Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-04-04

His Last
Stake
A Story of Monte
Carlo
BY EDITH v. ROSS


Peter Orloff was a 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 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 short
time after his arrival at that port was
In the attractive winter resort, Nice.
He had left behind him n flancee,
Sonia, the daughter Of Il neighbor, and
long before the time set for his return
be 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 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 resolution to start
on his return trip the next morning.
to get away with.
He asked one Of the croupiers at the
gambling table at what hour the play
would be I'm full swing and was told 1t
would not be for another hour. To
pass the interval ne concluded to bet n
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 So W
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 1t would be time to re-
turn to his home and the wedding.
Then 1t occurred to him that 1t would
be nice to win enough more to buy a
present to take with him for Sonia.
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 2 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 recoup. Ho 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 Orion had sunk
what remained of the 5000 rubles he
had put aside for his journey and had
drawn on his funds at home for 100, 600
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 detained. 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-
bled. Had she any one to attend her
she would have gone at once to Nice.
1t would not be considered proper for
her to go alone to join her lover. 80
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 heavy 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
her lover had been caught in the mael-
strom of Monte Carlo, and she deter
mined at starting that II she did not
find him Mt Nice she would go at once
TO the gambling resort.
One night Orloff staggered into the
pavilion with so francs $40 In his
pocket, the last OF all he possessed In
the world. lie had drawn and lost all
the money he had inherited and had
mortgaged his estate for all II was
worth He was really III from dlsap.
pOintment md despair. II from no 9th
err cause. After playing couple Of
banra In ubIob ln bad .rn, ana Lat