The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-03-20
Won by a Game Of Cards,

"Fer ChrlStlneW
"For Christine!'' the stranger repeat
! ed, as he took his place at the table,
| while the old woman, with a ringing
laugh, shutfled the cards once more, and
again the game went on.
1t was wild, weird scene, which, per-
haps, could not not have been witnessed
in any other part of the globe.
| A group of men, in every description
of dress, numbering no less than hun
| dred, stood looking on-somc in silence,
some uttering oaths and bandying coarse
Jokes, as they watched Madam Dupray,
1.-THE Wickedest woman OF the Colonies,
fleece her last victim.
| Two weeks before, she had announced
that she should set her daughter up to
be played for. If the man lost he was
to pay madam one hundred pounds; If ne
won-Chrlsune was to pass into his
hands, the madam's control over her at
an end!
This was niadam's latest desperate
game, and in anticipation OF this she had
kept her daughter IN seclusion. Only a
few had ever looked upon her face, and
those few raNed 80 about her beauty
that it Unframed the hearts of their com.
rades.
Tonight she had stood before them.
| Never mad their eyes ialien on such love.
illness. Madam arrayed her in costly
robes; but even though she had been
clad in rags, her ricn, radiant, dusky
beauty would have bewildered The eye.
| Her beauty infatuated the beh0lders,
and one by one the, men advanced and
flung down their hundred-pOund stake,
and one by one they arose, defeated,
while madam's servant swept the god
away.
Some risked, but the game went on;
others played game after game ,until their
| pockets were cleaned out, before they
would give up.
Madam was exultant; she was reaping
a rich harvest tonight. What q lucky
thought it had been!
| Her skill in cards was something al
most internal, as many poor fellows
could attest to their sorrow. Hardly a
miner, with his bag of gold, came down
| from the mountains whom The madam
did not lure INTO her den; and once III,
the fascination would be So strong that,
when they went out, they did so ruined.
Some had retrieved thelr, fortunes ;others
| mad gone to the dogs" and many a
| poor fellow had nlled u suicides grave.
Tonight but lew had Intended TO play
when they entered, but now the last vic
tim WAS sitting down. He kept his hat
| sloucned over his eyes; no one knew
him. lie had dropped i'll to look on; he
| had no intention TO have anything to do
| with tnis "hellish game" as he called it,.
Madam played Ike one possessed, but
her good luck was leaving her. She LAID
down no.card that her opponent could
not defeat; and, as the game progressed,
stiffness reigned, every sound died out
ali were absorbed i'll seeing il, indeed,
Christine Dupray was to pe won to-
night!
One card more! Madam threw the
pack on the floor In "a rage, and the
Stranger arose, saying:
"CIristIne is mineP
A wild, ueafenlng cry arose; though
defeated themselves, the men were glad
| that some one had won her - madam
| could not play that game over.
| The stranger advanced TO Christine ;he
saw the wild look OF alright in her beau
| titul, dusky eyes, and his voice intul.
lively became softer as he said:
"Get your hat. This is no place for
you. You will be safer with me than
here" glancing around upon the rough, i,
wild group.
| AS one in dream she obeyed him,
| and the men parted to let them pass out.
Madam said no word OF alIeu to her
| daughter; she only muttered curses
upon the FELLOW whose skill was greater
| than her own.
The stranger took the girl to a hotel,
and early next morning he took her Ito
parts unknown" to those who had tried
| to win her; but, in reality, only TO place
her in good buardlng-schoOl in one OF
| the cities.
| He paid for a years tuition in ad-
vance. He gave them his address, and
wished them to write twice a year and
| int nf hpr
bidding the girl to keep to herself all her
history, he took his departure.
Four years passed away. Chrstine's
beauty had increased, not diminished.
| She had not looked upon her guardians
| face (fOr as such she spoke of her
owner). but he was ever in her mind, as
sociated with that awful night. Even
now, all the swarm of wild IaceS swan
before her vision and made her sick at
heart. From the little, ignorant Iour-
teen-year-old child, she had developed
into glowing, educated, refined young
lady OF eighteen; and now IL letter came
addressed to herself. 1t read:
''It is four years since L saw you. YOui
school days are drawing to a close. anl
coming to ask you to be my wiie, and 81
with me to home Of your own"
There was no word that she belonged
| to him, nothing that indicated his own
crship OF her. but she shrank back iron
that letter with alright. She could not
meet this man! She dare not meet
hint What must she DO?
She went out into the open air. At q
little distance she could see steamer
at the wharf, almost ready to leave ioI
| the Australian shore. A wild thought
Of escape came into her mind. She had
been kept well supplied with money
which she had made but little use OF
Perhaps she had enough now TO take hel
far away. She returned to the school
secured her money and jewelry, anC
then FASTENED to the boat.
She had just time to write note be
fore the plank was pulled in, and amit
cheers and goodbyes, the boat started or
her journey. She purchased ticket
making an excuse for coming SO latt
that she had just received letter which
summoned her to England.
Two days later, Mr. Hardcliffe made
his appearance at the school and asked
tor has ward, Christine. The matrol
handed him q sealed envelope. 1t con
tanned the note she had scribbled on tn,
moment OF her departure. She wrote,
81 can not stay to meet You. am nov
lon board the Eagle, and before you ge
this will be far away. l am not going ou
Of iDgsatitude, 1 remember what yo'
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