Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-11-07

in the conservatory"
And then he passed or into the inner
salon.
An, here you are.' cried the vicomte
de Naliar. You have come to give me
my revenge, l hope"
To any amount" replied the Swiss,
and passing through the fashionable
throng which surrounded the players, he
seated himself az the card table.
CHAPTER XIV.
1t was past three o'clock. The Gordon
of men in plain clothes which completely
surrounded the house of the Vicomte de
Faliar began to grow impatient. The
first streaks Of dawn were already visible
in the east.
A few OF the guests. among them the
Colbert Remplins, had left some time be-
fore. But the majority fingered in the
inner salon watching with breathless in
| terest the progress of a game the like of
which none of them had ever before wit
messed.
But four men remained at the table,
| for the stakes had been increased enor-
mously. Those four were Herr Goldstein,
| Jules Chabot the Vicomte de Valiar and
the Swiss millionaire. The faces of the
| combatants, for they were nothing else,
| afforded an interesting study. The coun-
! tenance of each painfully reflected the
intense anxiety of that moment.
Two hundred and twenty-five thousand
| francs lay on the table. No one would
| yield and there was a call for yet an
other increase. Herr Goldstein, with a
| sigh, folded his cards before him with
| his enormous, trembling hands
Il avail myself of the privilege" he
said. land withdraw
Jules Chabot, who acted as banker,
| then handed the broker thirty thousand
| francs. 1t was half of his original stake
the other half of which lay on the table
This brings our pool down pretty low"
said the vicomte. Il raise it another
! twenty-five thousand francs"
The other two players then each placed
twenty-five thousand francs in the pool.
| The spectators could not but notice the
| excessive excitement of Jules Chabot. His
hands also trembled nervously. He held
| good cards, but if the betting continued
| he must inevitably drop out.
Il think it is my turn to call" he said
at last. Il have my choice; l challenge
| you, Monsieur Lazare."
| He put down his cards and spread them
| out before him, the vicomte, according
to the rules of the game. turning his
! head so that he could not see what cards
either of his adversares held.
When he again turned to the table
| Jules Chabot had left it and NJ Lazare
was sitting calmly awaiting him. with a
huge heap of notes and gold at his side.
1t was Jules Chabot's share of the pool.
which by right of his superior hand had
| passed into NJ. Lazare's possession. The
vicomte was at loss just exactly what to
| do at that moment. He knew the kind of
a hand he held was so good there were
but two other combinations which could
beat it. Was it possible that the man
opposite him held such a combination?
Or was he simply trying to brighten him
into sharing the heavy stakes?
A moments reflection decided him on
his course. He had left nearly one hun
dred and fifty thousand francs as yet I'M
staked He would bet every sou of this
perhaps NJ. Lazare would be unable to
cover his bets. and according to the rules
| of the game he was compelled to do so
or cease playing, for the game was what
was known as an unlimited one. He look
ed his opponent sternly in the eye He
thought he discerned signs of weakening.
DO you wish to divide, MONSIEUR
Certainly not :" came the quiet an
swer. Il am prepared to back my hand.
! It's your bet"
| Il bet fifty thousand francs"
Il raise you one hundred thousand
francs" and he placed that sum also on
| the table.
This seemed to stagger the Frenchman.
1t was the last money the detective had,
| but the other did not know it. NJ. DAu-
| buron's friend was indeed millionaire
The Frenchman arose from the table.
Monsieur will excuse me for a mo-
ment," he said. II do but go to an inner
J room to get some more money"
| He shortly reappeared, making his way
through the dense and excited throng
around the table, with a huge bundle of
notes in his hand They were different
from any which lay on the table; they
were of the currency of the second en-
| pire. The detectives eye glistened as he
looked at them and his heart beat quick
ly, as drawing forth one hundred thousand
| francs from the bundle, the Frenchman
if desperately
And | raise it one hundred thousand
| francs more"
Il cannot meet it, monsieur" confessed
| the Swiss, unless you accept my l.
| o. u
mo, it must be cash. That is only
! fair. l am sorry monsieur has run be-
yond his bank. 1t is the rule of the
| game"
The Frenchman had his opponent fair
| ly outbet. But the temptation to make
more was strong upon him. The Swiss
had already scrubbed an 1. o. Z. for
| fifty thousand francs and pushed it to-
ward him.
| The Frenchman was about to play, and
| had raised his hand for that purpose
when his eye caught the queer three-cor-
nered piece of paper in front of him.
Il can't take l. 0. US" he said 81
must have absolute security"
Then they saw the Swiss take from
| the pocket of his vest a small locket and
pass it over to the Frenchman.
Isn't that good for something mon
sieur?"
| With his face grown suddenly an ashen
gray the vicomte leaned over the table
and almost whispered as he clutched the
locket in his shaking fingers:
Where did you get this?"
The detective leaned forward and pick
| ed up one of the notes from the vicomte's
| bundle.
From the place where you found this
Is it enough, or shall 1 show you some
| thing else?"
What do you mean? Don't speak out
! here before everybody. Come with me-"
| The two players arose from the table
and, passing out into the conservatory,
left the money lying on the table, and a
| group of astonished guests looking blank
! ~ at it.
'@They have both been crazy to bid like
| this said one; they have doubtless gone
to make some arrangement together"
They waited for a minute-for five
minutes. Still the players did not re-