The Helena independent., 1894-11-29

| ing and fatigue, and her poor little head
/ and her tiny shoulder were sunken back
! In an angle OF the wall and rested
against the icy stone. one of her shoes
had slipped from her foot, which hung
down pathetically before her
With a mechanical gesture, Luclen de
Hcvor put his hand in pocket, but he
remembered that a moment before he
had not been able to find even "A forgot
ten piece of twenty sous and could not
tip the gambling house porter.
However, moved by an instructive
feeling OF pity. he approached the little
girl. iillcd with an impulse to take her
in his arms and give her shelter for the
night when. In the fallen shoe. he caught
sight or something shinging,
He bent down. II was a louis dor.
Some charitable person, woman doubt
less. had passed that way, had seen on
this Christmas night the poor little shoe
before the sleeping child. and remem-
berng the sweet legend. she had placed
generous Offering there. that the de-
serted child might still believe in gifts
made by the Infant Christ, and, in spite
Of her misery, might retain some trust
in the goodness OF Providence.
louis' II meant many days of rest
and luxury for the beggar child, and
and telling her so when he heard close
TO his ear, as In a dream, a voice-the
voice OF the Pole. with its thick, drawl-
ing accent;
"I've not stirred from the ring for two
| days. and for two days the II has not
| fallen. | will wager my hand that in a
| few minutes. at the stroke OF midnight.
| the number will fall"
Then this young man of twenty-three.
| descended from line OF honest folk.
who bore a noble name and who had
never failed In honor conceived a hor-
rible thought. He was seized with n
mad deslre-hystericaI monstrous. With
one glance he made sure that he was
alone in the deserted street, and bend
ing his knee and cautiously reaching
out his trembling hand, he stole the
louis dor from the fallen shoe. Then.
AT the top NJ his speed he ran 10 the
gambling house, dashed up stairsr,
| flung Open the door Of the aCcursed hail.
| entered at the very moment the clock
was telling the first stroke of midnight.
and placed the gold piece on the green
cloth, crying
"All on the 17!'
The II won.
With a turn of tho hand Lucien push
| ed the 3G louis on the red.
The red won,
Hc left the Y louis on the same color
| The red won again. He doubled tho
| stake twice, three times-always with
| the same success. lie had before him
| now pile of gold atd notes. rhp
| dozen" the column" the number, %
| every combination succeeded II was
| unheard-Of supernatural luck, II
seemed as though the little ivory bal
were magnetlzed. fascinated by the gaz'
| OF this player. and obeyed his viii.
In dozen strokes ne had regalncd
the few paltry / 600 franc uotes-his last
| recourPc-whlch he had lost at the bc
| ginning of the evening, Now, placing
| two on three hundred louis at once Hnt
aided by his extraordinary luck, h" wa.
| IN "A fair way of more than winning nArf
| his original capital, sqa-a>ered ln q
| few years. I'm his hurry to begin play
| ing he had neglected 10 take m hl'
heavy nvercont Already he had stuffed
the huge pockets with bundles NJ notoi
and roulenuN Of gold pieces, and, mo-
| knowing where 10 place hiA winnings
he crammcd the pockets NJ his coat
waistcoat and trousers. his cigat-case
his handkerchief everything that coulC
serve as "a receptacle. He played on an,
won. like crazy man mnddenrd viii
wine. And hc hung his handful of loui
ON the table. pt hazard. with n gestur
of assurance and contempt Yet Their
was hot iron Ia hia aoul and HI
thought Of nothing but the little begga
asleep IN the snow, ~ the child whom
be had robbed.
"Ehe is stlll. In the same plncc-o
course she IN tNere. In little while
yes, when one strikes, | swear I vii
carry her home. ] viii bring he
up ] win give her fortune I Wi
love her as my child. %. will car
for her always, always"