The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1908-08-22

Roulette. In the great gilded sa-
Ions, where the light of day is ex-
cluded by curtains of black and Grim
SON muslin. where the senses are be-
wildered by an apparent disregard
OF wealth. and where the atmosphere
Is heavy with that faint odor of per-
SEPARATION and perfume, 1t is the same
invitation to play rising above all
other sounds, year in, year out, Sun
days and week days-"Messieurs
faites vos jeux!"
To frequenters Of Monte Carlo re-
Quire little introduction. They know
me, perhaps, as familiar figure of
rather funereal aspect, in frock coat
and black tie, strolling aimlessly
about, 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 a candle, are attracted to the
tapis-vert by golden expectations. /
am an observer by profession, having
graduated under Mons. Goron, chief
OF the Paris Surete, and afterwards
served term as croupier at the rou-
lette tables, whence l rose to be chef
de partie, and afterwards became ap-
pointed to the office now hold.
AS chief OF the surveillance depart
ment, my office is no 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 filter through our salons year by
year. in blissful ignorance Of the fact
that, when they mount the carpeted
steps from the Place, they are simply
walking into an international police
bureau. Little do they dream that, II
warrants are out for their arrest, it Is
more than probable that in one Of the
large albums In my private room be-
hind the bureau, where they present
their fictitious visiting cards to obtain
their carte d. admission, there reposes
q well-executed counterfeit present
ment Of themselves, together with
brief and pointed statement OF their
offense. In these heavy albums, each
devoted to a separate country, have
q truly cosmopolitan collection. Nearly
every region on the face Of the earth
contributes its quota to my gallery OF
celebrities, for whenever delinquent
II known to have obtained 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-
Ing.
''Messleurs, 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 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 noir and the
impair. Then they waited breath
lessly.
Suddenly, Just as the ball was losing
its impetus, q 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 douzaine!"
In an instant the croupier spread
them open. saying:
"Troiss mile francs premiere dou-
saine." ~.s-,.
Scarcely had these words been ut
tered when there arose the inevitable
warning:
Rein ne va. plus!"
For a single second there was q
dead silence as all eyes watched the
tiny ball, while It fell with q rattle
and final click into one Of the small
sockets on the cylinder. and ere It
had touched the number the croupier
announced in the same sharp voice:
"Neuf! Rouge. impair ct manQue!"
and with his rake commenced to draw
In the losses
The man who had flung down his
notes 30 carelessly muttered some
thing to himself as II counting. and
took he ak thousand francs he had