CHINA MAIL
FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT. JULY 8, 1938
In the autumn of 1909 I decided to go to Wiesbaden, then the "Playground of the Rich"-one of the few places on the Con- tinent I had never visited.
I took with me a number of in- troductions, and the one I con- sidéred most valuable was from one of my oldest and dearest friends to a certain Herr Woolf, who held an official position in Wiesbaden.
One reason why I regarded this as so valuable was that I had heard so much from my friends of Herr Woolf's only daughter, Adels. She was the god-daugh- ter of my friend's wife, and named after her, and was said to be a most lovely and charming girl-or, rather, woman, for she was at that time about twenty- eight.
I found that these reports had not been exaggerated. Adela was certainly one of the most beautiful young women I had Moreover, ever encountered. her beauty was of a very unusual type, and I do not think I have ever encountered anyone who carried with them such an aura of sheer innocence, unworldiness, and gracious gentleness.
Not that she was by any means a fool on the contrary, she was as cultured as she was charming, and something of a thinker to boot. We had many long and in- teresting talks and arguments on religion, literature, psychology and what-not.
en-
She told me that she was gaged to be married, and I re- member that I inwardly hoped. that the man was worthy of her- for such a girl as she was to be tied for life to a drunkard, a profli- gate, or a hard and callous cynic seemed to me to be too terrible a possibility to contemplate.
I was quite anxious to meet her fiance, but it seemed that event would have to be delayed. He was, at the moment, travelling Europe on business, and would not be in Wiesbaden until the latter part of October. They were to be married on the first of November.
I found life in Wiesbaden thor- oughly amusing and charming, thanks to Adela Woolf and her friends, so that when, at last, I was compelled to go to Brussels on business, · I was quite sad about it.
Before I went Adela asked me to return for the wedding, and in the end I agreed, although it meant my Continental holiday being unduly extended, and cer tain business awaiting me at home being postponed for couple of weeks.
Finally I left for Brussels on the second of October, having promised to be back in Wiesbaden by the twentieth.
was
My business in Brussels intermixed with a certain amount of pleasure, as I had a large num- ber of friends and acquaintances there.
One evening a friend of mine. suggested we should go to gaming house he knew one of the very few in Europe in which poker was played. I was not interested in the particularly
gambling, but foresaw an even- ing of amusement and possibly instruction in studying the gam- bling psychology, which has al- ways been of considerable Inter- est to me.
+
The place we went to was run
"I regret, gentlemen, he
THE ACE OF DEATH nounced with ley coldness, "that
on very ornate. lines, with a big staff of elaborately liveried lackeys most of whom, I noted, had the faces and physique of prize-fighters! It was also very exclusive, and only people of de- finite standing were admitted. I saw a number of faces well known to me, and not a few that were also familiar to the public of many European countries;
There were three large card- rooms, each devoted to its own particular game, One was de- voted to the American game of faro; another to chemin-de-fer, and the third to poker--from which I gathered that the place was a favourite resort of wealthy Americans.
We found the poker room very crowded-indeed, so thick was the mob that it was not easy for me to indulge in my anticipated amusement of watching the faces and reactions of the gamblers. However, we-took up a position behind the players at one table, which enabled me to see clear-
Short Story
ceived a most hearty welcome from Adela and her friends....) A, few days afterwards she intro- duced me to her flance, blushing, plainly full of pride in the hand some young fellow who was to be her husband.
I took to him immediately. He was about thirty, tall and dark,.. with keen, humorous eyes, and a humorous twist also to an other wise very determined mouth. He dressed well, and bore- himself
with an easy self-assurance which instantly produced con- fidence in others, I decided that he was a man of parts-a clever ́business man, probably, and - a
fitting mate for Adela..
During the next few days he and I saw quite a lot of each other, and a mutual liking and respect which that first meeting had established, grew consider ably.
Then, one evening, we were asked to the house of a friend to play cards. Poker was the game, `and I noticed that, at the begin-
By Sir William
` must withdraw from the game!"
