Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

that fateful interview in the blue drawing-room
Of Bullace Conquest. Her set knew little Monty
no more He was not the only person in the
world who cheated at cards, certainly-but then,
he had been found out. The fact that Lord Car
we'll and Philip Gey had deliberately laid trap
for him. and that in Carwell's own house, did not
make much difference to society at large. He was
"a little bounder a little beast" and, as some
body had been cheating, Carwell, not quite un-
naturally had hoped, as he phrased it, to catch
him out. And he had been caught out under
quite exceptionally disgracefu circumstances
that was the end of him.
''Poor little beggar, he was awfuly gone on
Vic" Charlie Bullace would say occasionally, If
his name was mentioned and that, so far as So
oetv was concerned, was Monty Montague's epi-
taph.
Victoria Buace's second engagement was
brief one Already the school children at Bullace
Conquest were looking forward to the wild dis
sipation of a wedding at the big house; already
befagged arches were rising swiftly in the vii
lagos Victoria and Valentine were alone In the
blue drawingroom in which Monty Montague had
been sent about his business Victoria remem-
bered him suddenly, in the midst of her own hap
piness.
s'Poor Mr.. Montague" she said, 'Do you re-
member the night you caught him cheating, Val!
wonder what has become of him.?
Valentine grinned. Some men get drunk
of a less airy nature Val was drunk with success
that day He was very much in love with Vic
toria, and still more in love with Yictoria's for
time: most of all he was in love with his own
luck, with his own ceverness.
"Poor little beastl' he said charitaby, "What
cad he was, wasn't he, darling? But You know
the cheating business was all moonshne
"Moonshine?"
s'Humbug-r g-rubbish-anything you like. I work
ed it awfully well. If it hadn't been for that,
you'd be Mrs. Monty Montague by now, sure as
fate"
Victoria sat up very straight. She did not un-
derstand.
'eYou worked it! What do you mean"
''What say. 1t was the only way out, you
know. 1t was something Carwell said put it into
INV head. He was awfully sorry for you, and he
said what pity it was we couldn't prove the lit
tie beast had another wife, cheated at cards,
or something that would stop the marriage. That
made me think"
''N[ade you think?. ..... Go on, Val. Made
YOU thnk-what"
"Well. I cheated little for night or two,
lust to see if they spotted tiff they'd suspect
anvone Awfully sorry, darling. | didn't want
the money you KNOW only did it for you; Ihey
tumblcd to it beautifully, and then-wells then,
7 couldn't help going on. I marked the cards
knowing that Carwell meant to catch Morty out
that night-and he did, you know
'.You marked the cards knowing that
your" -.t
Valentine Bullace, with all the superb self-con-
eeit of long line of Bullaces strong within him,
began to feel little doubtful as to the entire
wisdom of his condolences. He looked uncom-
fortably at Victorias white face
''Hang it, Vic darling, all's fair in love and war
YOU know Well, perhaps it bit of low
down trick to play but then, you see, did it
for you. And he was a little boundsr-he
oughtn't to have been in our set at a-it served
him right to get him kicked out of it. And
dare say he did something much worse than
cheat, if we'd happened to know what it was
only we didn't; and it was my last chance of get
ting you I'd have done anything to do that
and I've done it. haven't I, Vic?"
He bent down to kiss the white face that star