Show WHY SHE LOST AT MONTE CARLO the doors of the gaming room of the casino at monte carlo swung open and a throng of visitors at once rushed in among them were old ladles with halting steps young women with eager feverish eyes and handsome men showily dressed wearing too many diamonds all passed hastily through the spacious corridors and were boon lost to sight anal what splendour and sumptuousness were displayed on every side M and ame mme bonnet ribbon merchants from paris on their first tour aber fifteen years of marriage were quite overwhelmed by it all it seemed to them that the floors were inlaid with gold and precious atones they stepped carefully as it afraid of damaging them ame mme bonnet sat down at the table staked a louls and won this was a good beginning somewhat reassured monsieur walked away to look on at another table after a time he began to wonder how was getting along Is it all right he asked in an undertone under tone yes its all right go away bring me bad luck but give me three hundred franca first id rather see more money in front of me here it Is dear but be prudent it iou lose I 1 shant have much left go away please and dont worry me M bonnet obeyed he went outside for the room was stifling he sat down on a terrace in the garden which sloped gently down to the sea at his feet was a beautiful bed of scarlet ger it was growing late and the mountains had taken on violet hues M bonnet who was decidedly hungry went back to remind his alie that the dinner hour had passed by he found her so excited and absorbed that ho stood meekly contemplating her afraid to speak she looks discouraged he thought 1 I wonder it she can be losing A this thought ho boldly approached her well my dear ho ventured discreetly cre etly oh im losing atie replied curtly my luck will come back though for ive discovered a trick im going to stake on certain numbers the day of the month the age of the prince of monaco and so on ill bo sure to win M bonnet waited why should he not be confident since his alfo was so certain and yet i ln his anxiety he leaned over har until ho touched her oh dear she exclaimed impatiently tient ly bouvo brought me bad luck there are louis gono gac me all the money ou hae but I 1 hae only two hundred francs well enough to help me to win back all I 1 havo lost and more too im going to stake on two numbers a cheal then ill get seventeen times my stake it I 1 win see im putting five louls on tho ages of you and your brother julea thirty lour and thirty file the wheel turned and the croupier called out number two wins said M bonnet better stop now dear remember it we loso all abo money I 1 shall have to telegraph to my banker for moie and that will look bad tor our business la paris do keep still you dont know what you are talking about one cant aldaya lose im to atako on my ago this time turn your head and dont look buo cuo bring me bad luck M bonnet meekly did as ho was bidden but he was dreadfully anxious it thirty tarco should win that was age she would havo soen thousand francs that would be a pretty sum enough to buy the little illa ho so coated coc ted thirty three wins ailed the croupier great heaven l she hag won and the worthy man was so shaken that ha had to press his hand oer his heart to mill its wild beating he turned around expecting to find victorino radiant but no sho was fairly with rage she rose from her without gathering up any money he noticed and started towards the door As sho passed a corpulent gentleman she shook her umbrella at him fiercely hissing between her set teeth you wretch it was you that made roe lose 1 I exclaimed the astonished man yes you you stared liko an diot when I 1 said I 1 was going to atako my money on my age la my age any affair of yours id t enow Is it an of his affairs victor certainly not replied victor meekly what makes you ask well when I 1 saw him looking to see where I 1 placed my stake explained ame mme bonnet sobbing now when I 1 saw that he y anted to see how old t was instead of staking on thirty three I 1 staked on twenty nine |