The Somerset reporter., 1897-08-12
A MANTRAP CAB.

"Lostl"
was standing in a room Of west
end tLondon) gambling DIN watching
party of about . players engaged in
the game of rouge ct noir
This night my eye had been particu-
larry kept upon a short, dark haired
man, evidently a foreigner He was
playing heavily. From his pocket he
brought up at first single pieces of gold,
then, as he lost-hc had terrible luck
he placed down on the table small
handfuls of sovereigns He had Just
now lost f10 at IA swoop. Then he pro
dueed banknote and laid it down
Excuse me, sir, inquired the bank
er, "how much do you shaker"
lone hundred pounds -
THANK you, remarked the banker
politely
The game went on, and the cards
were turned up With an exclamation
the player rose from his seat and pushed
his chair back. He had lost once more.
As he left the place | followed him. He
walked swiftly on for long time
through the now almost deserted streets,
for it was nearly O'Clock in the morn
ing. At length he came to house in
dismal street off the Tottenham Court
road, IN one of the top rooms of which
there was "A dim light burning. opened
the door with his KY and entered
| had an idea somehow that that ad.
! ,,,.l,t 4
was standing close to the door noting
its number when the door suddenly
opened aud my man again appeared,
bareheaded, CHASTITY pale and brcathless.
Help, help!" he gasped. "she has
killed herself-she is dyingl | have
murdered Newfoundland herr
l dashed in, and, rushing up the
stairs, made my way to that dimly lit
room, the man following close at my
/ heels. In ii, sitting in chair beside the
| fireplace, was IA woman, young and
! pretty, but now with her face convulsed
with pain. She seemed nearly uneon
scious and was breathing heavily. Or
/ the floor beside her WAS a small, round
empty hottie.
Sending him to wake up the people
of the house and dispatch some ono for
doctor, had in less than five minutes
administered an emetic to the girl i'll
the shape of "a strong dose of mustard
and water.
AS she lay there, apparently dying,
the man leaned over her, sobbing, tear
ing his hair and talking i'll French.
] nd hot Il fI,.
The thousand poundsl | have gambled
them away Annette, forgive me.
thought | should make our fortune.
But that scoundrel Repau shall give me
money. will make him. -
What had Despard chat was his
name) been up to? The arrival of the
doctor, who saw to the girl and assured
us he would answer for her recovery,
brought NY stay to an end,
| didn't sleep a wink that night. l
bad one eye all through the weary hours
on Despard' door About clock i'll
/ the morning he came out, and, follow
i ing him, made his way to "A house off
] Leicester square. He was inside an
hour, and discovered from one of the
]
! Belpard, another Frenchman. Was Bel
pard Repair? | wondered. Naturally
enough, | wanted to discover something
about him, and letting M. Despard have
. rest | transferred my attentions TO
his friend
Only Il few minutes after Despard had
left Nj. Belrard came out with a bag in
! ia lgI oh 4 -
to Waterloo station, and took first
class ticket to Southampton. Unknown
! to him, ! saw him off and was then
driven back to his lodgings Inquiring
/ for M. Belpard, / said l was NJ. Bel
pard's particular friend, almost his
brother Alas, 1t was most unfortunate
that bad missed himl would, how
ever, go to his room and write letter
, to him
Shown into Belpard's apartment, you
may guess | very quickly examined it
when the servant had left me to write
! that letter There was nothing partiCu-
/ lar i'll the place save black leather bag
which | found under the bed "a com
mon black bag with mark on the brass
3 Dhll VI III i4tAiuitt INC MAJ VI u Llt'
An hour later there were keen eyes at
i Southampton and at London on the
lookout for NJ Belpard, or, rather for
I Repau, fer he 1t was
For over week every watch was
/ kept, every search made for that gentle
man All was III vain. NJ, Belpard had
, disappeared
Despard was still at his lodgings l
called ON hia one day.
+ M D,>pard," l suddenly asked
him, would You like to earn El00:"
"A hundred poundsn' he gaspcd 1t
would be eodsend-a fortunel We are
absolutely starying-Annette, my wife,
and / "
Then" said, tell me where
Repair is.
"You know all them" he almost
screamed
/ - know a great deal, l answered.
"If you make a clean breast of it, tell
me all and help me to run down Repair,
800 is yours, and you shall be held
harmless
He paused moment and then went
on: "Repau has acted to me like >
seoundrel I'll tell all "
Thousands Of pounds are conveyed
daily from the chief London banks to
| their branch establishments in the sinh