There was an immediate chorus surprised protest, and our host suggested that it was only fair he should 1 know the reason for the soldier's curious attitude. To which the lieutenant bowed ceremoniously, and said:
young
"I make no implications as re- gards yourself, Herr__ Werthen, but I do not like some of the methods used in playing! -I will Bay no, more!'
He turned abruptly from the table, and I immediately glanced at Anton, who had been dealing. As I looked at at his hands I had a terrible shock. His left hand was lying on the table in front of him, and there, at the base of fin- ger and thumb, I once more saw that strange red birthmark that looked like a shamrock.
I made some sort of excuse, and left immediately, not waiting for Anton, or any of the others. needed to be alone, for I was face to face with a terrible problem!
There was not the slightest doubt about it-Anton was a pro- fessional card-sharper! This was the "business" that took him, from time to time, travelling over the Continent.
Thomas, M.B.E. And, in three days, he was to
ly the faces of all the players seated on the opposite side. Be- tween myself and the players on my side of the table stood another row of spectators... Beyond them, slightly to my left, was a dowager of imposing proportions, and exceeding richness of attire, who, as I was presently interest- ed to note, from the trembling of her hands and the colour which. kept coming and going at the. back of her neck (call I could see of her) was gambling pretty des- perately. On her right "sata man with dark hair, curling crisp- ly at the back of the neck. As it happened, when I turned my attention to him, he was about to deal.
As he stretched out his left hand for the cards, I was struck by a most peculiar mark (per- sumably a birthmark) which was imprinted just between the base of the thumb and forefinger. It was somewhat like a four-leaved shamrock in shape, and a dull red in colour.
ning. Adela's fiance (who I will call Anton) was decidedly reluc- tant to play a fact that rather pleased me.
But once we had warmed up to the game I noted the light that came into his eyes, the tightening. of the lips, and the expressive-- -expressionlessness (if I may coin such a phrase) that characterised his face. It was something about as near the ideal "pokerface" as I have ever seen, and I told my- self that this young man was a born gambler who was anxious to rid himself of the habit. That, of course, would explain his re luctance to play. I mentally congratulated myself on my psy- chological acumen and stifled a passing wave of anxiety for I told Adela's future. Plainly.
marry a most gentle and charm- ing girl, who was, furthermore, a
Own dear friend "of one of my best friends! lainly nothing but disaster could come of such an union, and, ually plainly, it was my duty to see that it never took place
I must admit that my heart failed me when I thought of Ade- la's pride in this young man. What she would do when the match was broken off and at this eleventh hour, too, I dreaded to think! I was compelled to force my com- mon-sense to the front, and to al- low it to point out to me how. much worse it would be for her if the marriage did take place! On the one hand a sorrow which, terrible though it might be while it lasted (and it would last all the longer, since she was not a young time on myself, this young man was strong. girl); would pass with
the other, years of shame and mis- enough to crush any tendency to
ery which would have to be borne ! gamble unwisely.
in silence. A
The game proceeded for an hour or more, and then with star- tling suddenness, a young Ger- man lieutenant rose from his place.
SOLVED
doubt No, there could be no about it—I must do my duty,
The only question that remain- ed was how?
(Continued on Page
IS THE PROBLEM OF HOW TO TRAVEL LIGHT MODERN TRAVELLING VISIT OUR LUGGAGE dept.
1st FLOOR
Then my attention was attract- ed to something else about his hands. They were short-finger- ed and agile the hands of conjuror or card-manipulator. And he was certainly manipulat- ing the cards at that moment! Had I not been standing at just that particular angle, and had I FOR not been watching his hands, I should never have noticed the "expert" manner in which he was Wardrobe Trunks "fixing"" those carda. I remem- ber that I thought to myself: "I don't think I'll ever play in this place, if this is the sort of com- pany one gets into.".
I also tried to get a glimpse of his face, but failed. And then. my friend got tired of the crowd, and led me away to a lesse clusive, and less crowded, resort.
A week or so later. I finished my business in Brussels, and re- turned to Wiesbaden where I re
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