Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-09-02

ne had staked, saying:
PREMIERE colonne.''
Inc moment the strangers notes
were placed on the small square at
.he END or the table beneath the num-
per so, gold and silver were showered
upon it by those determined to follow
'he play or this favorite of Fortune.
Inc wheel was spun, the ball
eJected, and a few moments later. in
the breathless tension which followed,
arose the words:
DiX-hult! Rouge, pair ct manque!"
Again the stranger had won. The
smaller stakes were paid first. then
the croupier handed him six notes.
each for thousand francs. This time
ne placed all the notes in his pocl1et.
together with the three thousand he
had staked, and producing a note for
hundred francs, tossed it on zero.
Inc chance was too small to suit
the majority of the players, and only
couple of five-franc pieces were
placed beside 1t.
Klein ne va plus" sounded almost
before the stakes could be placed on.
The ball gave little jump. then fell
with sharp click, click-click.
Irente-deux." cried the croupier.
loudly, with that roll of the ~" which
lrequenters of Monte Carlo know so
well.
Inc 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 an hour before. Those
around the table envied him his luck:
and many, mostly of the English tour
list class, admired his self-control in
leaving Immediately after his first
loss. III every one did so, there would
be fewer ruined fortunes. and the
bank would profit less.
dozen times as | strolled back
wards and forwards the length of the
rooms, lounging here and there.
caught his full face and profile. II was
that OF man strong-willed, excited
beneath calm exterior, and debating
within himself whether he should
continue playing.
The face was not the original of
any in my collection.
from table to table he strolled.
pausing to glance at the play. until
ne passed out into the great atrium.
at that moment filled with the crowd
emerging from the concert room.
AS l went out by the entrance door
L whispered to Grenat, the head door
keeper. pointing him out, and ordering
him, If he again entered, TO look at
Ms card, and at once send his name
to me.
Well" I asked Grenat. a few mo-
ments later, what's his name?"
Emile Tester" was the reply.
AT once / entered the bureau OF the
administration, and from the register
discovered that a card Of admission
mad that afternoon been issued to one
Emile Tessier, who had given his ma
tionality as French, and his address
at the Hotel lies Britanniques at Men
tone.
Again | went into the gaming rooms
where | found him standing watching
one OF the center roulette tables
Through the remainder of that aft
ernoon he lounged leisurely about the
rooms. sometimes interested I'm tho
play. but never risking anything high.
er than five-france piece. until near.
~ seven o'clock, when he obtained
MS nat and coat and left the Casino
AS soon as / saw his intention I aIso
obtained my hat. and took a short cut
through the gardens TO the steps lead.
ing down to the railway station. At
me top OF the steps l overlook an old
decrepit man, hunchbacked and shah.
by. who leant heavily on his stout
stick. and was about to descend He
had been speaking with a man. whose
dark figure ] saw disappearing in tho
direction Of the Casino. Beneath the
light / glanced at the deformed mans
face.
II was the successful plsyerl In the
darkness Of the gardens he had az.
sumed his ragged overcoat. turned bis
SOFT ielt nat into another shape. and.
with an altered expression OF heavy
care and indispensable sorrow had
erected transformation that was
little short Of marvellous. Indeed wero
1t not for the fact that I heard hin,
cough, and recognized it as the cough
Of the man who had won so nanv
thousands at the tables. even / sbouId
have failed TO identify him.
In that instant became convinced
that my suspicious we're not nm.
founded, and. further, that the mystery
was deeper than | had imagined.
At the station. instead Of remaining
on the platform for Mentone. no
crossed the line and entered the omnj.
bus train for Nice, while also
mouLted into a first-class compart-
ment, determined TO see where he
really lived, my curiosity being now
thoroughly aroused That there was