thick,
indistinot voice, hold M his glass high in
the air. Here-st-very good health-sh!
Excellent place 81! sy here rest sh OF
life-sh. Break sh bank TO morrow sh!
Fortune mad r. No counting house sh.
No confou- 0ed I flee. Roulette for
ever-sh!'
Ambrose looked and listened grsvely.
His face was perfectly immovable.
Shortly after Theodcr-'- head began TO
nod and fall forward on his breast, and a
few minutes later a loud snore testified
that he was asleep.
Ambrose scanned his master cautiously,
cleaned HIS throat several times, then ap-
preached him and inquired, will master
go TO bed noxY"
Another snore was the sole reply. Am
brose waxed bo!der and touched his mas
ter's arm, then positively shook him.
The sleeping man gave an impatient
shrug and muttertd something but did
not wake up. He had fallen into the
heavy slumber of inebriation.
Ambrose paused awhile and scratched
his head in perplexity. If his master
woke up in the morning and found him
self in that position in the chair, there
would be, he knew, a rumpus. And yet
to put him properly TO bed, while in that
state was scarcely possible. A MIDDLE
course sugges ed itself. He would take
off his masters coat, collar and shoes,
lay him on the bed and cover him with a
rug.
This purpose he was able to etfeot-in
spite of some drowsy protests, and few
feeble struggles; and he left Theodore ~
ing on the bed TO sleep off his intoxi "a.
ton.
But as he was folding up his masters
coat, a roll OF papers fell from the br sast
pocket. Ambrose picked them M and
| looked at them. They were bank notes.
Glab cling once more at the sleeper's
| face, to make sure that he was buried in
slumber, Ambrose examIhed the notes
carefully. His eyes sperkled and his
| fingers trembled as he counted. They
am ounted to nearly 10000 francs ($S ,000)
That, then, was the meaning OF his
masters drunken words. Theodore hal
plainly spent the evening at the Casino
and won enormously.
The valet again looked cautiously at
the sleeper and stood for some inmates
| irresolute. Then an idea struck him.
He approached the dressing table and
picked up his masters keys, which were
/ living on it. With one OF these he opened
tue portmsnteau, and took from 1t a
| cash box. Selecting another key from
the bunch Che evidently knew it Well, he
unlocked the box and examined Its con
/ tents-a considerable sum, perhaps eighty
pounds in notes and god $4,000.
lie carried il into the outside room and
placing it on the table, together With the
roll of notes which had fallen from the
coat pocket, he sat with his head between
his hands oontem plating them.
Half an hanr later he was still in the
same attitude.
| Theodore awoke late next morning with
a racking headache and parched mouth.
| He called feebly for Ambrose and demand.
/ ed the time; but received 40 answer. He
called again. Still no answer. The ras-
cal was evidently not at his post 1heo-
dore seizsd the belirope and tugged it
viciously.
| Presently he heard The door of the out
| side room open.
Ambrose" Re said, irritably, why were
you not here be fore? And where the deuce
have you been? ?"
A strange voice answered in broken
English. Theod ore jumped from his bed
and went TO the door. One of the hotel
waters was there.
"Did monsieur ringf" he asked.
~ want my valet" said Theodore.
"Send him to me at once"
"Monsieurs valetS Yes, sir" And the
waiter vanished.
| Theodore's heavy, bloodshot eyes roam
ed slowly around the apartment, and at
length fell on the cash box. Surely he
had not left it out there over night; he
| did not 7ecollect to have touched 1t at all.
But then his consciousness of last nights
actions was a trihe indisti1ct. He e1
amined it hastily and found it empty. A
horrible suspicion seized him. He hur-
ried back into the bedroom, and felt in
the pocket of his coat, which lay folded
on chair.
Something between a groan and a
curse escaped him, as he found them
every one empty.
At that minute the waiter came back.
"Ambrose!- where is Ambrose de
manded Theodore, hoarssly
"The concierge tells me" began tine
man, and then hesitated,
Go on, hang your cried Theodore, i'm
patiently. "For heavens sake go on"
"That monsiour's valet passed the door
at four this morning, and has not, 80 far.
as the concierge is aware, since returned.
Theodore ground MS teeth with rage.
"The villain he gasped. He has
robbed me OF my farthingW
"Im possibl-!n cried the waiter, throw
ing up his hands in gesture of amaze
ment.
Il wish it w4re!n answered Theodore,
bitterly. "But the rascal shall rue 1t,
de shall be caught as sure as I'm alive.
| What is the time nowf just after eleven
O'Clock. He only has seven hours start.