Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-09-21
CHAPTER SECOND.

/
Five weeks have passed away sinct
, the events recorded in the preceding
chapter occurred, and Henry Lawson il
nervously pacing his drawing-room in {
high state of excitement.
, No, it is not yet too late,' said he
: all is not wasted. Ellen's diamond
ring yet remains, and I must stake that
Yes, though she values it as a present
: from her dying mother; it mast bt
: staked. This villain has followed
robbed, ruined me, and mast make
one effort more to retrieve my fortunes
Eyerything-library, house, horses, car
] riages-aH but that ring, and 1t shall be
, staked, and if lost, then there is ont
, more resort said he, as he drew forth
revolver from under the folds of his
cloak and cast upon it a malicious
glance. At this moment Ellen entered
the room, pale and thin, yet beautiful.
Henry said she, as she entered,
you viii certainly not go there tonight.
DO stay with me-
i And she cast upon her husband an
jimploring glance, that brought tear
from his eye.
No, no, Ellen, / cannot stay. l
must go tonight; but l promise you
that it shall be the last time
DO not, o! do not go tonight, but
tell me that you will neUer go again,
said Ellen, imploringly.
No, l say must go tonight said
he, fercely, but this shall be my last
visit there
%! Henry, it would have been well
with us now had you neUer gone there,
but
Stop! Ellen, do not upbraid me-
said her husband, interruptfng her. L
shall go; and that villain who has SO eff
fectually feeced me shall return at least
a part of my fortune s..-.-
who is this skillful gamester?' in
quired his wife.
4 do not know, neither does any one
in the city know from whence he came,
nor how, nor when; but he is skillful
PLAYER, and has heeced me, replied
Henry in an excited voice; at the same
time approaching his wife, and taking
her hand in his, he said, ELLEN, you
know that all is gone; all save this
ring
At these words he quickly drew from
her finger the sacred memento.
Ellen fairly shrieked as she saw that
treasured article, that memento given
her by her mother when on her death
bed, thus taken from her. She had
seen all 90 without a murmur. But
when that precious gift was torn from
her, it was too much.
'Ol Henry, do return me the ring
DO not stake that. Stop
But her husband had gone. He
neryously rushed along the crowded
walk with the ring clutched tightly in
his hand, and at length drew up in front
of the gaming shop. Entering, he
found the successful stranger seated at
the table, awaiting his coming.
Hal my boy, I've been waiting for
you some time, and began to think that
perhaps you had concluded to back OUT
said he, as Henry entered.
Il am not the man to yield until fair
ly prostrated,' said Henry, seating him
self opposite the stranger.
We'll, how much do you stake on
this game?' said he, taking up and COM
mencing to shuttle the cards.
'One hundred pounds, and offer this
in pledge said Henry, laying the ring
upon the table, which the stranger took
up, and having examined minutely, said,
'Donel'
The stakes were put up, and the
game commenced. Henry played well,
and won. In the next and the next
games he met with equal success, and
had won IN all just one thousand pounds.
Flushed with success, he said,
4 stake eleven hundred pounds on
the next game
'DoneP said the stranger.
They played, and Henry lost.
Arising hurriedly from his seat, he
drew a pistol from his pocket, and
quicker than thought pointed it at the
stranger, at the same time exclaiming:
Miserable villain! you, by your vile
arts, jugglery. have robbed me of my
fortune, everything, but the clothes
upon my back. You have ruined me;
and now return one-half of that which
you have taken from me, or you shall
diep
For moment the successful CANISTER
did not speak. At length he said:
Young man, you speak truly. l
have robbed you of all your earthly
possessions, except your health, talents,
and lovely wife. You are not ruined.
You can yet by industry retrieve your
broken fortune, and l shall not
'Villainl diep exclaimed Henry, in
terrupting the stranger, at the same
time pointing his pistol toward his head
and firing.
The stranger lodged in season to
avoid the ball, and seizing Henry by
the arm exclaimed. 80
Henry Lawson, you know not what
you dol'
z. And throwing aside his mask, he re-
yealed to our hero's excited gaze the
features of his ,rits's father.
'Merciful Heayenl Is this a dream?'
/ wildly exclaimed Henry. - q
4 M r. ;e +, raalitvs an.-a-aJ Mr.