Smyrna times., 1913-01-22
His Last
Stake
A Story of Monte
Carlo
BY EDITH v. ROSS


who inherited an estate and 100000
rubles, into the possession of which
he entered when he was twenty-One
years old. He concluded before set
Ting down on the estate to take 5000
rubles and visit Rome, Berlin, Paris
and other continental cities. So as soon
as he had arranged his affairs for his
absence he started for Berlin, from
whence he went to Rome, then Naples,
where he sailed for Genoa, and a short
time after his arrival at that port was
in the attractive winter resort, Nice.
He had left behind him a fancee,
Sonia. the daughter of a neighbor and
long before the time set for his return
he felt inclined to go home. But his be-
trothed was spending some time in st.
Petersburg, and if he went home he
would find her absent. He felt that it
would be better to remain away for the
appointed term, at the end of which
the wedding was to take place. There
/ fore. firing of Nice, he concluded to run
down to Monte Carlo.
| On the evening of his arrival he
dined, then sauntered over to the pa
vilion where gambling was going on.
! At that hour but few persons were
| playing, and there was little to interest
him. He felt bored. He had a mind to
go back to Russia. He would find Sonia
at st. Petersburg and might enjoy him
self there with her far better than
spending his time alone in foreign
lands. He came to a resolution to start
on his return trip the next morning.
This would give him but one evening
to get away with.
He asked one of the crOupiers at the
gambling table at what hour the play
would be in full swing and was told it
would not be for another hour. To
pass the interval ne concluded to bet
few francs. He covered several Of the
numbers and won on two and lost on
one. He repeated the bets and again
won more than he lost. When he had
gained on his third bet he began to be
interested.
at 10 o'clock he had quite a pile Of
winnings before him. He looked up
from it to the faces about him and saw
that while he had been playing the
throng had been gathering. So intent
had he been on the game that he had
not noticed their coming. He counted
his winnings and found enough to pay
his expenses to st. Petersburg and keep
him there till it would be time to re-
turn to his home and the wedding.
Then it occurred to him that it would
be nice to win enough more to buy q
present to take with him for Sonia
He would go by way of Paris ant
doubtless see many pretty things there
from which he might select something
to please his betrothed. He laid II
francs on the table and won. Then ht
lost. After that he won quite gOoC
deal, when he struck bad luck and los
nearly every b. ne made. At 2 o'clocl
i in the morning he had lost all tn
ready money he had with him.
The next morning instead OF startin
for home he drew 1000 francs on hi
= letter of credit and went to the gam
bling pavilion to recoup. He playe
all day and when evening came ha
\ won back his losses to within 20 francs
: Then another streak of bad luck struc
him. and by midnight he had lost th
1000 francs he had drawn in the morI
ing
! II Within a few days Orion had sun
l. what remained of the 5000 rubles
ID had nut aside for his journey and ha
Y, drawn on his funds at home for 10000
ID more. With this acquisition he wo
n and lost considerable, for he playe
NJ high. Week after week passed viii
, he was seen constantly at the gamin
table.
Meanwhile the time for his retur
es and his wedding came round, ana
g did not appear to claim his bride. d
es wrote her that he would be unavot
IN ahIv detained. Not having the heart
. Give the real reason. he said tnat
oa was ill and that his doctor had ADVISE
S,s remaining in the genial climate
the Riviera till spring had appeared
eS pussia In order that his sweetnea
might not know that be was at Mon
IT. Carlo and suspect the true cause
his lingering abroad. he sent MS ieC'e
ce TO Nice for mailing.
Sonia was naturally very mucn .ru
=. hled. Had she any one to attenu
she would have gone at once 10 M
Il n would not be considered proper
her TO 90 alone to join her lover
= for awhile she waited. hoping that
, health would improve and MS aoc'
would consent to his return to kuss''
Then one day she heard that re,
had been making heavy drafts on
funds at home and had mortgageu
!. estate. she delayed no longer,
started at once for the Riviera. ~ .
w drafts had caused her to suspect =
her lover had been caught 10 ,ne ~. -.
strom of Monte Carlo. ana sue IA a.
/ mined at starting that II sne ulu
flnd him at Nice she would go AZ y
to the gambling resort 80.
one night orloff STAGGERED ed, INTO 70
navIliou with so francs l$lO' IN
sy nocket the last of all he possessed
ca sS the world He had drawn ana lost
atS 49, v,orav no had inherited anu