The Tupelo journal., 1908-08-14

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CLEAN with an almost unnatural bril-
lance, thrust his gloved hand into
his pocket, and carelessly tossed some
notes upon the table without counting
them, at the same time exclaiming:
"Remiere douzaine!"
In an instant the croupier spread
them open, saying:
"Trois mile francs premiere dou.
zaine."
Scarcely had these words been ut.
tered when there arose the inevitable
warning:
"hein III va plus!"
For a single second there was q
dead silence as all eyes watched the
tiny ball, while it fell with a rattle
n final click into one of the small
sockets on the cylinder, and ere it
had touched the number the croupie
announced in the same sharp voice:
"Neuf! Rouge, impair ct manuuet"
and with his ra.ae commenced to draw
in the losses.
The man who had flung down his
notes so carelessly muttered some
thing to himself as if counting, and
took the six thousand francs he had
won, handing back the three thousand
he had staked, saying:
Premiere coIonne."
Again the invitation to play rose
above all other sounds, and lclngers
attracted from other tables crossed to
watch the sensational stakes. [ asked
one of the ~blue-cOated attendants
whether the player had been winning,
n the reply was that he had lost
only once, II that he had played al
ways with the same stakes--three
thousand francs Then, returning to
the table, l sto@i next him.
The moment the strangers notes
were placed on the small square at
the n of the table beneath the, num-
Der Sc, gold and silver were shuwered
upon it by those determined to follow
the play of this favorite of Fortune.
The wheel was spun the, ball
elected, and a few moments later, in
the breathless tension which followed,
arose the words:
DlX-huttr Rouge, pair ct minuue!"
Again the stranger had won. The
smaller stakes were paid first, then
the croupier handed him six notes,
each for a thousand francs. This time
he placed all the notes in his pocket,
together with the three thousand he
had staked, and producing a note for
a hundred francs, tossed it on zero.
The chance was too smalf to suit
the majority of the players, and only
a couple Of fve-franc pieces were
placed beside it.
Rein ne va plus" sounded almost
before the stakes could be placed on.
The ball gave a little jump, then fell
with a sharp click, click-click.
"Trente-deuX!" cried the croupier;
loudly, with that roll of the "r' which
f%requenters of Monte Carlo know SO
we'll.
The stranger, with a muttered word
which sounded very much like an oath,
turned away, having lost for the first
time, but richer by many thousand
francs than half am hour before. Those
~ IN toclC ChflCu lEh III uCh
and many, mostly of the English tour
list class, admired his %self-control in
leaving Immediately after his first
loss. If every one did sc, there would
be fewer ruined fortunes, and the
bank would profit less.
With both hands deep in his pock
cts, and a disconsolate look on hi:
face-an expression rather a!
though he had lost heavily thar
gained-he strolled away into thu
trente-et-quarante room beyond
Whether it was the curious look O
suppressed excitement in his eye.
that caused me to keep his detected
figure in sight | know not, yet by som
intuition | felt that about this man
, who was certainly not an habitue O
h rooms-there was something mys
FERROUS. One fact was strange. Whel
he had drawn from his vest poke
, the hundred-franc note, he had takel
!, out with it a third-class return railwa,
, ticket. Men as well dressed do no
, usually travel to Monte Carlo third
class. Again, as l watched him eros
2 the polished floor, l saw that althoug
his coat and vest were well cut, an
that he wore a heavy gold albert, We
e his trousers were frayed at the DO
toms, baggy at the knees, and alto
gether disreputable.
A dozen times as I strolled bacl
wards and forwards the length of tn
t rooms, Longing here and there,
y caught his full face and profile. 1t We
that of a man strong-willed, excite
e beneath a calm exterior, and debatin
within himself whether he shout
e continue playing.
The face was not the original
e any in my collection.
s.. From table to table he strollet
pausing to glance at the. play, unit
y he passed out into the great atriun
/" at that moment filled with the crow
emerging from the concert room.
ell AS l went out by the entrance doc
If | whispered to Grenat, the head doc
keeper, pointing him out, and orderin
d him, if he again entered, to look
If his card, and at once send his nam
n to me-.
L~eisurely the stranger made h
l. way to the end of the hall, entered tn
e small bar and ordered a glass {