San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-28


the belief that he was gentleman of the
first water. He was utterly pitiless to
people who had money, and regarded them
as his natural prey He and Medhurst
had formed themselves into gambling
partnership at q time when both were very
much under the water, and the Captains
social cachet not being quite obliterated
at that moment, he had been able to in
troduce his confederate into places where
he would otherwise have had little chance
of obtaining foothold. The partnership
fioated both of them, in a financial sense;
but it ended in Medhurst's social ship
wreck. He had played pigeon for a good
many years, and the rocks had tripped
him of a handsome fortune. Now, like
hundreds of men who had gone before
him, he had turned rock, and was ready
to feather anything defenceless that might
come in his way
He had an almost pious horror for tho
public tables, and he thought that Monte
Carlo was quite q sink of iniquity. He
felt in respect to the great gambling in
stitution there as a man who shot for the
pot over a few bare acres of his own might
feel if the birds upon his ground with one
consent betook themselves to the pre-
serves of some wealthy, princely neighbor.
The existence of Monte Carlo was mimi
cal to private, professional enterprise. He
had been feathered there himself, the poor
Medhurst!-he had been feathered every
where-and he was grieyed and indignant
to find his partner SO incurably smitten by
the seductions of the place. Aprofessiona3
man. he urged, should only play where
hts experience, skill, and GOODNESS gave
him the advantage No experience, skill,
or GOODNESS could help the best-trained
gambler in the world against that moons
Gent wheel which could never get excited
or tired, or run away from its own system
of fortuitOus eccentrlclty.
The Captain had already thrown billet
or two of wood on the decaying fire, and
| it now burned up again very brightly.
The two sat on either side of it, slipping
their wine and smoking.
1--WE got tenner on the Association
Cup tie" said Major De We're. Il sup
pose one can get an English paper here,
The game should have been played of
yesterday"
You can get the New York Herald"
said Medhurst Shall ring and ask for
it?"
The journal came in answer to Med
bursts demand, and the Major turned it
over
1--WE pulled that off, anyway" he said;
though it doesn't matter much now
Hillo! You've got millionaire staying
| herer'
That's likely enough" Medhurst an
swered, uninterestedly; who is he'"
"Mr. Paul Jones, of New York." the
Major answered. II remember reading
about him last year. His father died He
| in atrnl q ii
| Il don't know what all. He's worth about
| ten millions, English money"
| He'd be better worth going at than
| your Monte Carlo"
Dye think so? Those Yankees are
deuced sharp, my boy. I've been had by
| one or two of them; but never landed
| one myself yet" All Americans were
| Yankees to Major De We're. "Monte
Carlos got as much as he has, and Monte
| Carlo won't shy; and even if you were to
ruin Monte Carlo, you could hold your
| head up with the rest. If the Archbishop
| of Canterbury or the Pope of Rome went
and smashed up Monte all the good Chris
tians would approve of him; but if you
| and me went and cleaned out a private
millionaire, we should get hooted at. Not
that I should mind that much" the Major
added philosophically. 80 long as col
Jared the pieces"
Father died year ago, did her" said
| Medhurst. He's likely to be pretty
young, then"
THAT depends" returned the Major.
| my old governors alive somewhere At
least, I've never heard to the contrary, and
| Pm no chicken. Anybody who counted
| on picking me up because he heard that
my governor fell off the hooks last year
would have his work cut out"
The Major went back to his paper, and
Medhurst slipped and smoked. Once he
| murmured inwardly, to himself and the
Major catching the words-"ten millions,
English money''-looked up and smiled.
| The snow whirled against the window,
and the wind howled in the chimney. The
streets on such day were only for those
who had imperative business, and the
Major, with view to killing time, pro-
| posed hand at cards. Medhurst assent
ed, and they played until the dressing-bel
| sounded, and in due time they went down
to dinner. The hotel was full, and the
| long tables of the tabled hote were crowd
| ed. Medhurst found himself side by
| side with his Colossus of the early after
noon, who edged away his chair to make
room for him with smile of friendly re-
| cognitiOn."
Rough weather outside, SIR" he SAID,
| cheerfully. 1--WE got but very little time
| in Paris; I'm going down South to-mor-
row, and I've been tearing around with
| an interpreter to get few things ready