The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-20
The Magic Bit
OF Silver
By Juan Enrique

want to ask you a question,
Gomez"
well, my dear boy, what is it,"
Where did you get your money!"
The question was an abrupt one-it
was almost impertinent. But Gomez
de Bonilla was an intimate friend of
mine, a good fellow, and-we had
dined. To say truth, we had not only
dined but wined, and it was over some
excellent post-prandials in the shape
of further wine and fragrant cigars
that l had asked the question. But I
had long wished to do so, and / will
tell you why.
Some two years before Gomez was
poor as church-mouse. He was al
ways a good fellow; but then. you
know, there is a difference between
good fellows rich and good fellows
poor. And, to my shame be it spoken, l
think I liked him better rich than
poor. Well, as l said, he was almost
destitute. He had a profession. it is
true-he was journalist; but in
Spain the gains of the fraternity of
the pen are not large. What little he
did earn went to the bad, for he was
an inveterate gambler
But from poverty jour-
nalist he suddenly blossomed out into
a man of wealth. He had the finest
horses, he belonged to the most fash
ionable club, he had the most luxu-
riously fitted town house.he had pur
chased the country seat of a decayed
grandee, he had the best cook in Ma
drid, and he moved in the best society
for, alas; even in Spain the golden
key is beginning to open all portals
But do not think from what l say that
Gomez was not a gentleman, for he
came of an excellent family.
Well, as I said, we had Just finished
an excellent dinner, and over the wal
nuts and the wine put my question:
Gomez, where did you get your
money!"
He looked at me thoughtfully. and
knocked the ash from his cigar
Where did l get my money!" he re-
peated, slowly. "And what says Dame
isuhioi SoheCiHiu6 IL, cuIO.
"There are all sorts of stor1es,"
replied; some probable, some wildly
impossible; some good-humored, more
ill-natured. You will pardon my frank
ness II tell you that I have heard
some people call your wealth 'ill-got-
ten gains whisper of retired high
waymen and the like. There are 9TH
ers who hint darkly at counterfeiting
Among the lower classes there is a
widespread belief that you have sold
yourself to the devil And have even
met intelligent people who limited at
supernatural means"
Perhaps they we're right" was his
laconic reply.
stared at him.
''Listen. and you may perhaps tell
me whether the means were super.
natural or no. have never been able
to decide. The reason that the source
Of my fortune has never been discov.
cred was because the only man who
knew of 1t left the city the day
AFTER"
I1c pduScu
"The day after what?" I queried.
"Well. I will begin at the beginning
The story is a curious one, and should
be told in sequence"
He lit fresh cigar and then began:
"You knew me two years ago. when
I was poor. You also knew. as did all
my friends, that I had passion fol
gaming. You would all Of you chorus
/, when speaking of me, Poor Bonilla
He has the worst Of vices-he Is g
desperate gambler You were al
wrong. I did not play simply for love
Of 1t. I played because was poor
was not gambler. l was a specu
lator. had fixed upon a certain sun
which considered a competence.
saw no way Of acquiring 1t by my
profession, SO I devoted myself to tn,
green cloth-how assiduously 20,
know"
He smiled at tho expression Of as
sent which involuntarily fitted owe
my countenance. watched. the smoke
wreaths curling over his head for
moment. and continued:
zone evening I was feeling unusual
ly blue. never drank, as you know
that IL, never to excess-and certainl,
never to do what IL called drowning
! sorrow My resource was the gaming
table. Unfortunately had In my pos
session a considerable sum of none
which had been intrusted to me by
friend for the purpose OF paying som
debts; he had been suddenly calle
away from the city. I entered tn
gambling.hell. and seated myself a
the roulette table. Fortune wa
against me; the few duros that bt
longed to me were soon gone. Some
thing seemed to possess me tina
night; l was not myself. I did wha
never should have dreamed mysel
capable of doing-I staked my friend
money. l staked 1t, and / lost 1t all
/ was about to speak.
"Do not condemn me-" he interrupt
ed; "you could say nothing severe
than were my self-reproaches. Lon
l sat there, glaring at the other pla!
ers. As l watched the ivory ball spi
round, my brain seemed to spin roun,
too. My senses seemed to be leavin
me. felt as IL life were no longe
dear to me. Penniless and dishol
ored. what was there left to live for
, las these thoughts passed throug
] my working brain, the night wore oil
The players dropped off. one by on,
The tables were gradually deserted
Soon there was but one left lighted
! the roulette table before which | sa