The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-12
THE LILY OF THE VALET.
From the Traveler.1

double-chinned with decided fangs like
q bulldogs And he had all a bulldogs
pertinacity. 1 do not jump at new
acquaintance, particularly on board q
Channel boat, where my sea-legs may
be uncertain. but I was powerless to
check his flow of pratt1e about the do
ings Of the aristocracy- Did I believe
the queen would be going to Bordighera
this season. Did know that the Earl
Of St. Rollox was on board? Could I
point out his lordship?
My answers were growing shorter and
shorter when, happily, de1iverance came
in the shape of a very quiet young man
clad in black. He carried a dressing
bag with a coronet on it, and this was
quite sufficient to attract my prosecutor
away from me I saw them conversing
with animation nearly all the way
across. At least Mr.. Bulldogs, as men
tally nicknamed the old man, cOnverSed
with animation, and the other listened
with a. patience which simply astounded
me.
As we neared Calais the younger man
went below, and my prosecutor returned
to the charge.
Charming passage we've 'ad." he re-
marked affably: s'at least charming for
the time of year I never remember
'avinFg 'ad SO charming passage. AS
you may ave remarked, I've been con-
versing with the Earl of st. Rollox all
the time Such a charming companion,
so interesting, SO well informed and not
a bit proud"
It was on the tip ofny tongue to tell
him that Lord St. RollOx was an old
friend of mine, and that the charming
companion" was his valet, but reflect
ed that old Bulldogs had had a very
innocent pleasure, which he would GER
tainly talk about to the end OF his days
So my good nature prevailed, and
kept my merriment to myself-a course
which, later on, I had good reason to re-
gret.
went on to Switzerland, and Bull
dogs, whose name, by the way, turned
out to be Burrows, took the train for
Paris. He had a young lady with him,
but I was so thankful to escape from
him that I paid no further attention to
either Of them.
After a few weeks on the Lake of
Geneva, I made my way, as my habit is,
to Monte Carlo am not a gambler,
but I like to stroll about the rooms in
quest Of a sensation. My very first
night was gratified by the sight of one.
A great crowd was gathered around one
of the tables watching some phenon-
email play. I found that a remarkably
pretty girl was the attraction. People
are usually too busy with their own
concerns IN the gambhng rooms 70 no.
tice any ones looks. but this pretty girl
was evidently possessed of a far more
important quality-luck. A huge pile
of gold and notes lay before her on the
table, and she stood up, with flushed
face and flashing eyes, scattering max
imunS on all the numbers of the middle
dozen And steadily, unavoidably, in
exorably, the middle dozen kept turning
up. At each spin of the wheel the crowd
took breath for the great '.A-h-h-hi"
which welled forth as the ball settled
in the right compartment. She really
crowed with triumph as her winnings
were shOveled toward her at the end OF
a rake. Never had there been such a run
on dozen within the memory of the
Oldest croupier, and she took advantage
of it to the full, covering each number,
each cheval, each transversale, each
Care, and the dozen itself, with the
limit. No II came up. and she had
won over Ed 900 on that coup alone. The
chefs de parti whispered together; they
must send for more money The bank
play at that table for at least five min
utes-
Now, if she were wise,' said an old
lady who had been following the RUIZ
with one five-franc bit at a time, "she
would stop and never come near the
place again.
This remark breaking upon the strain
ed silence of cCvetouS amazement which
filled the spectators, raised a hearty
laugh. 1t had a strange effect upon the
girl, too. She had been all agog with
excitement for the resumption Of play
Now, all of a sudden. she swept all her
winnings into a reticule and walked un-
coucernedly away.
Wen, what do you think Of my
daughters pluck?" said disagreeably
familiar voice at my elbow.
looked around with a start and
recognized old Bulldogs the bore of the
boat. It was a shock to me to discover
that the radiant creature had been
admiring was related to this dreadful
old snob, but for her sake treated him
with unexpected tolerance, and even ac-
cepted his invitation to come outside
and crack bottle in honor of the event.
I saw a good deal of her during the
next few days, for she had wisely given
up play after her sensational winnings,
and she was accordingly at a. loose end.
Old Bulldogs, who haunted the tables
like a spirit in pain, welcomed relief
from attendance upon her outside. Dur
ing her great gamble she had been trans
figured, but on closer acquaintance she
proved q quiet, practical, humdrurn
young woman Of the lower middle class.
tried to draw her out, and found her
wonderfully natural and frank, but there
was very little to draw.
I rallied her about her prudence IN
stopping play when she was a heavy
winner
DO you know how much won?'' she
retorted.
'sMore than forty"
'sWeli, all know is that, # I won
to make a hundred. And If I made a.
hundred, should set my ambitions
upon a million.
Nor do you. imagine. Your father
must be WORTHY And / swept my
arm toward the Mediterranean to indi-
cate bOunQleSS riches
Eyes, but my father threatens to cut
me off with a shilling If I do not marry
the young lord of his choice"
sAnd2"
and there is some one else want to
marry. 1t is true he is only a shop
walker in a haberdasherss firm, but I
want to choose for myself, and forty
thousands pounds enables me to do So"
Eyes, but why not use a little diplom-
acy2 Forty thousand pounds is not az
duence. Besides you don't want to
quarrel with your father He is very
fond OF you"