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


Roulette. In the great gided So
tons, where the light of day is ex-
cluded by curtains of black and Grim
con muslin, where the senses are be-
~lidered by an apparent disregard
OF wealth, and where the atmosphere
Is heavy with that faint odor of per-
SEPARATION and perfume, it is the same
Invitation to play rising above all
other sounds, year in, year out, Sun
days and week ys-"Messieurs.
faites vos jeux!"
To frequenters of Monte Carlo I re-
suire little introduction. They know
NE. perhaps, as a familiar figure of
rather funereal aspect. in frock coat
and black tie, strolling aimlessly
aoout, sometimes watching the play
at this table or at that, but more often
keeping close observation on one or
other of the players who, like moths
around candle, are attracted to the
tapis-vert by golden expectations. |
am an observer by profession, having
graduated under Mons Goron, chief
or the Paris Surete, and afterwards
served term as croupier at the rou-
lette tables, whence rose to be chef
dc partie, and afterwards became APP
pointed to the office / now hold
AS chief of the surveillance depart
nent. my office is ne sinecure, for,
truth to tell, the Cercle des strangers
de Monaco is the sink of Europe. An
interesting procession of malefactors
and criminals of the upper class seems
TO hitter through our salons year by
year, in blissful ignorance of the fact
that, when they mount the carpeted
eceps from the Place, they are simply
walking into an international police
bureau. Little do they dream that, il
warrants are out for their arrest, 1t is
more than probable that in one Of the
large albums in my private room be-
mind the bureau, where they present
their fictitious visiting cards to obtain
their carte d admission, there reposes
a well-executed counterfeit present
ment Of themselves, together with a
brlef and pointed statement of their
ofense. In these heavy albums, each
devoted to separate country, / have
a truly cosmopolitan collection. Nearly
every region on the face of the earth
contributes its quota to my gallery of
celebrities. for whenever a delinouent
is known to have obtained a consider
able sum of money by his crime his
description or his photograph is at
once forwarded to me, for the fatal
fascination which the roulette wheel
exercises upon those guilty of the
more serious offenses Is truly astonish-
sng.
"Messieurs. faites vos jeux." rose
Sharply as l approached the chair of
the chef de partie and at the same
instant the croupier reversed the red
and black wheel, and with a twist of
the thumb launched the ivory ball on
its way along the circular ledge.
The excited players threw their sill.
yer and gold on the numbers. the
dozens, the rouge, the nolr and the
impair Then they waited breath
lessly
Suddenly, just as the hall was losing
It's impetus, a tall dark bearded rath-
er handsome man, with a pair of
black, piercing eyes, which seemed TO
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 douzane.'
in an instant the croupier spread
them open, saying
"Trois mile francs premiere dou.
Eaine."
Scarcely had these words been ut.
tered when there arose the inevitable
warming:
''Etein ne va plus"
For a single second there was q
dead silence as all eyes watched the
tiny ball, while 1t fell with a rattle
and fiaal click into one OF the small
sockets on the cylinder, and ere IL
had touched the number the croupier
announced in the same sharp voice:
"Neuf, Rouge, impair ct mangue,"
and with his rake commenced to draw
"a the losses.
The man who had flung down his
notes so carelessly muttered some.
thing TO himself as II counting, and
took the siE thousand fraucs he had