Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26

Ramsdell rose from the table leisurely.
He did not feel excited or nervous, merely
speculative, as he had been when he SAT
down. Between the time of sitting and the
present moment was difference of exactly
forty minutes, and three thousand, seven
hundred and eight dollars. 1t was small
matter. During the forty minutes the three
thousand odd had fuctuated in splendid
and most capricious proportions. AT one
time Ramsdell believed 1t had become
forty-six thousand dollars. That was when
the red was winning. Now 1t was nothing,
and Ramsdell rose with a curious sense or
relieved tension and speculative content
There was a crowded semi-circle of faces
back of his chair. He did not meet any OF
the eyes. There would be only pity or
amusement In them. Not that he cared for
public sentiment! He simply did not want
it at ALL At least he knew that one face
was not there
II was cool and dark out of doors. He
stopped outside the Casino, lit cigarette
and took the promenade toward the palace
1t would be quiet up there and he could
think. There was much to think of, He
had to think whether or not 1t should De
his last chance to think.
AS he left the lights and the music be-
separation from it all. even the hotels and
the railway station. Ahead of him was
the castled sleep of Monaco. beyond that
the sea and the night, and beyond that-he
lifted his face to the stars and wondered.
He was neither desperate nor morbid.
Several times In his life when crisis had
come. he had found himself acting as two
distinct personalities There was one who
simply drifted on the tide OF circumstance,
and another who watched the drifting In a
quiet, impersonal fashion, and was ex-
tremely sorry for the other fellow In
friendly way, but was not troubled con-
corning %
do was to lay him gently up on the shore
out of the way.
He felt in his pocket and drew out his
cigarette case. There We're five left He
when items mattered. He would smoke
the five and think. and perhaps at the fifth,
the tide would come in.
Two years exactly had passed since he
had seen Crittenden. He had gone to him
in about the same spirit as he had sought
the Casino tonight. There was a chance Of
a hundred to one that he might win.
He had known the man slightly. Before
the bottom had dropped out of the market
that last day he had seen Crittenden lean
Ing comfortably against a pillar near the
wheat pit watching him. When it was
over he had passed near the pillar and Crit
tenden had put out his hand.
Good fight, all right" he said briefly.
"Too bad"
1t was not much of a straw to grasp at.
but there look of interested SYM
pathy and appreciation In his glance, that
coming from John r. Crttenden made 1t
whole hayload.
Ramsdell had gone to him the next day
with the proposition. 1t was not senti-
mental one. Probably If it had been he
would have left the office on Lasalle street
in five minutes. AS 1t was, he had stayed
over two hours. He had told Crittenden
nothing but the cold facts In the case. He
was utterly ruined in the crash of May
wheat. If he could have covered his mar
gins and so held the market for another
dau ba rrofp
IL was, he was worse than penniless, and
he wanted $4,000 from Crittenden. 1t was
to be in the nature of loan. He would
insure his life for seventy thousand in Crit
tenden's favor. The fact of Crittenden
holding the note against him for fifty thou
sand would cover the insurance regula-