The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1895-06-27
EXILED.

Gilbert de Saumur had just returned
to Paris after 10 years sojourn in Amer
lea. He had left his country ruined and
almost hopeless, victim to his passion
for gambling. He was quite young
when he had left France, but he had
squandered away large fortune and so
had courageously decided to go into ex-
lie and try his luck in a new way
namely, by work! He had started away
with ego in his pocket and had now re-
turned after 10 years slavery almost
rich man again.
He was once more on the boulevards,
once more gazing at the brilliantly
lighted shops and at the gay crowd of
fashionable loungers who were strolling
along apparently without care in the
world. At last, feeling little tired, he
sat down at one of the tables outside a
cafe, idly wondering whether any Of his
former friends would recognize him
again now.
Suddenly he felt hand on his shout
der, and turning round discovered an old
acquaintance Of his.
DE Saumur, is it possible? Why,
old fellow, how many years is it since
we met, or rather since we parted?"
"Ten years, Rouval-just 10 years
since started off with my ego to try
my luck over the sea-
"And what sort of luck have you
had, old fellow?"
Every fair-better than I expected.
I've come back anyhow with enough of
the 'needful' to go along all right now.
How have you been getting on all these
years?'
well, I've had some changes, like
every one else. I'm married now and
am getting on all right-at least ]
should if 1 could only leave the con-
founded cards alone.''
"Take care, Rouval, if you go in for
that still. ought to have been warn
ing to some Of you. Why don't you
give that sort of thing up once and for
aIl?"
That's easier said than done. What
is fellow to do at the club, and then
if once you've won from man you
cannot refuse to let him have his chance,
and so you go on. l say, you'll come
home with me? want to hear all
about your doings and introduce you to
my wife,"
II should like to come very much
"Well, it's settled then. Now tell
me something about your life over yon-
der. How did you ever get start?"
well, l had bad time at first, l
confess. The motto of the country there
is Every man for himself If one can
not hold ones own in the fierce compe-
tition that is waged, then there is moth
ing to do but give in and disappear. On
the contrary, if you've got some grip in
you and can hold on and have got just
enough money in your pocket to keep
you from starving till you get your foot
on the ladder, why, there's a chance for
you.
81 stood off at nothing, as l did not
know a soul in the whole country. AS
I knew good deal about horses, Of
fered my services as coachman to a
New York physician and had the honor
of driving him about all day to visit
his patients. -
Ode Saumur, is it possible?"
sit was, Rouval; that was precisely
how commenced. When I had got
used to the life over there and saw how
things went, I ventured on other things,
and certainly had good luck, for ev-
erything touched succeeded. AS soon
as had scraped little money together
put it into some shares in railway
company. and so went on until had
made what considered enough to come
back with"
Its been pretty rough on you, Gill
BERT
1T has, and I don't mind owning it
now. The hardest thing of all was to
keep myself from gambling away the
money as I made it. It was easy enough
to rough it as regards other things, both
luxuries and the necessities of life, but
It was confoundedly hard to keep away
from the gaming tables, which exist
there just as much as here. Thank
heaven, did resist though, or shouldn't
be here now."
"Ah, my dear fellow, you won't be
long here in Paris before you'll give in
to your old habits. What can a man do
at the club? But come along. We must
start now. want to introduce you to
my wife"
The two men got up and sauntered
along the boulevards to the Avenue de
lOpera, where Jacques Rouval lived.
After dinner Rouval took his new
found friend into his smoking den,
there to indulge in cigar.
do you care to have a look in at
the club?'' he asked him little later on.
No, l don't think do this evening.
You know, it is not cheerful after 10
years absence to return to old haunts
which are filled with strangers and to
find all those one knows are no longer
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 at the card tables, and it
had become so fixed habit with him
that he felt restless and dissatisfied any
where else. He would like to ask De
Saumur to take hand with him, but
under the circumstances he scarcely
dared to. He kept casting furtive
np1o ~ he &oL - L.