Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-02

rupIeS, 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 fiancee,
Sonia, the daughter of a neiehbor. 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 1t
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
60 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 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 ii
would not be for another hour To
pass the interval ne concluded to bet a
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 1t to the faces about him and saw
that while he had been playing the
thTong 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 a
present to take with him for Sonia.
He would go by way of Paris and
doubtless see many pretty things there
from which he might select something
to please his betrotheG He laid 10
francs on the table and won. Then he
lost. After that he won quite good
deal. when he struck had luck and lost
nearly every bet he made. At . o'clock
in the morning he had lost all the
ready money he had with him.
The next morning instead OF starting
for home he drew 1000 francs on his
letter Of credit and went to the gam
bling pavilion to reccnp. He played
all day and when evening came had
won back his losses to within 20 francs.
Then another streak of bad luck struck
him, and by midnight he had lost the
1000 francs he had drawn in the morn
ing.
/ Within a few days OrlofT had sunk
what remained OF the 5000 rubles he
had put aside for his journey and had
drawn on his funds at home for 100000
more. With this acquisition he won
/ and lost considerable, for he played
high Week after week passed while
he was seen constantly at the gaming
table.
Meanwhile the time for his return
and his wedding came round, and he
did not appear to claim his bride. He
wrote her that he would be unavOid-
ably deta;aed. Not having the heart to
/ give the real reason. he said that he
was Ill and that his doctor had advised
his remaining in the genial climate Of
the Riviera till spring had appeared in
Russia. In order that his sweetheart
might not know that he was at Monte
Carlo and suspect the true cause OF
his lingering abroad. he sent his Letters
To Nice for mailing
/ Sonia was naturally very much trou.
! he'd. Had she any one to attend her
/ Fho would have gone at once to Nice
. II would not be considered proper fol-
her to 20 alone TO join her lover. SO
for awhile she waited. hoping that his
health would improve and his doctor
would consent to his return to Russia.
Then one day she heard that Peter
had been making iieavy drafts on his
funds at home and had mortgaged his
estate. She delayed no longer, but
started at once for the Riviera. These
drafts had caused her to suspect that
he" lover had been caught in the mael
strom Of Monte Carlo. and she deter
mi7ed at starting that II she did moi
find him at Nice she would 90 at once
to The gambling resort.
Il One night Orloff staggered into the
pavilion with 30 francs CS1m in bis
poo 'set, the last of all be possessed in
the world He had drawn and lost al
the money he had Inherited and had
mor'gaged his estate for all 1t was
worth. He was really III from disap
pointmeDt and despair. If from no 9th
er cause. After playing a couple OF
hours. I'm which he bad won and lost
re found himself with TWO goI1 ma
fOleons, these being the original 81
/ with which he had sat down in Tx