The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-10-13


village damsels had merely q fieetinp
charm. lie was standing apart to
watch the glimmering crowd when he
was startled by smothcred cry.
turning to investigate, lie discovered n
little red domino, Enthusiastically fright
ened and trying to release herself from
TOO ardent Tunchinello. Monty's ar
rival prevented him from tearing off
the girls mask and gave him an on
tlrely new conception of the strenuous
llfe. He arose fuming and sputtering.
put he was taken in hand by the
crowd and whlrled from one to anoth-
Ell In whimsical mockery. Meanwhile
Monty, unconscious that his mask had
dropped during the encounter. was as-
| tonished to feel the little hand of the
rcd domino on his arm and to hear n
voice not all unfamiliar in his ear
Monty, you are Il dear. I love Won
for that You looked like n Greek ath.
lete. DO You know-it was foolish
but | really was frightened"
Child. how could it have happened 2"
he whispered, leading her away. Fan
cy my little Peggy with no one to look
aftcr her. What Il beast was to trust
you to Pettingill. I might have known
the chump would have been knocked
out by all this color" He stopped to
look down at her, and light came into
his eyes. Little Peggy in the great
world he smiled; you are not fit.
You need-wcll, you need-just me-"
but Mrs. Valentine had seen him as
lie stood revealed and came up in
search Of Peggy. 1t was almost morn
Ing, she told her, and quite time to go
back to the hotel and sleep. So in
Bragdon's charge they wandered off. n
bit reluctantly, bit lingeringly.
1t was not until Monty was sum-
moned to rescue Reggie Vanderpool
from the stern arm of the law that he
discovered the identity of Punchnello.
Manifestly he had not been in q con-
dition to recognize his assailant, and a
subsequent disagreement had driven
tue nrst out OF his head. The poor boy
was sadly bruised about the face, and
his arrest had probably saved him
from worse punishment.
II told you couldn't wear q mask"
he explained ruefully as Monty led him
home. "But how could know that lie
could hear Inc all the time?"
.uaTRe &Hsy GUESTS gafsst 'S6ver to Monte Carlo.
He meant to stay only long enough to
try his luck at the tablo2 and lose
enough to make up for tha&ays at sea
when his purse was necessarily idle.
Swearengen Jones was forgotten, and
soon after his arrival he began to
plunge. At first he lost heavily, and it
was with difficulty that he concealed
his joy. Peggy Gray was watching
him and in whispers implored him to
stop, but Mrs. Dan eXcitedly urged
him to continue until his luck changed.
To the girls chagrin it was the more
reckless advice that he followed. In
so desperate situation he felt that ho
could not stop. But his luck turned too
soon.
II can't afford to give up" he said
miserably to himself after time,
:'4'm already winner by $4,000, and
I must at least get rid Of that"
Brewster became the center Of in
terest to those who were not playing,
and people marveled Mt his luck. They
quite misinterpreted his eagerness and
he followed each spin Of the wheel.
He had chosen seat beside an Eng
lish duchess whose practice it was to
appropriate the winnings Of the more
inexperienced players, and he was
aware that many of his gold pieces
were being deliberately stolen. Here.
he thought. was at least helping
hand, and he was on the point of NOV.
ing his stack toward her side when
DeN1ille interfered. He had watched
the duchess and had called the
croupier's attention to her neat little
method. But that austere individual
s,lenced him by saying in surprise,
"But she's @ duchess-what do you
expect?"
Not to be downed so easily, DeNille
watched the play from behind Monty's
chair and cautioned his friend Mt the
first opportunity.
Better cash In and change your
seat, Monty. They're ro5bing you," he
whispered.
"Cash in when I'm away ahead of
the gamer Neverr and Monty did his
best to assume joyful tone
At first he played with no effort at
system. piling his money fiat OH the
numbers which seemed to have least
chance of winning, but lie simply
could not lose. Then he tried to re-
verse different systems he had heard
Of, but they turned out to be winners.
Finally in desperation he began
doubling on one color in the hope that
he would surely lose I'm fhe end but his
particular fate was against him. With
his entire stake on the red, the ball con-
tinued to fall in the red holes until
the croupier announced that the bank
was broken.
Dan DeMille gathered In the money
and counted $40, 900 before he handed