The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-30
tracks, for excitement at first, finally
to exc out scant and disgraceful liv-


Ing.
This spring l happened to win q
considerable amount at Frisco and g
good woman, whom mot there, per-
suaded me to try and begin a new, a
better life. calculated that to do 80,
must have money and resolved to go
to Monte Carlo, to win fortune. II
luck smiled upon me, I would re-
turn and begin all over in the Gotten
business.
"a week ago set foot In this earth
ly paradise, and had no sooner done SO
when, for some reason or other, my
mind and heart became flooded with
"reminiscences Of Marietta. I thought
of her all the time, saw her every.
where. Every fresh red mouth seem.
ed to be Marietta's, in every dark,
flash eye recognized Marietta's.
Yesterday, late In the afternoon,
as l was going up the Casino steps, 1
thought saw her, lovely vision, on
the arm OF one Of those international
dandies with which Monte Carlo is
running over. felt sure it was her,
my poor, beloved, deluded wife. She
smiled. she coQuetted, she behaved
outrageously. l heard her laugh
ah, 1t was Marietta IS laugh. She passed
remark within my hearing. So Ma.
tIotta used to talk.
i felt that must not risk my all
while excited and for half an hour or
longer wandered about almlessly In
the gardens. There was good breeze
from the bay and the salt air finally
restored my equilibrium. I yentured
to the Casino. "Try black" an In
ner voice advised. Black lost. forced
1t. 'Noir perdp announced the rou
lette manipulation five or six times In
succession. The gold in my pocket
was getting low. was just think
ing Of quitting when heard behind
me the frou-frou of silken skirts.
when perceived Marietta's laugh,
her voice. And I gathered up all l
possessed in the world and put it on
black.
Noir perdp was beggar in a
strange country, with nothing to look
forward to but death. Quietly, re-
signedly walked out to take my
medicine. AS soon as found half.
way secluded SPOT, would end 1t all.
Once thought 1 had discovered a
place Of safety, but a carabinieri,
making the rounds, cuased me to muv.
on, and not knowing the roads found
myself, after while, in the neigh.
borhood OF the Casino again. l was
about to sit down for a moments
rest, when l esp!ed an elegantly
dressed woman on a nealby bench.
She had the sylphlike, yet luxurious
figure Of my Marietta, she had Ma.
riettas eyes, her hair, l saw it all In
the blazing arc light, And as 1 faced
her, she instinCtively recognized me.
Mother OF my dead Maud
whispered hoarSely, SO found you at
last
Don't make a scene, she re
turned; let's 20 where it's quiet and
talk 1t over took her to the out.
skirts Of the park, from where the pa
troll had just driven me. 1t was safe
new
And there talked to her like a
father, like lover and father, In
every way l tried to move her cold
heart for our dead Maud's sake. But
the minute she saw that was soften
ing, her diabolical spirit returned.
She called me crazy, mad. She said
such as herself, beautiful, young tai
ented was not for such as I, old griz-
zied, welded to life in the semi desert.
And then the devil took hold of me,
too: l reached for my revolver. Ma
rietta tried to call for help but, losing
all self CONTROL took hold of her by
the neck. She struggled, pushed her
bejeweled fan into my face. Her re-
sistance ceased, before realized what
l was doing l held a dead woman in
my arms.
The fright the horror of my mis-.
deed nearly killed me on the spot.
Why didn't use that revolver an
hour ago?' Unnamed, then wouldn't
have this crime added TO my list OF
deadly sips.
But now; voices In the distance:
they stimulated the instinct OF the
self preservation and I dragged the
body further into the bushes. Then
as | bent over Marietta to take last
look at her, l noticed the red pocket
book hanging Oh her arm. "A SOU
venir, l thought, they shall bury it
with me- l cuG the strings and,
prompted by jealous curiosity, pressed
the lock. l expected to find love let
ters, mems visiting cards; 1 saw a
crisp thousand francs note. And nv
thoughts CT suicide we're gone all at
once, the craze Of gamble. gamblers
m26nocc Saiys ri MO
Play red, red,' whispered the
voice OF passion. This pocketbook Is
your talisman, rouge means fortune
to you.'
i raised my hand to my feverish
temple and, withdrawing it, found IL
red with blood from the wound Ma.
rietta bad Inflicted upon me with her
fan. More red, 1T was inevitable tina;
| should win, l Istilled the blood, clean
cd my cheek and walked TO the Casino
with buoyant steps. Catering re.
garded myself in one OF the high mir
rors. Nothing in my appearance re.
called the adventures OF few min
utcs ago, recalled my crime.
With the feelings OF winner
walked up to one of the Trente at
Qlaraute tables 500 on rouge won.
L left original and winnings On the
same card. Rouge again, l won. l
left original winnings on the same
card. Rouge again, won. Rouge
Rouge, Rouge ten thousand on
rouge, twenty thousandn / won and
won again l won. l won 20 times.
and, by the Lord Harry won 25 times
and burst the bank Of Monte Carlo.
burst the bank, L was rich, but
-the racOllcctinn struck ma Lie a