The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-26
One Year To Live
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Of quiet hostility which had marked
the arrangements.
Ahmed called round for Felice at the
Crillon, mad they met Mordac by ap-
pointment on the corner of the Rue
Royale. Felice insisted that he should
ride with Ahmed, but Ahmed insisted
more strongly that Mordac make the
journey with Felice.
81 trust, monsieur" he said, that l
shall have the pleasure of driving Mon
sieur lie Comte back to Paris and his
breakfast"
At which Felice laughed.
So they went out together, Ahmed
in front, alone, and Felice humming
along behind him.
To Ahmed there was a sensation of
absolute unreality about the ride along
the wonderful straight road which
leads to the Porte Maillot and the Bots
de Boulgne. He was, of course, going
to beat Felice at the dice game. He
had right on his side.
They swung off to their right at
Luna Park, and at last reached that
section of road which was nearest to
the glade they had selected. They left
the cars at the roadside.
Felice, of all three of them, had the
most to say. He deposited a brown
bag on the ground and from it he
took a sealed package, a folded chess
board, a bottle of champagne, three
glasses and a little bottle which All
med knew must contain the veronal.
There" he said. "All the proper
ties are here, and the play can start.
Mordac--as what / might term the neu-
trail power in this little argument-may
/ ask you to open the wine?"
Certainly" Mordac opened the bot
tie and poured the sparkling liquid
into the glasses. He handed one to
Felice, who Immediately turned, and,
with bow, handed it to Ahmed.
"Will you favor me?" he asked.
Each had his glass, and it was Felice
who proposed the toast
Each of us carries in his heart the
memory of some woman who is, to him,
the most wonderful in the world. Gem
tlemen! To the woman we lovew
They drank, and while Mordac and
Felice set their glasses down soberly,
Ahmed cast his from him, SO that it
fell beyond the bushes and was lost
Neither Mordac nor Felice commented
upon the action.
'Now," said Felice, perhaps Nor
sieur lie Comte will state the condi-
tons of the game"
Mordac opened the chessboard-a
large one-and laid it on the grass.
I'm this sealed package" he said,
ARE three ivory dice and an ivory
shaker. They were purchased by me,
and sealed in the shop, after which
handed them over to Signor Donatelli
in case, by accident, was prevented
from attending here this morning."
He stopped and picked up the little
bottle, and his face was very grave.
'In this bottle is sufficient veronal
to kill three men. 1t is proposed that
the loser consumes the whole quantity,
You are agreed on that, gentlemen ?"
They both bowed.
Mordac set the bottle down in the
bag, and took up the package.
~ propose to break the seal, and,
myself, throw the dice several times
to convince both of you that they
have not been tempered with, and"
Ahmed interrupted. II would sug-
geSC5 monsieur, Indt Sucn an lmpilcd-
ton is an insult to yourself and Signor
Donatelli." Mordac opened the pack
age and poured three dice on the chass-
board, afterwards standing beside them
the little ivory shaker.
1.-The game" said Mordac. "The one
spots will be aces, the highest points
on the dice, with the other numbers
running from six down to two. All
three dice will be thrown at once and
the scoring will be as follows: Three
Of a kind will beat any two. Three
aces, of course, would be unbeatable,
and only equalled by three aces. Two
Of kind will beat any ragged score.
In the event of each dice showing up
a different nUmber-what have called
a ragged score-the sum total of the
points will be taken, the aces in such
cases counting as one point only. Do
you understand an agree"
They understood.
Mordac continued. There will be
three throws each, taken alternately,
each throw constituting a game. The
winner of two of the games out of
the three will be the winner of the
match. The throws are to be long,
SO that the dice roll. You will make
one cast each to decide for first throw
in the actual game.
They prepared.
y, rrL will A.,