The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-25

there, and after the long list you told
me about at dinner time it seems to me
there is scarcely any one know left"
Rouval was not very delighted at this
decision. He was in the habit of going
to the club every evening and spending
some hours ut tho card tables, and it
had become SO fixed habit with him
that no felt restless and dissatisfied any
where else. He would like to ask De
Saumur to take a hand with him, but
under the circumstances he scarcely
dared to. He kept casting furtive
glances mt the little table i'm tho corner
of tho room, and at length De Saumur,
who had noticed his friends uneasiness
and who from experience guessed tho
cause, suggested himself THAT they
should just have Il round or two at cards
to sec how much he had forgotten in 10
years.
But thought you had quite given
up playing for ever and ever?' objected
his friend.
Yes, as regular habit have, but
it is quite another thing to have game
quietly here like this
Rouval was only too delighted and
pulled the card table out with alacrity.
De Saumur played at first carelessly.
He had only proposed it out of con.
sideration to his friend, and he felt
rather bored. Rouval kept winning and
appeared SO contented with himself and
had such triumphant manner that De
Saumur found himself getting interest
ed and excited in spite of himself. The
more nc lost the more persistent he be-
came. 1t was as though the old passion
of former days which for 10 years had
been kept i'll contlol by his strong will
had completely got the mastery of him.
AT first the stakes had been insignificant,
but as ho continued to lose he became
more and more desperate, until at last
the amount was getting so serious that
Rouval did not wish to continue.
But us have been the loser SO far, -
said De Saumur, 'you cannot refuse to
go on SURELY"
1t is not for my own sake, but |
don't like it, Gilbert. You are here at
my house, and you are playing desper-
ate stakes -
We'll, that's my own lookout. It's
your turn to cut"
Day was beginning to break, and tho
two men wero still seated at the card
table. They had played all night, and
now their eyes were fiery with excite
ment, and their hands tremblcd as they
handled the cards
Al last Gilbert de Saumur exclaimed,
There, l cannot go OH any more!'
Rouval looked mt him anxiously.
thinking that lie was i'll, but he contin-
ued:
No, I've come to an end, that's all.
L cannot go on, because you have won
nearly every cent l possess. I'll give
You check on my banker for it, and
that settles it,
a dead silence followed these words.
What was to be done? Tho play had
been strictly fair, and Rouval had won
it fairly.
My dear fellow, said Rouval as De
Saumur finished writing out the check,
Il cannot take it all. Keep something
for yourself "
81 have $40 left" replied De Sau-
muir coldly. THAT will be enough to
get back where 1 came from. Work is
better for mo than fortune. l have
proved that twice. l thought now was
cured, but it appears was mistaken.
suppose now L shall never see Paris
again. Goodby, Rouval"
And he got up. and opening the door
took his hat from the peg in the hall
and went down stairs. followed by Rou-
val, who accompanied him to the hall
door, aud who, when he had closed it
after his friend, went back to his smol:-
ing den and paced up and down tho
room until it was broad daylight.
Very odd, y was the verdict at the
club the next evening. Not quite the
thing to take everything the poor fell
low had worked 10 years for and so send
HIM back to perpetual exile. Million.