The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-26
BY EDGAR I. WAKEMAN.
Copyright 1894

with a kindly Shrug and a winning smile.
"A mans empty stomach should never be
talked TO. Eat; drink. Their you will
again become a reasona bic being
The would-be suicide complied mechan-
ically enough But the diplomatic crOupier
was right He touched d bell. A young
woman with dark, restless eyes and a
sweet but hunted, haunted face, whom
he called Griselda. brought more wine
and few cigars. The place soon took on
the glow of comfort and good fellowship.
Don Enrique could bear the mystery no
| longer. He said impulsively:
''Senor. friend ana stranger, no words
can express my sense of thankfulness and
humiliation; thankfulness for your inter
ference in so degrading an attempt upon
my own life, humiliation at my utter
powerlcssness to requite you. Gratitude
is indeed a sorry coin without the royal
signet of power behind it. / am shorn of
all power. l am a homeless, objectless,
ruined mani"
You are not, Don ENRIQUE. | say you
are not.' returned the croupier warmly.
you are heir 10 great estates in ARA
gon. You have youth, courage; grand
courage, senor!" he continued with a
meaning look, "as we of Don Carlos
cabelleria know to our loss, from your
heroic charge in the canon beyond the
EbroE'
you were a soldier, them" exclaimed
Don Enrique, springing to his feet and
approaching his new found friend.
The croupier nodded gravely.
And not a-a-l"
"Loathsome croupier of Monte Carlo"
finished the other with dark look in his
face
No; and yes; ;" he added lightly after
a little time. mo, as TO my past. Yes,
as to my present"
81 imnlOrp VOu In rauaa1 uot1Ys t,-po
character, my more than friend -
The croupier arose and gently forced
Don Enrique into his seat The action
had delicate protest in it that commanded
obligation; and it had obligation in it
which limited of command
TO reveal ones true character is
sometimes more than the greatest will do,
senior. | am only one ruined by the for
tunes of war That is all. Since YOU.
Don Enrique, endorsed me at the head of
my command at Ebro, and rode over my
wounded body, and since my leader, Don
Carlos, is fugitive in France, lie Crou-
pier de Monte Carlo is a title which at
least gives me bread The other" and
here he turned his face away for mo
ment, cannot do even so much as that"
And that title was-2n
Count Basil de Orense, at your ser
vicer'
Don Enrique few to the man and
clasped him in his arms A thousand
recollections of brave tales of the house
of Orense, told him at his fathers knee,
Hooded upon him. The sense of his great
to one so reduced the emo
tions of brave soldier who meets in dolor
and loss former fearless antagonist; the
apparent magnanimity, nable philosophy
and silent sutferings of one who could
himself reach no greater depths of ms
fortune; indeed every high, chivalrous
thought which could prompt trust. ad-
and gratitude, swept over him;
and II was no mean thing that he wept.
Count, we are brothers forevermoremn
cried Don Enrique
with all my heart-amen ~ responded
Count Basil with great solemuity; but
with sudden start, for something like
sigh came from behind the swaying cor
tina, followed by the rustic of woman's
gown.
With excuses, Count Basil stepped
hastily to the gallery. Had not his
guests overwhelming bewilderment at
his own changing fortunes rendered him
Obvious, he would have heard the sound
OF sharp scutfte and blow, and a low
voice full of deadly menace, kissing at
some detected listening culprit
"Begone you witch or I'll grill your
itching gypsy ears and babbling tongue!
Cursed was ! when | took you from the
roads of Catalonia!n
AS the man who spoke these words re
entered, his face was all blandness and
compass sion.
Don Enrique" he resumed with Sc
robustness, there is good fortune for yol,
but neverIhore for me, beneath this very
ROOF. But yesterday, a courier with es-
cort arrived at Monte Carlo Being re
lated to the serving woman of this place,
they lodge below. Their idle garrulous-
ness made it easy, and, as events have
proven, wise, for me to know that this
very courier was in search of wayward
son of a noble house. That son was rush
ing headlong to total ruin at the Casino.
determined to save him if in my power,
and make what | easily found by this
wine drinking courier to be a new lease of
llte's possibilities, serviceable to him.
saw by his play tonight that he was near
ms reckoning. He played his last peseta
and-lost. Do you understand me?''
=. Maria Purissima Do you mean --2''
That your father has let tiny stream
of his rivers of gold flow your way-but a
tiny stream, Don Enrique. Yet that and
what 1t may furnish are better than the
pistolete and the last sleep"
Don Enrique sat in stupeted silence at
the turn affairs were taking. The girl
Grlselda, re-entered in response to the
eau OF count Basil, who, Indifferent to
her flashing eyes and crimsoned forehead.
which disclosed that a recent brutal blow
had been struck, coarsely ordered her to
conduct the courier and his escort from
below 10 the apartment, if they were not
too drowsy from the fumes of wine to
make their appearance
In good time they came stumbling up
the stairs, jangling and Gathering their
swords and carbines in noisy over oil
ciousness of duty. They ranged them
selves against the wall stupidity. Don
Enrique with difficulty repressed his emo
lions on seeing before him mis- fathers
old servitors; but he answered their low
bows of recognition with self possession
and reserve.
Notwithstanding your drunken riot
BUSINESS about the place began the count
with a frown:-"your swilling of wine.
Jose; your brawls with the cocheros
Emanuel and your amours with the
wenches of the patio, dandy Alfredo ~
and each individual servitor bowed hum
bly, as his individual sins were recited
you will see l have brouph YOU YOUR
young master, as | have pledged. Dis
patch your business and begoue, or | will
have each of you shot from the casino
plaza at SUNRISE"
With much ado and trembling, begot Of
a great mission and greater .dereliction,
the simple souls from Arragon delivered
sealed packetlnto Don EnriQue's hands (:
received with great thankfulness his re o.
ceipt for the same; and with many bows
and supplications of Peace be upon this