Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-04-15
MIR. FAvERlLL, SIR.

NH. la LhILL, Oil.
It vas nearly 8 o'clock on a July
evening when the Compile dc Parni
walked with an easy air into the
smoking-room of the Pericles Club,
Pail. Mall. Away in the north the
twilight "a falling over brown lot
and purple hills: farther south the
shadows were deepening owe all the
fields. But in London no one thinks
of twilight. One only finds that it is
time to light the gas. The gas vas
lighted in the club smoking room.
and M or two men, lounging about
the room, nodded u sGood-cvening''
to the newcomer.
s'Who's that?" asked a member, as
the Count passed by.
ga French Count, l believe" was
the answer. .'Phil O'Brien intro
duced him last night. Said he had
been civil to him somewhere abroad"
Such introductions, by a rule of the
Pericles. held good .or a week in'the
case of strangers visiting London, ana
made the visitor an honorary mem
Der of the club for that space of
time.
The Count threw himself on one of
the lounges, and called for some
brandy and soda. The waiter who
brought the grateful compound was a
Frenchman, Maxence by name. A
close observer might have noticed
that he gave the Count IL keen glance
as he stood, with the tray i'm his hand
waiting to be paid. But the next
moment the servants face wore its
usual impassive, polite expansion.
- Count hardly deigned to glance
Othe waiter, as he tossed one or two
coins on the little table ut his side.
After a time somebody proposed a
rubber of whist. There were only
four in the room, the London season
being very nearly at an end, and as a
matter of necessity. as we'll as polite
~ Ness, the Count was asked to maze
one Of the party. He was very ready
to do so, and in a few minutes the
four were seated around the green
covered table in a pleasant lutte room
upstairs. On cutting for partners,
the Count found himself paired with
a man named Grey-onc of those
quiet, easy-golng fellows who lounge
through the world. saying little, and
generally knowing more than they
say. The other two were younger
men-Alfred Faverill, Il man of good
position, and commonly supposed to
be rolling in money, and a friend of
his named Willoughby.
Whist went on for about an hour,
and then M or two of the players
felt a desire for something more ex-
citing. Somebody proposed b%accarat,
and as some more members had by
this time entered the room, the sug-
gestion was at once agreed to. Soon
the stakes became pretty high, and
Grey gave up his place at the table
andstood behind, watching the Others.
Supper was brought in about 1 o'clock,
and, after it had been hastily dis
cussed, play began in earnest.
Certainly luck seemed to favor the
Frenchman to a wonderful extent.
Grey, who occasionally laid a sovcr-
leigh or two on the table, was r
at il He kept IL sharp look
HSput on the Counts movements, but
he could not, for all his vigilance, dc.
pct any irregularity in the French
y1's play. Among the unlucliy
umesters was Faverill, who had
Reen losing pretty heavily during the
Whole time De Parni acted as banker.
"~Seveh-tifty gonc." exclaimed that
tOung gentleman with an oath, after
R~opI-OniOr I'M tho immune re h;c 1<ceoc
III must make one more plunge.
Perhaps / may wipe out the odd ESQ.,"
Luck was against Faverill once
bore. however. He lost $50, instead
inning that sum-.
flight hundrcdw he exclaimed, 81
t write you a check, Count"
I e rang the bell for writing ma
4ials, while the Comte de Parni
Jsyaned back in his chair. He would
4 realty have preferred cash to acheck,
Put. Of course, he could not say so.
"a "Maxence, bring ME u pen and ink,
fand call a hansom," he said, when
1.-THE servant appeared.
u Maxence did as he was told, and
4 the cab ratified up to the door of the
club in the dim gray morning, while
! FayeriA wrote his check. and the
French servant hustled about the
room, putting the decanters on a tray
nd sweeping away the cards.
"Eight hundred-there you are;
and / hope you will give my revenge
tomorrow night" said Faverill, as
he handed the check to the Count.
"yVith pleasure" replied De Parni
With q bow, as he slowed the bit of
paper away in his p%ocketbook. Then
he club members made the best of
heir wav home, while Maxence
picked the strcet-door and turned of
be gas.