The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-24

is widespread belief that you have sold
yourself to the devil. And l have even
met intelligent people who limited al su-
pernatural means"
Perhaps they We're right" was his la
comic reply.
l stared at him.
Listen, and you may perhaps tell me
whether the means We're supernatural or
no. l have never been able TO decide. The
reason that the source of my fortune has
never been discovered was because the
only man who knew Of il left the city the
day after"
! He paused.
The day after whnt?" I queried.
! well, l will begin at the beginning.
The story is a curious one. and should be
! told in sequence"
lie lit fresh cigar. ana then began:
gu Knew me two years ago when
| was poor. You also knew. as did all my
friends. that l had a passion for gaming.
You would all OF you chorus, when speak
| ing OF me. Poor Bonlla! He has the
worst OF vices-he is a desperate gambler
You were all wrong. I did not play sim
ply for love of It. ] played because I
was poor. was not gambler l was a
| SPECTATOR. l had fixed upon a certain
sum which l considered a competence. i
saw no way of acquiring 1t by my profess
son. so l devoted myself to the green
cioth--hew assiduously you know"
lie smiled at tho expression of assent
which inVoluntarily fitted over my coun-
tenance, watched the smoke wreaths curl
ing over his head for a moment, and con-
| timed:
'One evening I was feeling unusually
plue never drank. as you know-that Is,
never to eXcess-and certainly never TO do
what Is called drowning sorrow My re-
source was the gaming table. Unfortunate
~ mad in my possession a considerable
sum OF money, which had been Entrusted
to me by friend for the purpose of pay-
ing some debts; he had been suddenly call
ed away from the city. / entered the gam
bling hell, and seated myself at the rou-
! lette table. Fortune was against me; the
few duros that belonged to me were soon
gone. omething seemed to possess me that
night; was not myself. did what never
should have dreamed myself capable Of
doing-I staked my friends money L stalk
ed IL, and lost II ALL"
/ was about to speak.
do not condemn me-" he INTERRUPTED:
you could say nothing severer than we're
my self-reproaches. Long l sat there, glar-
ing at the other players. AS l watched the
ivory ball spin round. my brain seemed to
spin round, too. My sense seemed to be
leaving me. I felt as II life were no longer
dear to me. Penniless and dishonored, what
was there left to live for1
AS these thoughts passed through my
working brain, the night wore on. The
players dropped off, one by one. The la
bles were gradually deserted. Soon there
was but one left lighted-the roulette able
before which sat, and at which one per-
severing gameSter was trying his luck.
Finally be. too, wearied, and / was left
alone with the banker, who was the pro-
prietor of the gambling hell"
"Oh, remember" I interrupted. Joss
Herrara, who disappeared SO suddenly
couple of years ago"
THE same" replied Bonilla, fixing his
eyes keenly upon me.
/ do not know why but began to feel
uncomfortable. However. he continued:
THE banker looked al me inquiringly
! half rose to retire. had fully determined
to blow out my brains in the street. and
that did not do so Is owing to one OF the
strangest of circumstances-so strange
that you will not blame me for wondering
whether 1t was supernatural. l half rose
/ say, and as l did 80, saw upon the
floor round, bright object which had Ia
silver simmer as the gaslight fell upon
1t. II was a coin, a.
"A peseta," / interrupted, breafhlessly
Yes" he went on, "a little bit OF silver
coin-only peseta- But 1t saved my life
l placed my foot upon It, and, motionng
TO the banker, said:
i A peseta on the seventeen
1.-THE banker knew me well--he had cause
to-and without making any inquiries ne
repeated my wager after me, and set the
ball a-whirling. II stopped In the seven
teen.
Seventeen wins" said he and on the
seventeen changed seven silver duros.
DO you leave II there?" said he.
1T nodded
again the ivory ball spun around, and
again 1t stopped at seventeen.
Seventeen wins said the banker
again I left the glittering pile upon the
seventeen, and again It won Seven sew
eral times did the goddess Fortune smile
upon me- And when i stopped It was
not because ! feared 10 venture further,
but because / had broken the bank The
poverty-strieken wretch who a few mo-
ments before had contemplated suicide was
now wealthy.
And the peseta." said I. you have that
| STILL of course?'
mo" he replied, with strange smile.
| "Whyw exclaimed /, with surprise, had
been you l would have kept 1t all my
nfe."
NO" he replied, with the same peculiar
smile you would not have kept It,"
"And why not?"
when l stopped to pick up the coin I
| found-nothing.
"Nothng" / echoed. "Why-whatv-
| where"
That which had taken for pese4a was
not a coin. The round, silvery object on
which the light had fallen and deceived me
| was"
"What?"
"A drop OF water"
| -s-S->@
THE ACTION OF TIDES.