Show I The TheMy The By E. E Phillips Op Oppenheim h. h I I My Mystery J. J S t ery R Road oa d Copyright 1923 by Little Cr Brown n Co Continued from yesterday Did you hear that Chris he whispered I heard nothing Christophe replied I 1 saw the address too Gerald continued eagerly The letter Is Islo Isto isto to lo Madame de Villa Violette Vie Vio- lette lotte The dispatch of ot the letter was the signal for certain almost Imperceptible imperceptible imperceptible im Im- im- im perceptible advances on the pat part of ot those who had been watching the great man The young oung lady at the next table learned over and congratulated congratulated congratulated con con- him on his good fortune an overture which was received a little gruffly and without Mademoiselle smiled however however however how how- ever and did not take the rebuff to heart A bottle stood In Ice by her neighbors neighbor's sid side and she Judged that a a. more propitious moment would arrive The seedy-looking seedy stranger slid from his stool leaned over the table and whispered a few words in the Russians Russian's ear lie He was a sandy haired man with puffy putty che cheeks ks and a a. nervous manner manne Ills Ilia clothes had been well welI enough but were now shabby b He lie had the gambier's gamblers gambler's gam gam- b biers bler's s restless air Sir he began forgive my addressing addressing addressing ad ad- dressing you What do you want was the blunt rejoinder I I stood behind your chair In the rooms I 1 flatte flatte- myself that I brought you fortune as I have brought It to many others I have been an immense loser at the tables but In proportion to my own losses my friends have always won What of ot this this' the the- theother other asked The fortunes which control winning winning winning win win- ning or ot losing are strange ones the sandy-haired sandy man continued There are many who contend that they ae are influenced by hy the good or evil e will of ot a bystander I admired your courage monsieur I 1 willed you to win I 1 have lost as much at atthe atthe the tho tables as you have won Will Ill you grant me the tho loan of ot a a. meal Go to hell heIl was the brutal re re- re ply ph I have nothing to do fo with cad cadgers gers ThA The man stag staggered ered as though h ho hll had received a shock He was used to rebuffs but not such ouch rebuffs as this j Monsieur he stammered Per stammered Per haps five hundred or even two hundred hundred hundred hun hun- dred t francs ancs- ancs Not a sou and be bo off ott Do you OU i want me to complain to the manager man man- agerT ager man man-I The sandy-haired sandy man went back to his stool a little dazed He lIe held I out his hand as though for a drink which the bartender forgot to seve serve A A. young oung man dressed In the height of ot fashion rose from his place at atthe atthe atthe the other side of ot the room and came over to talk to the two girls for a few moments Then ho he turned to the Russian addressing him courteously and with an air all of re re- re I 1 congratulate you monsieur he said upon your splendid gam gam- bling I 1 watched you fo for an hour hourI this afternoon It is not often otten that ono sees the bank broken four I times The Russian looked at the newcomer newcomer newcomer new new- comer with his bushy eyebrows drawn together His champagne had been served and he had drunk a couple of ot glasses of ot tho the wine Ills His expression however seemed colder and more menacing than eve ever My Iy gambling is my own affair sir ho said I do not discuss it with strangers The young youn man smiled Ha He was not in the least offended Thee There is a a. freemasonry here he explained which sometimes dIspenses dispenses dispenses dis dIs- with introductions All AIl ofus of ot ofus otus us visitors who measure our wits and our pockets against those of ot I Monsieur Blanc Diane are in a sense allies I When one triumphs it Is permitted to the others to 10 congratulate him My experience Is is the Russian declared unmoved that after atter the congratulations are over ove a little request usually follows I do not acknowledge the alliance lance you speak of or I play for tor myself my own pleasure and my own profit It Is ls your right the youn young man acknowledged his tone SU still good tempered although there was wasa a malicious twist at the corners of ot his lips Since my congratulations offend you I withdraw them 1 May lay Mayyou ay you lose back again your our two millions mil mit- lions and may some of ot it flow low into our pockets The Russian laughed mirthlessly Whatever of my mr two millions l flow now into your pockets he replied will come como via Monsieur Blanc Blanc I I. I can promise you that I am a 8 stranger here and I desire no acquaintance ac ac- ac Your table I think Ison Ison is ison on the other side of ot the oom room The Tho young man edged away The smile remained upon his lips Ups buthis buthis but buthis his expression was curiously male male- Gerald smiled as he saw hi the floor i Horribly bly bad character that i he remarked to Christopher I missed him here last season and asked where ho he was They told me that he w was wa's s in prison pison for stabbing his mistress I I suppose I shall shaU get it in the neck Chris but Ive I've got to talk to the old brute I can cant can't t afford to miss an opportunity of ot speaking to some somo one who knows Pauline I shouldn't if It I wee were you ou Christopher Chris Chris- advised You see he isn't in the thA humor to talk to anybody Chris I and if t there ere really i Is any mystery about the Do De I he wont won't care about being asked questions about them I Gerald was for him however de do- do I de-I Those others were all wrong wrol uns uns and he probably knew I It The fellows fellow's manner mannet is brutal but I 1 believe hes he's a personage I 1 shall try my luck In a moment or so Mademoiselle returned to the at at- at tack She leaned once more to towards towards to- to wards her neighbor wine appears to be excellent she ventured The Russian who had begun to eat seriously summoned a waiter i without raising his head Serve Ser two bottles of ot wine he i directed to mademoiselle and her friend fiend and bring me another Monsieur ur Is a prince the girl murmured The big man flashed a a. sudden look at her Then he Went on with his dinner Yo You are welcome to the tho wine he said It does not please me mc to |