Evening journal., 1891-11-19
THE BARON'S SCHEME.

n AAAA Af%AANNR A y - ~
Baron Won Rachnitz was member OF
the Baccarat club in the Rue Raymond de
Toulouse of Paris. He was somewhat
remarkable man a member of one of the
great but impecunious families Of SaxOny,
he had, some five years before, been caught
young, and married by brilliant com
plexioned, though not very rich, American
girl. For year or two they had been con.
tent TO live in his dull native town, with
its round of first rate operas, but third rate
everything else.
At the Anglo-American club the baron
had evinced certain aptitude for ecartei
poker and picquet, and so uniform had been
his success at these games that it was not
long before he began TO yearn for fresh
fields and pastures new, where he could
play for higher stakes than were obtainable
in a second rate German town and third
rate Anglo-American society. Ills wife,
too, impressed by his success, and not un.
willing to realize larger returns, encour.
aged him In his ambition, with the result
that move was made to Paris, and he
became a member of the famous Baccarat
club.
From the moment Of his arrival, eight
years before our story runs, fortune had
smiled upon the young adventurer. But
his was, perhaps, not so much that she
owed him any special kindness as that he
left no stone unturned to assist the tickle
goddess in declaring in his favor This
young man was not gambler by nature
that is to say, he never risked his money
where he considered the odds were against
him. In all games Of chance combined
with skill he knew that skill must tell In
the long run. He never overestimated his
own play or underestimated that Of an adj
versary. He knew, too, that cool head
and an unweared brain always had the
odds in their favor, and, gambling as he
did merely as matter of business, he
strictly took advantage Of these and othel
palpable yerities
On first becoming a member OF the club
he had confined himself TO playing in th'
small hours Of the morning. All the high
est play was between 9 and o'clock, and
these hours he had first avoided on princi
pie. After o'clock he had noticed that
play became Stacker, and that those play
ers who still staid on were either over
excited with wine OF beginning TO tire; and
by o'clock in the morning there were, as
q rule, but a few iaded or half intoxicated
members; fair game, he considered, for
young man of regular habits, and wh'
took a sutliciency of sleep.
Now, as he said TO his wife, he was il
Paris on business, and pleasure and con
venience must give way to that, and she
being a practical young woman, cheerful
acquiesced. The consequence was tina
this enterprising young couple kept yer
curious hours indeed They went TO be
regularly at A o'clock in the afternoon, an
got up as regularly at midnight. No
! Rachnitz then dressed himself faultlessl
in evening costume, kissed his dear littl
wife, who wished him good success, an
! turned into the club as fresh as paint An
1 this plan for some time succeeded exec
lently we'll Indeed the Frau Baronil
who was not quite as ambitious as h'
husband, was beginning to look forwar
20 the retirement on very fair comp
tency in the near future.
But this was by no means Van Racl
nitz's idea. A comfortable competenC
did not appear half tempting enoug
to him. He swore in his heart that
would stick TO business until he was
really wealthy man. His success was a
doubtedly great with the comparative
small fry. but his practice in the sms
hours OF the morning was only to be d
prelude 70 greater things in the real gai
bling hours Of the club. He only wait
his opportunity TO rake in, as he believ
. himself capable Of doing, the thousan
; which changed hands before o'clock,
c place OF the hundreds which he gather
s ia an too slowly after that hour. In va
{ his wife used all her efforts to induce hi
! TO be content with the sufiiciency he h
already amassed. He paid her no hes
but bade her wait patiently and he won
make her rich woman.
E Thus it was that, about three years
( fore certain Raoul Fleiseher obtain
! membershipan the club, Won Rachnitz h
$ become one OF the 9 TO / o'clock habitu
I As in his earlier ventures, his luck frS
the first proved phenomenal, and this "
the more astonishing, as here he was pitt
against the finest and coolest players
: the world. However, of course, bad I
a tune was sure ,o come at last-at least,
% all the knowing ones said.
r BY this time Won Rachnitz had amas'
a large sum of money-larger, indeed, th
any Of his associates imagined. He and
wife were living very smartly in SIN
a way, and were, by degrees, making x
= their position in the very best society.
Il was very popular with the leading me
m Dels OF bnt Cluus among Wuom Wcit
cream Of the male Partisan aristocracy.
My dear said the baroness one day,
wish you would give up play"
=. 81 wish l could, my love. / would &
- it up tomorrow if saw my way to do S
y 81 can't see what is to prevent you, if !
ne wish. It's simply tempting Providenc'
trust TO your luck any longer
you are perfectly right in what
say but you must remember that the
tn jority OF the members Of the Baccarat c
ay don't look on gaming as business, an,
It was for a moment imagined tha
played only for the money l make,
should lose ground terribly in society"
a., 81 don't see whyn
IN "You do not, and yet I've told you o.
no. enough that a man who has played
ng cessfully is always expected to 90
III. giving his fellow members an opportu
pm, for revenge. l should go down tren
TO dously in their estimation il / sudd'
ere stopped playing without assigning
lti- reason. You don't know how suspic
The people become of man who gives up
of before play gives up him. don't see
airy I'm to abandon it altogether unless
his make up our minds to leave Paris and
'or- tie elsewhere"