Part 10 (1/2)

”If you care to leave the table for a few minutes, madame, there are those close at hand who will advance you money on your necklace.”

The young woman pouted at first. In another instant there was a suppressed shout at the table. A player had just won four thousand francs.

”I must have money!” cried the young woman, springing from her chair.

”This is destined to be my lucky night, and I must have money!”

As though he had been waiting for his prey, the attendant was quickly by the woman's side. Bowing, he offered his arm. The man, attendant though he was, was garbed in evening dress. Without a blush the woman moved away on this attendant's arm.

”Shall we move on?” asked Dan.

”Not just yet,” urged Darrin, in an undertone. ”I am interested in the further fate of that foolish young woman.”

Within five minutes she had returned. Her former seat had been reserved for her; the young woman dropped into it.

”You have enough money now?” asked the woman at her left.

”I have money,” pouted the pretty young woman, ”but be warned by me.

The p.a.w.nbrokers at Monte Carlo are robbers. The fellow would advance me only six thousand francs, whereas my husband paid a hundred thousand for that necklace.”

A moment later the young woman was absorbed in the wild frenzy of play.

”And that attendant undoubtedly gets a handsome commission from the p.a.w.nbroker,” murmured Darrin in his chum's ear. ”Greed here is in the very air; none can escape it who lingers.”

”How much have you lost, Darrin?” called a bantering voice in Dave's ear.

The speaker was Lieutenant Totten.

”About as much, I imagine, as you have, sir,” was Darrin's smiling answer.

”Meaning that you now have as much money as when you entered the place?” answered the lieutenant, banteringly.

”Exactly,” returned Darrin. ”I have only to study the faces here to know better than to risk even a franc-piece at one of these tables.”

”And you, Dalzell?” inquired Totten.

”I haven't any French money, anyway,” grinned Dan.

”Not at all necessary to have French money,” laughed Totten. ”Any kind of real money is good here--as long as it lasts. Every nation on earth is represented here to-night, and the attendants know the current exchange rate for any kind of good money that is coined or printed.

Look closely about you and you will see other things that are worth nothing. There are men here, some of them limping, others showing the pallor of illness, who are undoubtedly French, English or Italian officers, injured at the front and sent home to hospitals. Being still unfitted to return to their soldier duties at the front, they are pa.s.sing time here and indulging in their mania for gambling. And here, too, you will see wealthy French, Italian, English or Russian civilians who have returned to Monte Carlo to gamble, though later on they are pretty certain to be held up to contempt at home for gambling money away here instead of buying government war bonds at home.”

”You have been here before?” Dave asked.

”Oh, yes,” nodded Totten, ”and as I do not play, and would not do so in any circ.u.mstances, this place has not much interest for me.”

”I can hardly imagine,” said Ensign Darrin, gravely, ”that I shall ever bother to pay a second visit here.”

”It's a good deal of a bore,” yawned Lieutenant Totten, behind his hand. ”I am glad to note that most of the people here look like Europeans. I should hate to believe that many Americans could be foolish enough to come here.”

At that moment a stout, red-faced man rose from a table near by, his voice booming as he laughed: