The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-09-26
THE BARON'S RIVAL.


Baron Won Rachnitz was member cf
the Baccarat Club IN the Rue Raymond
de Toulouse Of Paris. He was asomcwhat
remarkable man. A member IL one Of tine
great but impecuniousfa families of Saxony,
he had, some five years before. been
caught young. and married by brilliant
complexioned, though not very rich, Ameri-
can girl. For year or two they had been
content to live In his dull native town.
with its round OF lrst-rate operas but
third-rate everything else. At the Anglo
American Club the baron had evinced ccr-
tain aptitude for ecarte. poker, picquet,
and SO uniform had been his success at
these games that II was not long before
be began to yearn for fresh fields and
pastures new, where he could play for
higher stakes than we're obtainable In
second-rate German town and n third-rate
Anglo-American society. His wife, too,
Impressed by his success, and not unwill-
ing to realize larger returns, encouraged
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 opens, Fortune had
smiled upon the young adyenturer. But
this was. perhaps. not 50 much that she
showed 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
we're against him. In all games OF chance
combined with skill he knew that skill
must tell In the long run. He never over
estimated his own play nor under-esti-
mated that Of an adversary. He knew,
too, that cool head and unwearied brain
always had the odds In their favor, and,
gambling az he did merely as q matter
Of business, he strictly took advantages
Of these and other palpable verities On
first becoming member OF the club, lie
had confined himself to playing In the
small hours of the morning. All the
highest play WIS between and o. clock,
and these hours he had avoided first on
principle. After o'clock he had noticed
that play became Stacker, and that those
players who still stayed on were either
over excited with wine or beginning to
tire; and, by o'clock, In the morning,
there We're. rs a rule. but few jailed or
half-intoxicatcd members; fair game, he
considered. for young man OF regular
habits. and who took sufiiciency Of
sleep.
Nn,v. az he said to his wife, lie was In
Paris on business. and pleasure and con-
vei.iaTtce must give way to that. aud she,
being n practical woman, cheerfully
acqniasced. The consequence WAS that
this enterprlsing young couple kept very
curious hours H. deed. They went to bed
regularly at o'clock In the afternoon, and
got up rs regularly at midnight. Won
Raclnitz then dressed himself faultlessly
in evening costume. ks, cd his dear little
wife, who wished him good success, and
turned into the club rs fresh as paint
And this plan for some time succeeded OK
cellently we'll. Indeed tile Fran Baronin,
who was not quite rs ambitious as her
husband, was beginning to look forward
to their retirement on n very fair COM
potency In the near future.
But this was by no means Won Rach-
nitz's idea. A comfortable competency
did not appear half tempting enough to
him. He swore In his heart that he
would stick to business until he was a
really wealthy man. His success was un-
doubleday great with the comparatively
small fry. but his practice In the small
hours OF the morning was only to be tile
prelude to greater things In the real
gambling hours of the club. He only
waited his opportunity to rake In, as he
beliavad hinaalf oaDahia ~ doInr A.
tbo,,sards .hiat chenDad hanSa S, ~
one o.clocr n ,,,a.a - ~. hnn5ra,, ~
gathered all too slowly after that hour
In vain his wife used all her efforts to in
duce him to be content with the sufiician-
NJ heal h,,, bsds ha- ,ve,t nat,oa p,' a NJ
he would mako her rich woman.
fore earsS,n Rsn,,I Estsaher 800 $500, III
me y,harshir - az o,,,h W., PoaI,,i sa
had hsco,,,a ,,a ~ ~ nina t.,l,,'. e,,l,na..
hahit,,es AZ n ~ riiar ,,a.,r,,,. ~ 81
~, y ,,,s,,, az !, 80 .e..sa iis
and this was the mora cstanish;na a.
here he yvae nittad erai,, g m, ti,,..t
Coolest nIoyars IN ths ,vorlt Ha,.,a ~.
If conrse had fort,,ne wos nr. - 800 -
last ~ last AZ Eli M, ,,,y.i,,,, $500 ..oi -
nv tbis tir,a vrn pa,ohit, !, "a .,Sss1i
. - NA-S NAAAA0 80 AseshShANS huA uliaSot'h