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

ne had staked, saying:
Premiere colonne." W
The moment the strangers notes
were placed on the small square at
the end OF the table beneath the num-
Der 80. gold and silver were showered
upon 1t by those determined to follow
the play of this favorite of Fortune.
The wheel was spun, the ball
elected, and few moments later, in
the breathless tension which followed,
arose the words: :.
"Dix-huit! 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
he placed all the notes In his pocket,
together with the three thousand he
had staked. and producing note for
a hundred francs. tossed It on zero. J,
The chance was too small to suit
the majority of the players, and only
a couple Of five,franc pieces were
placed beside It.
Rein ne va plus!" sounded almost
before the stakes could be placed on.
The ball gave little jump, then fell
with sharp click, click-click.
"Trente-deux!" cried the croupier,
loudly, with that roll of the "r" which
frequenters of Monte Carlo know SO
well.
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 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. II every one did so, there would
be fewer ruined fortunes, and the
bank would profit less.
; A dozen times as l strolled back
wards and forwards the length of the
rooms, lounging here and there, /
caught his full face and profile. 1t was
that of man strong willed, excited
beneath calm exterior, Ind 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
he passed out into the great atrium,
at that moment filed with the crowd
emerging from the concert room.
AS went out by the entrance door
I whispered to Grenat, the head door
keeper, pointing him out, and ordering
him, II he again entered, to look at
his card, and at once send his name
to me.
"Well," asked Grenat, a few mo-
ments later, what's his name?"
Emile Tessier," was the reply.
At onceI entered the bureau of the
administration, and from the register
discovered that card of admission
had 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 I 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 in the
play, but never risking anything high
er than five-france piece, until near
ly seven o'clock. when he obtained
his hat and coat and left the Casino.
AS soon as, saw his intention / also
obtained my hat, and took short cut
through the gardens to the steps lead
ing down to the railway station. y, At
the top Of the steps. I 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 the
direction Of. the Casino. Beneath the
light glanced at the ,deformed mans
face. '
It was the successful player! In the
darkness of the. gardens he had as
sumed his ragged overcoat, turned his
soft felt. hat into another shape, and,
with an altered expression of heavy,
care and inexpressible sorrow, had
effected transformation that was
little short. OF marvellous. Indeed, were
It not for the fact that / heard him
cough, and recognized It as the cough
OF the man who had won 80 many,
thousands at the tables. even should
have failed to identity him.
In that instant became convinced
that my suspicious were not I'M
founded, and. further, that the mystery
was deeper than had imagined.
At the station, instead Of remaining
on the platform for Mentone. he
crossed the line and entered the omni-
bus train for Nice, while also
mounted into first-class compart-
ment. determined to see where he
really lived. my curiosity being now
thoroughly aroused. That there was