The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-26

the carte dentree that ali mus "a nv ro
hell 'u N pass S me portals of this terrestrial
eyed Cerbsrus at the doors. ana We're nov ,1N
ha adyi a,s Wnlie 1t was time. Whether they
eu any Interior intentions against d Acunhs
I 0uld not determine but / thougbt well IN
ao .ie,W them as they glided steaIthiiv and
dd aril through the crowded rooms into the
Outside ! lost them 1 looked about in
t taah, lniough the small square that faces
The Ssf si ~, among among the tables in front of
ana Ken. although all the time was vapIe-
~ conscious that they were at no great
the silvery shadows o'''A0
-, confess / had a certain sympathv for
game ,hnt OF brother sportsman after
surely surely more than commonplace thieves bHn-
sly Ior pIunder How could they foresee
Carlo ny uacked dAcunha down to Monte
o,1a ~ rD 5h1t ne would prove so valuable
quarry They We're far more Interesting to
seIs man me man they hunted the snug
tn-saIlSleu gambler whom l had but lust
now seen with his sheayes of hank notas
IiTanklng IN delighted the plaudits of his fell
its fan 1iI was While the bank, tottering to
so5d from the Golfers below
dc 2 ana py, as L sat in front of the Cafe
out. He was No ~ WAS quite early, he came
10 get back betimes to his hotel and nut
M T s nast VIII Winnings securely by.
saw MN plainly as he paused under the
DIlgnt gaslamps at the head of the great
staircase, then strut across the omen snace
IN mi'n head erect and inflated chest, obviously
s ST nlS mos most triumphant mood, making
35 os for where sat. He did not actually
goiI me- don't believe that he saw me hut
ne matted al the dark line made bv the edse
OF OF the awning, and took his place at a table
s siIal $1,000 little apart in the deserted
n n9e Jar heard heard him call aloud for cham
pdsne ana light huge cigar
watched him rather disdainfully. a little
Sttsrly, perhaps, chatting inwardly at the
stSi.dnee Whlfllglg of life. few years back
this creature would not have dared to cir
Gown GOWN IN my presence; he would have cheer
t hay smoked hubble bubble or chewed
DeteIrnut; now, nothing but the best would
Satlsfy him. He was rolling in riches at the
Up oUp OF the wave, while l, to whom he once
forceeS So ia Almost most as to superior being:
simply to make both ends meet.
u consoled myself by thinking that
lie was but a poor creature at best even
now In his prosperity, and 1 still believed
1 nnat tnere was some dark shadow in his
pasta shadow that seemed to take bodily
shape as 1 looked at him. musing thus. a
SnauoW creeping and crawling towards him.
hi,a presently, as | half fancled, enveloping
MN IN us dark, mysterious folds
something of the sort might have been in
ms ms own mind at that very moment, for |
a SniVer and start, drain his glass at one
SuIP, and then move forward with a heavy
iuIryening gait towards the Grand Hotel.
he staggered on a dozen yards or so: he
i mad barely reached the garden in the CEN
irai square, when two figures that had been
lurking in the shadows moved out and
/ knew instantly what this meant for l
recognized his pursuers. 1t meant more,
indeed, than | had at first imagined They
had eVl! intentions against d'Acunha, that
was plain; but l saw also that he had been
cunningly and adroitly prepared for defeat
by method with which l familiar. l
had seen Indian dacoits get the better of
their victim by administering some narcotic
or Supplying drug, and attack and over
power him when under its influence.
felt sure that d'Acunha had been drugged.
l Knew II by ms sWaying inquire as he reeled
along with strange antics and horrible con-
tortionS; he danced and shuffled and raised
his arms above his head though he was
uproariously drunk.
But now, with his enemies close at his
neels l felt that 1t was time to interfere.
l could not allow this abject millionaire to
be robbed, maltreated, possibly murdered
under my very eyes.
Starting to my feet, L ran post-haste after
the party, calling for help as l went along.
The police of Monte Carlo, although
rayed in somewhat theatrical costume,
are very much upon the spot when there is
business to be done AT my appeal a couple
of half braves, half opera chours, in swords
and short cloaks, came rapidly up out of
the gardens below the Casino: This is a
favorite spot for suicides it is said, and
always carefully patroled.
BY the time i caught up the pursuers they
had already run into their prey. D'Acunha
were STOPPING over him, tearing at his
clothes, rifing his pockets, as l thought,
with all the adroitness of practiced CARROT
ters
With a straight blow from the shoulder
l sent one of them flying across the road,
and then grappled closely with the second
in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle, which
ended in his complete overthrow just as
the police rushed up to the rescue.
After the manner of most continental Of
ficials, they proceeded with strict impair
TALLY to take us all into custody. One of
them was willing to admit that the part |
had played was not exactly criminal, but
l was also suspected person, and in any
case, my evidence was necessary for the
process verbal They would also have car
them
account of the transaction, but he was
found to be quite insensible, whether from
/ could not tell, but l shrewdly suspected
the latter. So he was consigned to the care
of another party of police,-by this time they
swarmed around us-and removed to the
hotel under surveillance
A hasty examination of his pockets
showed that the robbery had not been COM
pleted before he was rescued. His purse, a
great capacious leathern wallet stuffed full
Of thousand-franc notes and gold plaques
(pieces of G0, was found intact, also his
rings studs and other jewelry. But his
clothing was awry, his shirt collar had been
torn off. and he was altogether dlsheveled
and untidy.
We were escorted-the rest of us-back to
the Casino. which we entered by back or
side door, not the main portico. A discreet
veil is thrown over all affairs of this kind
at Monte Carlo. The less the public hears
of scandals the better in place whose
virtue is not unimpeachable.
The commissary on duty was an imposing
gentleman with well-waXed black mus
tache and in evening dreSS. lie eyeu US,
innocent and guilty alike, with equal
ferocity but when he had heard the Wnole
story and condescended to look at my card.
he thanked me for the prompt assistance
had rendered to the cause of law and order
''But who are theSe?' he asked abruptly.
as he eyed the thieves What do you
call yourselves? Where 90 you come
from"
He tried them in French, but got no an
sWer then in Italian, then German, with no
better result. The prisoners either ala not
or would not understand. believe they
thought it best to preserve unbroken silence
under the cloak of vacant stupidity. Ihere
was not waver in the pale blue eyes, not
a muscle moved on the set, Stol1d faces as
the commissary apostrophised them with
increasing fierceness.
at think they are Russians, monsieur
Calmuck Tartars, perhaps" | suggested.
IF you find any one to interpret III
that language
ut shall be done. Meanwhile they shall
be consigned to durance. intolerabie rogues.
IT is too bad, monsieur this pr1ncipallty
has become the resort and prey OF every
scoundrel in Europe.
permftted to withdraw, being shown w
stairs by an inner staircase which LED dl-
rect to the great pillared hall or ante
chamber of the gambling rooms.
/ was tempted to enter then, wondering
whether the stormy affair In Wh1ch nau
been concerned had made any STIR ~
seemed however to be scarcely known, or
IL anv rumors of it had got about 1t was
altogether eclipsed in importance by the re-
naining chances of the game The last
hour of the nights play had arrived;