The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1912-01-24
81 LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE,

the mans personality was curiously
reminiscent. >. OF sudden he
remembered. The Frenchman had
been pointed out to him. years ago, in
Paris. as principal In a Boulevard
scandal which had terminated In q
duel-a real duel. In which he had
been victorious. He was accustomed
to anticipate such an outcome of his
affair of honor, however; that was
why he had been named to O'Rourke;
Des Trebes Chat was the name; tho
Viscomte des Trebes) was duelist Of
international disrepute.
Monsieur" the agitated voice hut-
tered In his ear, you have won yet
again-for the sixth time,"
Let it stand for the seventh, mon
ami"
Why should Des Trebes be watch
ing him SO openly. SO pointedly? As
he watched he became aware that
these two, the Frenchman and the
Englishman, were not alone; detached
though their attitude was, they were
evidently Of a party of ladies' and gen.
ilemen whose gay. chattering group
formed their background.
Monsieur. the seventh turn!"
Yes. yes"
Rein ne va plus" croaked the
croupier.
One of the ladies turned to speak to
the Honorable Mr.. Glynn. Smiling,
he nodded, and offered her an arm.
She fingered, addressing Des Trebes.
The latter bowed. lifted his shoulders
and laughed lightly. plainly excusing
himself A general movement ook
place In the party; It began to disin
tegrate. men and women pairing of,
all moving at leisure toward the lobby.
Des Trebes alone remained. ORourke
could see that the personnel of the
gathering was largely British. He
recognized Lady Plinlimmon. whose
yacht The had heard casualty had ar.
rived In the harbor that MORNING. Evi
IDENTITY this was her party. Another
woman's figure caught his attention;
her back was turned. but she had an
air. graceful set of the shoulders, an
individual pride and spirit in the poiss
Of her head. that O'Rourke could have
sworn he knew. He was conscious
that he flushed suddenly. that his
heart was pounding. He made as II to
rise and follow. but was prevented. al
most forced back by a hand which the
Austrian In his feverish interest had
unconsciously placed on the Irish.
mans shoulder.
Monsieur. monsieur" he gasped.
his eyes. protruding. fixed upon the
wheel. Beads OF sweat giistened on
his forehead. He trembled as though
his own fortunes hung on the change.
Impressed. o'Rourke could not for.
bear to linger. to cast . reluctant
glance at the table.
The size Of his pile OF gold and
notes on the red was q somewhat
startling sight to him. His breath
stopped in his throat. The ivory sphere
was rattling over the compartments
to its predestined place. What II he
were to win? o'Rourke began to cal.
culate mentally how much he had at
stake. how much he might win II his
careless prediction that red would turn
up the seventh time should come true
lost his bearings in a maze of intri.
cate computation and was on the
point Of abandoning the problem when
black was called.
Great Cod" painted the Austrian,
Withdrawing his hand.
O'Rourke rose. The fortunes OF
war. me friend" said he with a laugh
SO unforsed that 1t sounded unnatu.
raj. He strobe away hastily. search.
ing the throng In the lobby for her
with whom his mind was occupied to
the exclusion OF all else.
The systemga gambler followed him
with stare of incredulous amaze
ment. What mani" said he
10 himself. II half aloud. A second
later he added: What admirable act.
ing!"
But he was mistaken. There was
nothing assumed in O'Rourke's air of
apathy. He was actually quite indif.
ferent and already preoccupied with
his new interest-the pursuit of the
woman whose unexpected appearance
In Monte Carlo seemed likely to upset
all his calculations. The sails of the
barQus Of his fortunes had all his
life long been trimmed to the windf
of Chance; he was accustomed to see
ing them fall nat and Tapping. empty
Just when q venture seemed most
propitious. The loss of the money
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