Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-26
But, mademoiselle"

not trouble yourself to be pohte, sir'
But, msdemoselle-"
ct pray you resume your seat.
He bowed humby and at once fell back. The
girl sat down and turned to the Count Is
the bargain completely" she demanded haughtily.
Am 1 already the chattel of that man?'
The old man chuclxled. Not yet, not yet.
Perbaps YOU may not ever be- my dear. 1t will
be hard for me to part with creature so superb
as you.
Madame gave utterance to sudden ripping
laugh Don't tell me that you intend to pre-
sent Desire with new grand-mamma, she CRED
The Count broke into roar OF laughter, SINK
ing back in his cushions to indulge ms nren,
then. after draught of wine, replied: stranger
things have happened, Katherin; have peen
too long ceibate-who knowsE
Francine shvered and turned pale L should
make you bad wife, she muttered.
The old man gave sneer. VINO spoke OF
marriage?" he demanded coarsely but there
INV dear calm yourself l would rather think
of YOU at present as my daughter. de turned
to the Turk 'It is strange Jibalott, no sign
vet of the Argonaut; she should be here by now:
Hardly, Excellency; you wired for her only
this afternoon"
"But it is scarce eight hours run; her
speed is fifteen knots"
"She might not have been under steam
absurd, she is always ready
Pardon, she should perhaps be always ready,
but orders are sometimes disregarded.
"If she does not arrive before morning, some
one shall suffer. We shall have an execution:
,Jibaloff struggling his shoulders, applied him
self to the pleasures of the board and thereafter
silence reigned until the conclusion of the meal.
When all was satisfied, servants carried the
table bodily away and substituted a smaller one
covered with green cloth and armed with cards
and dice.
Francne would have departed, but the Count
al har look al a
him negroes guarded the doors against escape.
Both he and Jibaloff had drunk deeply during
dinner and their faces were flushed their manner
anxious and excited. Francne took distant
chair but Madame and Desire who occasionally
appeared in feminine garb when not in the work
shop, stood beside the table, eager to watch the
play.
Jibaloff shufhed the cards The Count cut,
and turning his portion of the pack face down.
ward took up the dice box. what shall the
stake be-" he demanded
"Whatever sum you please"
"a thousand pounds rising from ace to six.
Agreed commenced"
"Then say black
"And | red throw the dicel"
The Count threw, and the number uppermost
was six. Slowly either man turned up card,
the Count that on the bottom of his pack, the
Turk that on the top of his.
The Counts card was the ace of spades. "Six
thousand pounds the limit" he observed calm
w. "That makes in all sixteen that you owe
me, my friend"
Jihaloff turned a little pale and his hands term
bed as he gathered up the cards The Count
cut again, but this time his adversary called,
growing OUT Red red for my life!" and quick
ly threw the dice, which on settling showed the
humber FIVE. He turned up his card-seven of
hearts-and threw it on the table with a shout
of triumph. THAT reduces the by five,
he cried
Precisely" returned the Count, whose manner
was growing more and more cold and business
like as the game proceeded "Shuffe the cards,
my dear Jibaloff, little more, will you?"
They played on for hour in this fashion
with varying luck, but at the expiration of that
time fortune set with a steady tide in favor of
the Turk and for a period he continued to win
every hand with most monotonous precision, the
score mounting his side until he had recorded
the enormous gain of eighty thousand pounds.
With his he grew each moment more
excited, more triumphant. He jeered at the
Count with the coarsest vulgarity, deriding the
old mans previous boast to beggar him. and
savagely taunting his opponent to increase the
stakes.
The Count dAttala listened calmly. a set half
smile Just turning the edges of his thin and pasty
colored lips but his eyes, which he kept reso-
lutely fixed upon the cards, were alight with
the feverish fire of gaming and something else
besides perhaps malice, perhaps hate, but so
well did he command himself that very little of
his mind manifest He answered his adver-
sary nothing and although he piled the Turk
with wine, keeping his glass constantly replea
ished, he drank but little himself, and was other
wise moveless and silent as an automatic figure
Increase the stakes-increase the stakes"
grated out the Turk for the twentieth time
"You owe eighty thousand pounds. | am
determined to break you but let us get it over
quickly. 1t is now eleven; at midnight the Prince
will be with u.s. and | must then away. Indeed,
! should have gone twelve hours ago, well
you know. Let us end the matter quickly"
The Count slightly shrugged his shoulders,
and for the first time looked his opponent in
the eyes. Let us change the game; let us throw
single stake for eighty thousand pounds"
But if l VIM"
Il have enough to pay you"
"And afterwards"
That is my affair, but shall win, dear friend,
! shall win"
"You iel you shall not Throw. throw!o
The Count smiled grim, horrible smile, and
obeyed.
"a million eursesl" shouted the Turk "Give
me the dce!" The Count had thrown six. Jb-
alof shook the dice for a moment, then crashed
the box upon the table The number uppermost
was FIVE The Count laughed gently. "Ha, ha!
said | not so? We are quits dear friend"
Let us resume" cried the Turk, his face
ivid with rage. Let us throw each time for
ten thousand!'
@No ] weary of the game; little relaxation
/ beg Of you"
1.-TWO more throws first only two" urged the
Turk
For high stakes, thenY"
"As high as you please"
FIFTY thousand pounds?
"Yesl" The Count snatehed up the dice and
quick as light threw five.
Jbaloff threw two.
The Count threw again this time FIVE