Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-06-04
H I! |: is Last. L, q !. 5
Stake 5 ] ! !
A Story Of Monte
Carlo
BY EDITH v. ROSS


Peter Orloff was young Russian
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 OH 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 neighbor, and
long before the time set for his return
he felt inclined to 60 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 We're
playing, and there was little to interest
him. He felt bored. He had mind to
20 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 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 he
interested.
At 10 o'clock he had quite 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 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 betrothed. He laid 10
francs on the table and won. Then he
lost. After that he won quite good
deal, when he struck bad 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 reccup. 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
I 1000 francs he had drawn in the morn
ing.
Within a few days Orloff had sunk
< what remained of the 5000 rubles he
3 had put aside for his journey and had
drawn on his funds at home for 100000
t more. With this acquisition he wo1
2 and lost considerable, for he played
7 high. Week after week passed while
l he was seen constantly at the gaming
e table.
l Meanwhile the time for his return
e and his wedding came round, and he
did not appear to claim his bride. HI
: wrote her that he would be unavoid
I ably detained. Not having the heart *
t give the real reason, he said that ht
. was Ill and that his doctor had advised
. his remaining in the genial climate o,
q the Riviera till spring had appeared IL
Russia. In order that his sweetheart
' might not know that he was at Mont,
j. Carlo and suspect the true cause O.
= his lingering abroad, he sent his letters
= to Nice for mailing.
q Sonia was naturally very much trou
I bled. Had she any one to attend he
t she would have gone at once to Nice
|, It would not be considered proper TO
+ her to go alone to join her lover. 81
! for awhile she waited. hoping that hi
. health would improve and his docto
would consent to his return to Russia
), Then one day she heard that Pete
= had been making heavy drafts on hi
funds at home and had mortgaged hi
, estate. 70 She delayed no longer, bu
: started at once for the Riviera. Thes
= drafts had caused her to suspect tina
: her lover had been caught In the mael
strom of Monte Carlo. and she deter
mined at starting that If she did no
!, find him at Nice she would 60 at ono
!. to the gambling resort.
= One night Orlof staggered into tn
, pavilion with SO francs $50, in hi
pocket. the last of all he possessed Il
the world. He had drawn and lost al
: the money he had inherited and ha,
: mortgaged his estate for all it wa
worth. He was really III from disar
. pointment and despair. If from no oil
2 er cause. After playing couple Q
! hours. in which he had won ana lest
be found himself with two gold ma
l. ln0lqOnS these hpinp tho original &1(