River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-03-28


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 1t rest, turn.
ing back to his survey of the throng
A moment later his attention became
fixed 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.
ers in the announcement told him that
again he had won; this time, however,
he did not turn, but, frowning in
speculation, stared back at the two.
Stared? Indeed and he did just
that. If it was impertinent, sure and
were they not staring at him? And
who should gainsay an O'Rourke the
right 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
tinction; Frenchman-at least of a
type unquestionably Gallo His face
was very pale, his fine, pointed mus
tache very precise, jaw square, fore
head high, eyes deep and dark be-
meath brows heavy, level and black,
manner marked by a repose almost
threatening in it's impassibility.
/, His companion was shorter of stat
years, rather stout and very nervous,
with fresh red face married by hall
marks of dissipation; British, every
inch of him.
That, Pm 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
stamina-that would run through a
half-million sterling inside a year."
But the other?
Monsieur" the little Austrian STAN
mered excitedly in his ear, "for you the
red had doubled fourth time
Thank ye," replied O'Rourke with
! out moving. Twill turn up seven,
The system gambler subsidized petri-
! fed.
But the other? O'Rourke continued
to probe his memory. Something in
the mans personality was curiously
reminiscent. OF a sudden he
remembered. The FrenchmaI had
been pointed out to him, years ago. in
Paris, as a principal in a Boulevard
scandal which had terminated in a
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 Trebea Chat was the name; the
Viscomte des Trebes) was a dueIist of
international disrepute.
Monsieur" the agitated voice f1ut-
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
tlemen 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.. GIynn. 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 took
place in the party; it began to disin-
| tegrate. men and women pairing off
all moving at leisure toward the lobbv.
Des Trebes alone remained. ORourke
could see that the personnel of the
gathering was largely British. He
recognized Lady Plinlimmon. whose
yacht Che had heard casualty had ar
rived in the harbor that MORNING. Eyi.
IDENTIFY this was her party. Another
woman's figure caught his attention:
her back was turned. but she had an
air. a graceful set of the shoulders. an
individual pride and spirit in the poise
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 if to
rise and follow. but was prevented, al
most forced back hy 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 glistened 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 a reluctant
| glance at the table.
The size of his pile of gold and
notes on the red was a somewhat
startling sight to him. His breath
stopped in his throat. The ivory sphere
was rafting over the compartments
to it's predestined place What if he
were to win? O'Rourke began to cal
culate mentally how much he had at
stake, how much he might win if his
careless prediction that red would turn
up the seventh time should come true
lost his bearings in maze of intri-
cate computation and was on the
point of abandoning the problem when
black was called.