The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1912-01-24
ILLUSTRATIONS by
BLLSWoR1HYOUNC

hSAAN SoiohCi " hOul nc . ease Chu D0
cited as no exception to this rule e.
bow to elbow on one side with an art
less old lady from Terre Haute. who
risked her minimums with the fero-
cious jealousy of 4 miser making an
unsecured loan. on the other with an
intent little Austrian gambler absorb
cd In the workings of his system"
the adventurer scattered gold upon
the numbered and Illuminated grid.
iron As unconcernedly as though he
had been matching shillings. and saw
the coins gathered in by the greedy
rake as often a. the little ivory ball
ceased to chatter on the wheel.
For the better part Of an hour this
continued. And the little group of
sycophants which had gathered b.
hind his chair to watch his play In
sensibly dissipsted. A whisper ran
through the ranks Of the habitues that
the luck of the mad Irishman had turn.
ed; and forthwith he ceased to be an
object Of interest Only the little
Austrian. having risked the number
of stakes prescribed by his system for
one evenings play. put away his note
book and pencil and. surrsndering his
place to another. fingered behind
o'Rourks's chair. unable to resist the
fascination Of watching . man who
could At once lose money and retain
his composure.
At length. inexpressibly bored and
too impatient to defer the inevitable
BY niggardly wagers. O'Rourks ran
sacked his pockets and placed the pro-
cseds-several hundred francs-I am
- ignorant Of the amount as he was
Indifferent to it-upon the red.
There fell . lull. the croupier hold
ing the wheel to permit an unbaked
cub of Chicago millions to cover the
cloth with stakes too numerous for
his half-dsvsloped intelligence to keep
count Of: and the adventurer shifted
In his seat. reviewing the asssmblase.
For some moments. through the mys-
terious working Of that sixth sense
which men are pleased vaguely to de-
nominate intuition. he had been sub
consciously aware Of being the object
OF some persons fixed regard, that
somebody was not only watching, but
Weighing him. He sought the source
-. $500 sSAeesAoh ANU III - htti9 NlIlltt
sought 1t unsuccessfully. Annoyed,
he persisted. He heard the croupier's
mechanical Rein ne va plus" follow.
cd by the whirring Of the wheel, but
cared 20 little that he would not turn
to watch the outcome. Only an ex-
clamation Of the Austrian's appraised
him of the fact that red had won. He
glanced listlessly round to see the
money doubled. and let It rest. turn
ing back to his survey of the throng.
A moment later his attention became
nxed upon two men who stood in the
doorway. looking toward him. Again
the wheel buzzed. the ball clattered and
was still. The word rouge among 9TH
srs In the announcement told him that
again he had won: this time. however.
ae did not turn, but, frowning In
speculation. stared back at the two.
Stared? Indeed and he did Just
hat II It was impertinent. sure and
we're they not staring at him? And
who should gainsay an O'Rourke the
light to stare at anybody. be he king
Or commoner? Furthermore, who
might these men be. and what their
interest in himself?
The one was tall and slender, sat
urnine; an elegant. owing as much to
The art of his tailor and upholsterer
as to his own indisputable. native dis
q Frenchman-at least of q
type unquestionably Gallo. His face
was very pale. his fine, pointed mus
tache very precise. jaw square. fore
bead high, eyes deep and dark be-
aeath brows heavy. level and black.
manner marked by a repose almost
threatening in its impassibility.
His companion was shorter of stat
are. q younger man by at least ten
years. rather stout and very nervous,
with a fresh red face marred by hall
marks of dissipation; British. every
inch Of him.
That. I'm thinking" unused
O'Rourke. will be the Honorable
BERTHE Glynn. Faith, he looks the
part. At least; It's Just that kind-in-
bred. underbred. without brains or real
would run through a
sterling inside q year"
But the other?
Monsieur" the little Austrian stam-
excitedly in his ear. "for you the
red had doubled q fourth time"
Thank ye," replied O'Rourke with
put moving. Twill turn up seven,
this run"
Tho aynten-samhlar eubaided n>tri.