Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-14
A BIT OF SILVER.

II want to ask you a question, Co
nez."
"Well, my dear boy, what is it,"
"Where did you get your money!"
The question was an abrupt one-it
was almost impertinent. But Gomez de
Bonilla was an intimate friend of mine,
a good fellow, and-we had dined. To
say truth, we had not only dined, but
wined, and it was over some excellent
postprandials in the shape of further
wine and fragrant cigars that l had
asked the question. But l had long
wished to do so, and I will tell you
why.
Some two years before Gomez was
poor IS a church mouse. He was always
a good fellow, but then, you know,
there is a difference between good fell
lows rich and good fellows poor. And,
to my shame be it spoken, I think I
liked him better rich than poor. Well,
as I said, he vas almost destitute. He
had a profession, it is true-he was a
journalist, but in Spain the gains Of
the fraternity of the pen are not large.
What little he did earn went to the
bad, for he was an inveterate gambler.
But from a poverty stricken journal.
list he suddenly blossomed out into a
man Of wealth. He had the finest
horses, he belonged to the most fash
ionable club, he had the most luxurious
ly fitted town house, he had purchased
the country seat Of a decayed grandee,
he had the best cook in Madrid, and he
moved in the best society, for, alas, aver
in Spain the golden key is beginning to
open all portals. But do not think from
what I say that Gomez was not a gen.
tleman, for he came Of an excellent
family.
Well, as I said, we had just finished
an excellent dinner and over the wal
nuts and the wine l put my question:
"Gomez, where did you get your
money!"
He looked at me thoughtfully, and
knocked the ash from his cigar.
"Where did I get my money!" he re-
peated slowly. "And what says Dame
Rumot concerning it, Pedro?"
"There are all sorts Of stories," i re.
piled; "some probable, some wildly
impossible, some good humored, more
i'll natured. You will pardon my frank
ness if I tell you that / have heard some
people call your wealth ill gotten
gains whisper Of retired highwayman,
and the like. There are others who hint
at oounterfeiting. Among the
lower classes there is a widespread be.
lief that you have sold yourself to the
devil. And I have even met intelligent
people who limited at supernatural
means"
perhaps they were right" was his
laconio reply.
stared at him.
"Listen, and you may perhaps tell
whether the means were supernatu-
raj or no. I have never been able to de-
eide. The reason that the source of my
fortune has move been discovered was
because the only nan who knew of it
left the city the day after
He paused.
1.-The day after WHAT" I queried.
swell, | will begin at the beginning.
The story is a curious n and should be
told in sequence.
He lit a fresh cigar and then began:
"You knew me two years ago when
! was poor. You also knew, as did all
my friends, that I had a passion for
You would all Of you chorus,
when speaking Of me Poor Bonillal He
has the worst Of vioes-he is desperate
gambler. You were all wrong. I did
not play simply for love of it. / played
because I was poor. ] was not a gam
bier. was a speculator. l had fixed
upon a certain sum which I considered
. competence. I saw no way Of acquir-
ing It by my profession, 81 I devoted
myself to the green cloth-how assidu-
ously you know"
He smiled at the expression of assent
which involuntarily fitted over my
.countenanoe, watched the smoke wreatha
curling owe his head for a moment aud
Zone evening ! was feeling unusual
" blue. ! never drank, as you know
that IL, never to excess-aid certainly |
never to do what is called drowning
sorrow Ny resource was the gaming
table. Unfortunately ! had in my pos
. considerable rum Of d !
had been intrusted to me BY q !
friend for the purpose Of pay ing some
debts He had been suddenly called |
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. Something seemed to
possess me that night. ! was not my
uelf. ! did what / never should have
dreamed myself capable Of doing-I
my friends money. ! staked it,
and I lost it all.
! was about to speak.
do not condemn me, " he interrupt
ID. "You could say nothing s~everer
than were my self reproachea. Long I
vt there. glaring at the other players.
AZ ! watched the ivory ball spin round :