The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-08-08

long spell OF silence was dreadrul.
One man was quite unmoved, even
when the grim croupier smiled sar-
donically.
This was Jones.
He made another stake as coolly as
before, with rouleau of gold covered
the full limit on single number, and
again won.
Confidence in Jones, which had
been scattered by his break, just as a
covey Of partridge might, when fired
into, returned again.
Again he lost.
Confusion!
Why, the man after all, was play
ing hit-and-miss game, Just like the
rest of them.
Many Of them breathed a great sigh
Of relief, FIR with Monte Carlo smash
ed their desire to live would have
been reduced to zero.
About this time attention began to
be directed to the other end of the
table.
The croupier's rake showed little
piles of filthy lucre in that quarter
with astonishing regularity, and sell
dom dragged any back.
Another Richmond in the field!
The excitement burst out greater
than ever.
And Merrick played on with just
the faintest sign of a smile upon his
resolute face. played on and won four
times where he lost only once.
Jones had managed to reach the
elbow of his friend-no one else, even
royalty itself, could have had a pas
sage opened to him through the dense
ly packed audience, but they SEEM
ed to recognize a superior being in
Jones, the master wizard of it all, and
that he had a right to be near his COM
rade.
To Merrick the experience was one
he would never in all his life forget
its novelty alone was enough to stamp
1t indelibly on his mind.
Between deals, he occasionally look
ed up calmly and the faces along the
table were not the blur one might rea-
sonably expect under the circum
stances, with his heart beating like
trip hammer, and his mind devoted
to following the line Of play marked
down in Darragh's brilliant system.
A few more moves must complete
the play for this night.
Realizing that they were up against
the very toughest argument that had
ever fallen upon Monte Carlo, the
dealers were not at all anxious to con-
tinue playing indefinitely.
The sooner they admitted the grave
fact that third time the famous bank
must cry quits, the better for them.
Merrick had done well.
Not single slip or mistake had
been made. There was but unani-
nous opinion among the nerve-racked
spectators that these two men really
held the game by the throat.
If they could be bought off, the
future of Monte Carlo was assured,
since despairing players would take
new lease of life in the kowledge that
after all it was possible to eternally
win if one but knew the wonderful
plan by which each carefully arrang-
ed move was to be made.
The scenes of the previous night
were repeated, though upon larger
scale.
When the dealer stood and raised
had again gone under, deathly ST.
lence hung over the dense crowd
Then one man, big-voiced Ameri-
can congressman, who had been
haunting the dragons den for a month
or more, against the prayers of his
pretty little wife, threw his silk hat
into the air excitedly, jumped on it
when it landed, and roared out:
"Hurrah for Jones-he pays the
freight"
1t would be next to impossible to
adequately describe the scene that
followed.
Shouts and laughter and stentorian
cheers rent the air, while pandemo-
mum reigned-men shook hands,
others fell into the arms of friends,
anu ScNcldl WOlHCh idiheSu uCdu away.
Few left the place.
The hour was still early, for the
play had been unusually bold and Wig
orous.
Another chapter had been closed in
Jones' account book, another page
turned; but he seemed the same af-
fable, mild-mannered gentleman, not
to be affected by flattery or threats.
Merrick heaved genuine sigh of
relief when the elimination of bis
play occurred.
The dreadful strain had told upon
him, of course, and now that it ha4
fallen aside he experienced momen-
tary weakness, which he speedily
shook off,
He had seen Constance just short
time before-surely the colonel had
waited to witness the rout of the enc
my, horse, foot and artillery. They
would be found, doubtless, listening to
the music or else enjoying a last
saunter among the palms and exotics
of the garden.
CO Morly cot about O coorch