Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-04-08
CALLED
DOWN
BY Douglas z. DOty
Copyright, 1909, by
Douglas z. Doty
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Douglas Il. Doty
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
By birth a gentleman, by force Of cir
cumstances jack Of all trades, by pro-
fession racOnteur!
Such was my record when | arrived
In England, whittier the fame Of my
stories had preceded me. Almost di-
rectly | received letter from Lord
Brewer of Eentowers castle, in Surrey,
requesting me to come down to his
place, as he was entertaining a large
house party.
The castle, founded as monastery,
was q most romantic pile, representing
in its various towers and wings sue
cession Of architectural periods. Its
maze Of winding corridors and hidden
stairways suggested mystery and in
vited exploration.
My initial appearance before Lord
Brower's guests was to be at dinner,
and | spent the last moments before
leaving my apartment in reading over
the list of topics had jotted down for
use during the evening. a raconteur
is expected to fill in every lull. every
dull moment. Suddenly there fell upon
the quiet of my room these words:
1--WE must run it up 20 5000 tonight!
Do you hea We must"
stared round the room. 1t seemed
as If the so I'd had come through some
dull tapest in a small alcove. Per-
haps the tapestry covered secret door,
but there was no time to investigate.
A Respondent footman was waiting TO
conduct me to Lord Brower's presence.
An interesting lot they were gathered
around the dinner table Of Tentowers
castle that night-that is, they were in
terestng to me as types for study AS
conversatiOnalists they were failures,
for the only subjects on which they
talked fuently were cards and horse
flesh.
selected my stories accordingly.
The guests We're apparently familiar
with the customs of Monte Carlo, but
| told them tales Of our own wild west
of games of faro and poker that fairly
made them gasp, and after dinner |
must teach them our national game OF
chance.
Sitting opposite me at table was
broad shouldered, dark man, whose
eyes. black and set rather close togeth-
or. never left my face. His lips were
thin and bloodless. and his long. rather
aquiline nose had cruel curve about
the nostris. But what most attracted
my attention was his odd trick Of
drumming almost constantly with his
right hand. now on the table. now on
the arm of his chair and now on his
square chin. The instant he spoke ]
rccogn.Z .Zed the voice back OF the tapes
try in my room. His name was Cap
tain Marcl!and.
His wife sat ut my right. handsome
woman, with n profusion Of soft brown
hair and beautiful blue eyes, which. |
learned in !; short time, were playing
havoc with the mental peace of young
fellow named Chadwick, who was
plainly jealous Of every smile the lady
wasted on me- He was handsome
boyish looking fellow. one of those
chaps who imagine themselves violent
ly in love with every pretty face they
meet.
Mrs. Marchand seemed to have
caught her husbands peculiar trick Of
beating that devilish tattoo with her
fingers. 1t fairly got my nerves on
edge, but no one else at the table ap-
peared to notice II. ! caught myself
recalling stories of telegraph operators
who continued their work automatical-
ly after office hours. but surely these
two guests of an English aristocrat
knew nothing Of trade. In the course
of nv eventful and uncertain life | had
been an operator for short period.
After the ladies had withdrawn |
told my choicest stag stories. to which
the men drank freely. and by the time
we rose to enter the drawing room 1t
can be tr, hfully said that Captain
Marchand and myself were the only
men who were thoroughly sober.
During the next hour | was kept
busy explaining the intricacies Of pok-
err, after which watched the guests
yield to the fascination Of the game.
Soon little piles of sovereigns and notes
appeared aid disappeared at the vari-
Gus tables. Excitement grew apace,
and the very faces of the players were
transformed. The greed Of gain was
upon them. 1t was my first glimpse Of
the English aristocrat ut his private
gaming table.
Finally interest centered at the table
where Marchand and young Chadwick
held forth alone. At the beginning
Chadwick had won, and with trium-
phant gesture he would haul in his lit
tie pile Of gold. The liquor had brought
sparkle to his eye and daring to his
tongue, for he kept Mrs. Marchand
close to his side, declaring her to be his
mascot and casting such languishing
glances into her perfect blue eyes that
wondered at Captain Marchands
calmness. When Chadwick won, she
clapped her hands in girlish glee, and
once or twice caught cynical smile
OH Marchand's lips. Clearly her pres
ence was going to Chadwick's head.
He played recklessly.
"Ill make 1t f4,OOO! exclaimed the
IN nfoin