The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-02-23
WON BY
TELEPHONE
By JOHN GALLAGER. JR.
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


to Nice. Monte Carlo is not far from
Nice, and, understanding my friends
proclivities, / felt sure that he had
gone there to indulge his cravings Tor
play.
Mrs. Meredith was perfectly aware
that her son was losing the family for
tune at gambling, but with whom he
| gambled or when or how was a matter
that she knew nothing about. At one
| time when she was in New York and
he at Vienna he had telegraphed her,
Must have 5000 or be discharged.
His calls for money had been more and
more frequent, and with every call the
amounts grew larger.
His mother didn't know enough
about the lay of the land in the Riviera
to feel worried about her son, but
feared that If he stuck to the gaming
tables long enough he might ruin him.
self and her too. came to a sudden
resolution to go down there, and If l
| found Alan playing / would exercise
my influence with him to get him
away. So the next day took train
for the principality of Monaco.
l arrived at my hotel in time only
for dinner, so instead of searching for
Alan at his abiding place concluded
to 60 where, in case he was at Monte
Carlo, would be sure to find him
| the gambling pavilion. There were
not many people about the tables, and
the place looked lonely. 1t struck me
that those connected with the estab-
lishment wore a look of gloom. But
soon people began to arrive, the game
was opened and silence gave way to
the hum of the busy ones about the
table.
was watching to see If Alan would
come in when a servant asked me II
my name was Butler. On telling him
that it was, he informed me that was
wanted at the telephone. ! went there
and on taking the receiver heard the
well known voice Of Alan Meredith.
rs that you, Frank"
Yes"
I'm glad you came down. Take
napoleon to the table, put it on the red
and leave it there till you get word
from me to take it off"
!, I'll do no such thing. came down
knowing that you must be here, and
propose to take you to Paris with me
tomorrow"
listened for reply, but none came.
| called, tbut still no answer. Central
had doubtless shut me off. / waited
for awhile, thinking l would be rung
up again, but finally got tired and went
away. | was disgruntled at not having
got Alans hotel address, for there
was now nothing for me to do but
hunt him up.
AS l passed out I cast glance into
the gambling room, and l was curious
to know what would be the result If /
carried out Alan's instructions. /
thought that he might accuse me of
preventing his winning some money if
| failed to do as he had asked. 1t
would take me but q few minutes to
lose a napoleon, and when l saw him
again l could then tell him that had
done his bidding.
| went into the gambling room, ell
bowed my way to table and laid a
napoleon on the red. I won. left it
there and it won again. / have forgot
ten how many times IN succession /
won, but there was a heap of gold on
the table for me when a servant came
and whispered in my ear that Mr..
Meredith had telephoned was to take
the money of the red and make a diff
ferent bet with the whole amount
| don't know what it was that in
duced me to obey this order. / detest-
ed gambling, yet on this occasion
was worked up to a frenzy. got sew
eral orders from Alan during the even
ing all by telephone, and somehow l
felt that would keep on winning
And so did till broke the bank.
| scOoped my winnings into q light
oycrcOat l had brought with me and,
tieing my handkerchief about the
gathered corners, set off for my hotel
1t Is a wonder how 1 got there with
my winnings in the hotel safe, 1 asked
the concierge to telephone to the other
hotels to ask at which one Of them
Alan Meredith was staying.
Meredith he said. isn't that the
name of the American who committed
suicide in his room this morningT
My heart stood still.
did an American Of that name take
hts life today here?" I asked, horror
stricken.
Eyes, m'sieur. He lost heavily last
night and thfs morning was found in
his room with bullet in his BRAIN
1t was some time before / was able
to 90 further. When I had regained
something of my equanimity went to
the hotel. where was informed the
suicide had taken place and learned,
true enough, that my chum, Alan Mere
dith, had taken his own life.
But the horror of the occurrence was
intensified by the fact that had been
playing. or believed I had been play
ing. under the instructions OF dead
man. Had I been so playing? Was
not the whole matter dream? went
back to my hotel and called on the
proprietor to show me the gold had
won. He opened the safe. and there
IL WAS !, ,,.aat vaIIow chinino baani