The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-22

almost impertinent. But Gomez
oonilla was an intimate friend of
q good fellow. and-we had
To say truth. we had not only
"a Init wined. and 1t was over some
.I,ent post-prandials in the shape
mrber wine and fragrant cigars
had asked the question. But l
,ong wished to do 30. and l will
you why.
.,me two years before Gomez was
as a church-mouse. He was al
=. a good fellow; but then, you
.r there is a difference between
a fellows rich and good fellows
!. And. to my shame be 1t spoken, I
~ liked him better rich than
Well, as I said, he was almost
t,ute. He had a profession, it is
he was a journalist; but in
!, the gains Of the fraternity Of
non are not large. What little he
earn went to the bad, for he was
luyeterate gambler.
nt from a poverty-stricken Jour-
M be suddenly blossomed out into
NAN of wealth. He had the finest
,ps be belonged to the most fash
,,be club, he had the most luxu-
rsly fitted town house, he had pur.
,,sd the country seat Of a decayed
.,dee he had the best cook in Ma.
n and he moved in the best society
M alas; even in Spain the golden
is beginning to open all portals.
40 not think from what l say that
,nez was not a gentleman, for he
me Of an excellent family.
WE'LL as said, we had just finished
excellent dinner, and over the wal
rsand the wine I put my question:
Gomez, where did you get your
fnsy?"
Ne looked at me thoughtfully, and
bwked the ash from his cigar.
Vhere did I get my money!" he re-
sted. slowly. "And what says Dame
.nor concerning it, Pedro?"
There are all sorts of stories,"
sfed; some probable, some wildly
msible; some good-humored, more
lstured. You will pardon my frank
Is il tell you that l have heard
ne people call your wealth ill-got-
gains whisper of retired high
aTnen and the like. There are 9TH
who hint darkly at counterfeiting.
bong the lower classes there Is a
aespread belief that you have sold
lrself to the devil. And have even
intelligent people who limited at
yernatural means" 8
Perhaps they were right" was his
EcnC reply.
stared at him.
Listen, and you may perhaps tell
whether the means We're super.
Mral or no. have never been able
decide. The reason that the source
my fortune has never been discov-
\ was because the only man who
sv Of it left the city the day
E-"
Re paused
The day after what?" queried.
Well, will begin at the beginning
sscry is curious one, and should
tod in sequence"
BE lit fresh cigar and then began:
You knew me two years ago. when
rs poor. You also knew, as did all
ihends, that I had a passion for
thg You would all Of you chorus,
u speaking Of me, Poor Bonilla!
has the worst Of vices-he is a
eefate gambler You we're all
as' did not play simply for love
u l played because I was poor.
rs not gambler. / was a specu-
| had fixed upon a certain sum
Cd | considered a competence.
no way Of acquiring it by my
ssion, so devoted myself to the
q cloth-how assiduously you
H."
smiled at the expression Of as.
which involuntarily fitted over
@untenance, watched the smoke.
''ns curling over his head for a
lent' and continued:
ne evening l was feeling unusual.
ee never drank. as you know
~ never to excess-and certainly
10 DO what is called drowning
Wv. My resource was the gaming.
Unfortunately l had in my pos.
el considerable sum of money
mad been intrusted to me by a
ior the purpose of paying some
ne had been suddenly called
rom the city. I entered the
4lns'hell, and seated myself at
roulette table. Fortune was
~ me; the few duros that be.
10 me were soon gone. Some
seemed to possess me that
l was not myself. I did what
~ should have dreamed myself
W OF doing-I staked my friends
y staked it, and I lost it ALL
Is about to speak.
not condemn me-" he intercept
'Ou could say nothing severer
ere my self-reproaches. Long
1efe' glariIg at the other play
= watched the ivory ball spin
!, =! brain seemed to spin round
senses seemed to be leaving
'eh as if life were no longer
me. Penniless and dishon-
.a' was there left to live for?
uese thoughts passed through
, lang brain, the night wore on
,nyefs dropped off, one by one
az We're gradually deserted
49, 80 was but one left lighted
!. ete table before which | sat
alich one perseyering game