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