Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-07
rHE BARON'S SCHEME.

-, Won Rachuitz was member OF
p,.,qrat club in the Rue Raymond de
la of Paris. He was n somewhat
lilo man. \ member of one of the
~ irparunious families of Saxouy,
r. " somp five wears before, been caught
lNi and married by brilliant COM
w. - though not very rich, American
A' e. wear or two they had been con-
live in his dull native town, with
l,,J nj first rate operas, but third rate
.-,thing else,
n.5s 3nclo-American club the baron
a,.rin,ed a certain aptitude for ecarte,
md picQuet, and so uniform had been
-. AT these games that it was not
b.fo-p he began 10 yearn for fresh
4. and PASTURES new, where he could
r. higher stakes than were obtainable
..,lnd rate German town and a third
:, Apglo-American society. His wife,
;m1ressed by his success, and not I'M
gi7, 10 realize larger returns, encour-
:; him in his ambition, with the result
I, move was made to Paris, and he
-,--a member of the famous Baccarat
d
r.-tbe moment of his arrival, eight
:, bafore our story runs, fortune had
--j upon the young adventurer. But
VS., perhaps, not so much that she
r. him any special kindness as that he
Aro stone uuturned to assist the tickle
,sless in declaring in his favor. This
upy man was not a gambler by nature;
q i TO say, he never risked his money
i.re he considered the odds were against
NJ In al games of chance combined
m skill he knew that skill must tell in
long run. He never overestimated his
Tn play or uuderestimated that of an ad-
,s-S8rv. He knew, too, that cool head
.rd an unwearied brain always had the
dds in their favor, and, gambling as he
5d merely as a matter of business, he
Strictly took advantage of these and other
alpable yerities.
On first becoming a member of the club,
+ b bad confined himself to playing in the
/ snail hours Of the morning. All the high
+ & play was between 9 and l o'clock, and
these hours he had first avoided on princi-
| DE- After l o'clock he had noticed that
|p2y became Stacker, and that those play
les who still staid on were either over
excited with wine or beginning to tire; and
|g o'clock in tine morning there were, as
iue, but few jaded or half intoxicated
rsmoers fair game, he considered, for a
pans man Of regular habits, and who
aOk sufiiciency of sleep.
Now, as he said to his wife, he was in
Paris on business, and pleasure and con-
Jslence must give way to that, and she,
beng practical young woman, cheerfully
Hqulesced. The consequence was that
tbs enterprising young couple kept very
lrOus hours indeed. They went to bed
rgllarly at o'clock in the afternoon, and
gi up as regularly ut midnight. Won
Aaehnltz then dressed himself faultlessly
hsvening costume, kissed his dear little
wife, who wished him good success, and
turned into the club as fresh as paint. And
LIS plan for some time succeeded excel
ENTITY well Indeed the Frau Baronin,
Eh0 was not quite as ambitious as her
lSoand, was beginning to look forward
N'he retirement on very fair compe-
klcy in the near future.
But this was by no means Van Rach-
ms idea. A comfortable competency
10 not appear half tempting enough
% MIN. He swore in his heart that he
7oaid stick to business until he was a
aI!y wealthy man. His success was I'm
-oaDtedly great with the comparatively
NAL Try, but his practice in the small
ours OF the morning was only to be the
IsIuue to greater things in the real gam
''lg hours Of the club. He only waited
: opportunity to rake in, as he believed
UNSET 4l capable of doing, the thousands
'h.ch changed hands before O'Clock, in
."oe OF the hundreds which he gathered
al TOO slowly after that hour. In vain
: we used ali her efforts to induce him
oe content with the sufficiency he had
Heaay amassed. He paid her no heed,
u, Oaae her wait patiently and he would
'aAe her a rich woman.
-AAs u was that, about three years be-
Ne a certain Raoul Fleischer obtained
emDership in the club, Won Rachnitz had
''oiAe one OF tine to o'clock habitues.
II MS earlier ventures, his luck from
( N's' proved phenomenal, and this was
{ more astonishing, as here he was pitted
'''NS' the finest and coolest players in
= world. However, of course. bad for
'ue was sure to come at last-at least, so
=, !, .Ae knowing ones said.
.! 'uiN time Won Rachnitz had amassed
"a az sum of money-larger, indeed, than
!! OIL ms associates imagined. He and his
"e We're living very smartly in a small
~, anu We're, by degrees, making good
''' position in the very best society. He
: yer! popular with the leading mem
u tHe club, among whom were the
,%I ol the male Partisan aristocracy.
=, -! ueaF, said the baroness one day, 81
~ ~ you would give up play"
WISH l could, my love. would give
~ '''iorrow il | saw my way TO do So"
i,h '"I see what is to prevent you, if You
1.. us simply tempting Providence to
~ ~: 20 your luck any longer"
= -ou are perfectly right in what you
- u. You must remember that the ma
~: Vi the members of the Baccarat club
yva wa On gaming as business, and if
49, LOT moment imagined that /
~ yTG only for the money / make, we
~ lose ground terribly in society"
~. uon't see why"
ON, NJ 10 not, and yet I've told you often
ST., 'Hat man who has played sue
vim Is always expected to go on
? MS fellow members an opportunity
nal, nSe. l should go down tremen-
onr5, IL their estimation If l suddenly
asen paying without assigning any
.onI- iou don't know how suspicious
.toro SyVohe of a man who gives up play
Eaz IL. r 4 ~ L.