A Mysterious Disappearance
not go to
ome journey of thirty-six hours, found himself in the
The Hotel du Cercle was a popular resort, and it took him some time, largely devoted to the elucidation of hieroglyphic signatures, before he was quite
by facts. It was with an expression of keen annoyance at his own folly in trusting so much to a favorable i
own before he answered: "But yes, monsieur. Me, I have not seen the
! Has he rec
rated with diamonds of tape, in which was stuck an assor
ey have gone! Then
"but surely you know
hall is open to
come here and take any letters
arrive. Some persons, in the manner of Monte Carlo, do not wish their names to be known of everybody. We cannot dist
rhaps you can tell me thus far, as I am very anxious to meet Mr.
essed from some place in London. If possible, wit
ossibly disguised himself under another name. Again did Bruce consult the hotel registe
ble thing to remain in forced idleness amid the sunshine and flowers of the Riviera. There are two ways of "doing" Monte Carlo. You may live riotously, lose your substance at the Casino, and go home on a free tick
was of no consequence to him to lose a few louis in backing the red for a five minutes' bit of
with pulmonary complaints. Weak-chested and consumptive people are now banished to the windless and icy altitudes of Switzerland; so of recent years a w
ll in with a friend who took a prominent part in local li
count. A very pretty girl, with a delicate and refined beauty enhanced by a pleasant expres
they said: "I do not want the birds to be
hman was cool, his fair backer keenly excited. The Count fired and missed his tenth
lishman mi
ich arose, Bruce said to his
has backed himself heavily. The two are Albert Mensmore and Count Bischkoff.
and smiled largely in response to his antagonist's quiet congratulati
lked off; and the barrister agreed with him. He was sorry for Mensmore and his p
m and tried to inveigle him into conversation. But the young fellow was too miserable to respond to his ad
uce's powers of observation. Ninety-nine men out of a hundred would have seen that Mensmore had not slept well. Bruce was assured that, for some reas
n his unfortunate fellow-countryman, and determin
ith dramat
mental disturbance that he ate and drank with the air of one w
order to secure a seat for the evening's play, Mensmore quitted the dining-room.
rst secured his hat and overcoat from the b
ho had donned a light covert coat, the breast of which bulged somewhat on
ied the clerk, "we shal
ious Sydney H. Corbett, and had been fo
instantly between the chance of seeing Corbett with his own eyes and pursuing the fanciful e
Casino for an hour; you will greatly oblige me by keep
shall have my
re's destination. The young man walked straight across
ong; without, the silver radiance of the moon, lighting up gardens, rocks, buildings, and sea, might well have added the last li
d the foyer, and disappeared through the baize doors tha
something curiously fascinating for the gambler in the presence of others. It would seem to be an almost ridiculous thing for a man to st
wing his way to a seat about to be vacated by a stout Spanish lady,
ertain amount daily, and systematically stop playing when they ha
tly pastime, and, at the same time, escape speedy ruin. With a fair share of luck it may be made to pay; with continuous bad f
ll pile of gold in front of him; he seemed to listen expectantly to the croupier's monotonous cry-"Vingt-sept, rouge, impair, passe," or "Dixhuit, noir, pair,
hing for which he waited did not happen. At last, with a tightening of his lips and a gathering st
ck
ith a five louis stake on the board, Men
es of a thousand francs each, had quadr
at a smart Parisienne, who joyously nodded her congratulation
a cigarette. Bruce noticed that his hand was ste
That Mensmore was ruined, that he was hopelessly in love with a woman whom he could not marry, and tha
uld not happen if
t. He hesitated at the door of the writing-room; but he went out, puffing furiously at his cigarette. A guard
an; and he caught sight of Bruce, al
. Mon Dieu! What miserable
le, within the brilliantly lighted building, the frou-frou of
emes meet, then this wa