Part 9 (1/2)

”Will he make good?” asked Danny Grin wistfully, as he peered after the departing form.

”It's an even chance,” Dave replied. ”Either that young man will go steadily up, or else he will go rapidly down. It is sometimes a terrible thing to be born a gentleman--in the European sense. Few of the Count's friends will appreciate him if he starts in upon a career of effort. But, even though he goes down, he will struggle bravely at the outset. Of that I feel certain.”

”I wonder what has become of Gortchky?” remarked Ensign Dalzell.

That industrious spy, however, was no longer the pursued; he had become the pursuer.

From a little distance Gortchky had espied Dave and the Count chatting, and had witnessed the introduction to Dalzell. A man of Mr.

Green Hat's experience with the world did not need many glances to a.s.sure himself that the Count had lost his last franc at the gambling table.

Gortchky was not at Monte Carlo without abundant a.s.sistance. So, as the Count, head down, and reflecting hard, strolled along one of the paths, a man b.u.mped into him violently.

”Ten thousand pardons, Monsieur!” cried the b.u.mper, in a tone of great embarra.s.sment. ”It was stupid of me. I--”

”Have no uneasiness, my friend,” smiled the Count. ”It was I who was stupid. I should have looked where I was going.”

Courteous bows were exchanged, and the two separated. But the man who had b.u.mped into the Count now carried inside his sleeve the Count's empty wallet, which was adorned with the crest of Surigny.

This wallet was promptly delivered to another. Five minutes later, as the Count strolled along, Emil Gortchky called out behind him:

”Monsieur! Pardon me, but I think you must have dropped your wallet.”

”If I have, the loss is trifling indeed,” smiled the Count, turning.

Gortchky held out the wallet, then struck a match. By the flame the Count beheld his own crest.

”Yes, it is mine,” replied the Count, ”and I thank you for your kindness.”

”Will Monsieur do me the kindness, before I leave him, to make sure that the contents of the wallet are intact?” urged Gortchky.

”It will take but an instant,” laughed the Count of Surigny. ”See! I will show you that the contents are intact!”

As he spoke he opened the wallet. A packet of paper dropped to the ground. In astonishment the Count bent over to pick up the packet. M.

Gortchky struck another match.

”Let us go nearer to an electric light, that you may count your money at your ease, Monsieur,” suggested Gortchky.

Like one in a daze the Count moved along with Gortchky. When sufficiently in the light, Surigny, with an expression of astonishment, found that he was the possessor of thirty twenty-franc notes.

”I did not know that I had this!” cried the Count. ”How did I come to overlook it?”

”It is but a trifle to a man of your fortune,” cried M. Gortchky gayly.

”It is all I have in the world!” sighed the young man. ”And I am still amazed that I possess so much.”

”Poor?” asked Gortchky, in a voice vibrating with sympathy. ”And you so young, and a gentleman of old family! Monsieur, it may be that this is a happy meeting. Perhaps I may be able to offer you the employment that befits a gentleman.”

Then Gortchky lowered his voice, almost whispering: