To think we had skinned along as economically as possible all our lives, and never made much money, and now, through this Dakota genius, and this Monte Carlo opportunity, we had wealth raking in by the bushel, made me feel great, and I wondered why more people had not found out this faraway place, where people could become rich and prosperous in a day, if they had the nerve. I tell you, old man, it was great, and I was going to cable you to sell out your grocery for what you could get at forced sale and come here with the money, gamble and become a millionaire. [Illustration: Reach into another pocket and dig up another roll 171] ***** Monte Carlo (the next day).--My Dear Uncle Ezra: I do not know how to write you the sequel to this tragedy. After our Dakota partner, with the Black Hills system of beating a roulette game, had won the first bet, he never guessed the right color again, and dad had no more use for the rake. Every time he bet and lost, he would reach out to dad for more money, and dad would reach into another pocket and dig up another roll, and the countess would laugh and dad had to act as though he enjoyed losing money. It was about dark when dad had fished up the last hundred dollars and it was gone before dad could wink back to the countess, then the Dakota man looked at dad for more, and dad shook his head and said it was all off, and they looked it each other a minute, and then we all three got up and went out in the park to see the people who had gone broke commit suicide, but there was not a revolver shot and dad and the Dakota man sat down on a seat and I looked at the moon. He would reach out to Dad for more money, and Dad would reach into another pocket and dig up another roll. Dad looked at the Dakota man and said: “You started me in all right. What happened to your system?” The Dakota man was silent for a moment, and then he pointed to me and said: “That imp of yours crossed his fingers every time I bet, except the first time.” Dad called me to him, and he said: “Hennery, let this be a lesson to you. Never to cross your fingers. You have ruined your dad,” and he turned his pockets inside out, and hadn't change for a dollar note, and he gave me the empty sack to carry, and we went to our suite of rooms, knowing we would be fired out into the cold world. It will take a week to get money from the states, and we may be sent to the work house, as we are broke, and haven't got the means even to commit suicide. Don't tell ma. Yours, Hennery. CHAPTER XIV. The Bad Boy and His Dad Have an Automobile Ride--They Run Over a Peasant--Climb “Glaziers”--Dad Falls Over a Precipice, But Is Rescued by the Guides After a Hard Time of It.