The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-07-16
CHAPTER XIV.


1t was past three O'Clock The Gordon
Of men in plain clothes which completely
surrounded the house Of the yicomte de
yaliar began to grow inpatient The
nrsr streaks Of dawn were already visible
in the east
A few OF the guests. among them the
Colbert-Remplins. had eft 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 vaIiar and
the Swiss millionaire. The faces of the
contestants, for they were nothing else,
afforded an interesting study. The coun-
tenanc 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 vet an
other Increase. Herr Goldstein. with a
sigh, folded his cards before him with
his enormous. trembling hands
I avail myself Of the privilege he
said, -and withdraw"
Jules Chabot- who acted as banker.
then handed the broker thirty-thousand
francs 1t was half Of his original stake:
other half OF wach lay on the table.
This brings our pool down pretty low
said the vicomre- Il raise il 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
'Scessive excitement Of Jules Chabot. His
lands also trembled ~nervousIy. He held
'ood cards, but If the betting continued
V must inevitably drop out.
Il think IL IS my turn to CALI he aid
I last Il have my choice; I challenge
Monsieur Lazare."
He put down his cards and spread them
Ut before him. the vicomte, according
D the rules Of the game. turning bis
cad 50 that be could not see what cards
Of his adversaries held (
When he again turned TO the table {
ules Chabot had left il and VI. Lazare
as sitting calmly awaiting him. with a
1ge heap Of notes and gold at his side.
II was Jules Chabofs share Of the pool J
hich By right Of his superior hand had I
Used into NJ Lazare's possession The
comte was at loss just exactly what to
at that moment He knew the kind of 4
hand be held was 20 good there were q
Il two other combinations which could <
at IT, Was IL possible that the man B
him held such a c~ombinafiou7 II
was he simply trying to brighten him Ii
to sharing the heavy stakes7
A moments reflection decided him on a.
; course he had left nearly one hun 2,
ed and fifty thousand francs as vet nm Al
sked- He would bet every sou Of this II
NJ Lazare would be unable TO
yer his bets, and according 10 the rules a
the game be WIS compelled TO do 20 Il
cease playing, for the game was what te
. known as an unlimited one. He look a,
bis opponent sternly in the eye. He NJ
'ught be diseerned signs Of weakening. II
Do you wish TO divide, monsieur m
Certainly not :" came the quiet an N
er. II am prepared to back my hand. n
3 your bet.v Il.
Il bet fifty thousand f~rancs.v a
i raise you one hundred thousand
mes. and be placed that sum also on re
table -
ms seemed 70 Btngxer the frenchu1an. Or
was me last money the detecfive had. 81
the other did not know II. N. DfAu-
ron's friend was indeed a millionaire. dr.
e Frenchman arose from the table. an
Monsieur viii excuse me for a mo-
nt," be said Il do but 90 to an inner do
N to get some more money
lie shortly ~reaDpeared, making his way tai
ough the dense and excited throng &c,
und the table. with a huge bundle Of on
IS in his hand. They were different hal
n which lay on the table; they
e Of the currency Of the second en- fbe
: Tn detectives eye gIistened as be but
at them and his heart beat quick
Is drawing forth one hundred thousand thf
1cs from the bundle, the Frenchman be,
cred bis last BET Then be added, as
esperateIy: fo,
And I raise It enc hundred thousand 4.
acs mora"