Evening journal., 1891-11-19

"Ah, but that's out OF the question. Just
when we've got into society and all that.
BY the by, we're invited to the Due de
pincenezn
zone Of the very people, my love, who
would never invite us again If were to
give up play suddenly and without good
excuse"
"Oh, well, ther. suppose it can't be
helped said th7 hR9 ness, resigning her
self, as she had of.epflone before, to what
seemed to be the inevitable
It was two days after this conversation
that Raoul Fleischer became a member OF
the club He was rude, overbearing,
vulgar creature, egotistical and pushing to
a degree; boastful about his superiority at
games Of skill and exasperatingly conf
dent Of his luck at games of chance.
Noone appeared to know precisely where
he came from. although he bore letters
from eminently respectable gentlemen,
dated at different parts Of the Continent.
Fleischer had not been member Of the
club a week when il was suggested TO Won
Rachnitz that he should challenge this
very Objectionable person to a great bout
at ecarte, in which, if his luck-which was
by this time proverbial in the club-held
good, NJ. Raoul Fleischer might be taught
a lesson.
"Well, baron" said the latter one night,
addressing Won Rachnitz with a vulgar as
sumption Of familiarity, "lucky, as usual,
/ supposeW
81 don't know so much about luck, NJ.
Fleischer; I'm prepared to back my skill
even against you. I'll play you few
games Of ecarte, II you wish, though per.
| haps that's hardly your game, judging
from the way you lost the big pool last
( night"
"Ecarte not my gamep replied FleischeI
| Indignantly II lost the pool last night, il
/ Is true, but the cards were against me,
that was why--I made no mistake. will,
J meinherr, play you, when you will, fol
what you WILL hundred games Of ecarte
and we will see who is the better man, / OF
YOU"
/ every WE'LL" replied Won Rachnitz 'af
you will Tomorrow / will play you lOC
, games Of ecarte for 900 francs apiece"
The following night the club was crowd
ed. News OF the match had spread abroad
among the members and men who had
not been seen in the rooms for months
were present 1t was evident that the
! sympaties of the onlookers were with the
baron, who, although displaying admira
! BILE GOODNESS and all his accustomed skill
lost steadily Hand after hand was played
and Won Rachnitz invariably lost.
What was most extraordinary about the
contest was that Fleischer's success caml
TO him in spite Of the fact that his play
/ was contrary to all canons Of the game
lie played "on authority" when be seemed
to have hardly decent card in his hand
| and yet he won, and he gave cards" wheI
he held a good playing hand, and invaria
bly, succeeded in bettering it.
Won Rachnitz's face became a study
He lifted his eyebrows from time to tint
in a surprised way, and clearly indicated
in his features that he was puzzled. Alb
solutely irrational as was his opponenti
play, the cards were invariably against th'
baron.
To many Of the most expert players o
the club who had crowded about the table
it soon became evident that Fleischer mus
have some peculiar knowledge Of the cardl
still left in the pack. Apparently, how
| ever, until nine games had been played, al
Of which had been won by his opponent
| the baron remained unconscious of any
cheating
The tenth game was now in progress
| Fleischer was -four up' and marked TIN
king for the third time in succession. A
that moment Won Rachnitz arose from tn
chair, and in a voice Of assumed calmnes
said: "These cards are marked. deman'
an investigation" The next instant h
lifted pack which lay at his side on tn
table and flung them into his opponent
face, exclaiming, You are scoundre
and a swindler."
SO palpable to many members of the elu
had been the cheating Of M. Fleischer
that disposition was at once manifeste'
by number of those present to throw hir
into the street without further ceremony.
To this course the baron objected, anS
apologizing for the scene he had created
begged that a full and rigid investigatio
of the charge of cheating be made at onc'
and before any further violence was otfere
his opponent. The investigation was MAD
on the spot, and the baron's charge W,
J found to be abundantly substantiate
! The cards were found to be Of a most i
, geniously marked variety, and, as was G
y tablished had been smuggled into the cit
by Fleischer with the connivance of one
the under servants.
, 1t was at this point that the generosit
y OF the baron asserted itself in refusing
4 accede to the wishes of several of h
y friends, who desired that the impost'
4 should be turned over to the police.
! fact, the baron accorded his late adversal
7, protection from personal violence at IL
y hands of the more hotheaded members
the club, who were anxious TO chasti
him on the spot, and permitted the swi
dler to depart unharmed, upon his assu
y ance that he would leave Paris at once.
. When the door had closed upon the d
y comfitted Fleischer, and those who hi
witnessed the episode had returned to q
y =, card room, the baron begged to be allow
Y to say word publicly.
~ ~ Gentlemen" said he, 81 am about
Y act out an impulse. Whether l am W
" Y ia doing so will perhaps be a source of d
81 pute in the minds of my friends; but so
~ ~ resistibly am impelled to the course l a
~. about to take / cannot, l do not d'
~ delay announcing my decision. need .