Why She Lost.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8082, 11 April 1906, Page 4

Why She Lost.

The doors of the gaming room of the Casino at Monte Carlo swung open and a throng of visitors at once lushed in. Among them were old ladies with halting steps, young women with eager, feverish eyes, and handsome men, showily dressed, wearing too man; diamonds. All passed hastily through the spacious corridors and were soon lost to sight. And what splendor and suuiptuousness were displayed on every side ! M. and lluie. Bonnet, ribbon merchants from Paris, on their first tour after 15 years of marriage, were quite overwhelmed by it all. It seemed to them that the floors were inlaid with gold and precious stones. They stepped carefully S3 if afraid of damaging them. Mme. Bonnet sat down at the table, staked a louis 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 Victorine waß getting along. "Is it all right, Victorine? " he asked in ill undertone. " Yes, it's all right. Go away; you'll oring me bad luck; but give me 800 francs first; I'd rather see more money in front of me." " Here it is dear, but be prudent. If you lose I sha'n't have much left." "Go away, please, and don't 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 geraniums. " I—l haven't been very well lately. I think I'd better get home. " Have a drop of brandy," suggested Felix. It was growing late and the mountains had . taken on violet hues. M. Bonnet who was ! decidedly hungry, went back to remind his wife that the dinuer hour was passed by. He found her so excited and absorbed that 1 he stood meekly contemplating her, afraid to speak. " She looks discouraged," he thought, " I wonder if she can be losing? " ( At this thought he boldly approached her. " Well, my dear," he ventured discreetly. " Oh, I'm losing," she replied curtly. " My luck will come back, though, for I've discovered a trick. I'm going to stake on certain numbers the day of the month, the age of the Prince of Monaco, and so on. I'll be sure to win." If. Bonnet waited. Why should he not be confident since his wife was so certain ? And yet—in bis anxiety he leaned over her until he touched her. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed impatiently. " You've brought me bad luck. There are live louis gone. Give me all the money you have." " But, Victorine, I have only 200 francs." " Well, that's enough to .help me to win back all I have lost and more too. I'm going io take on two numbers a cbeval, then I'll get seventeen times my stake if I win. See, I'm putting five louis on the ages of you and your brother Jules—thirty-four and thirtyAve."

The wheel turned and the croupier called out," Number two wins I," " Hum," said M. Bonnet. " You'd bettir stop now, dear. Remember, if we lose all the money I shall have to telegraph to my banker for more, and that will look bad for our business in Paris.

"Do keep still! You don't know what you are talking about. One can't always loose, I'm going to stake on my age this time. Turn your head and don't look, else you'll bring me bad luck." M. Bonnet meekly did as he was bidden, but he was dreadfully anxious. If thirtythree should win—that was Victorine's age —she would have seven thousand francs. That would be a pretty sum ; enough to buy the little villa he so coveted. "Thirty-three wins! " cried thecrounier. "Great heavens) She bas won!" and She worthy man was so violently shaken that he bad to press his hand over his heart to still its wild beating. "He turned around expecting to find Victorii]e radiant. But, no; she was fairly crimson with rage. She rose from her chair, without gathering up any money,he noticed, and startediowards the door. As she passed a corpulent gsntleman, she shook her umbrella at him fiercely, hissing between her set teeth: "Youwtetch! It was you that made me lose! " "I" exclaimed the astonished man. " Yes, you! Yoa stared like an idiot when C said I was going to stake my money on my »ge. Is my age any affair of yours,' I'd like !■> know ? Id it any of his affairs, Victor?" " Certainly not," replied Victor, meekly. " What makes you ask?" W<)11, when 1 saw him looking to see where 4 placed my stake," explained Mine. Bonnet, Jobbing now, " when I saw that he wanted to see how old I was, instead of staking on thirty-three, I staked on twenty-nine I "