The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-07-28
'mers, who stood beside them. 4
HCome Pearl, the father said

eyes hxed upon a mans face, seated
at the farthest end Of the table. II
was strikingly handsome face, even
when wearing, as it now did, an ex.
preston of calm, born of desperation.
No tinge of color was either in cheek
or lip.
His eyes shone witha strange and
hard glitter, and were fxedupon the
balls as they swung round, as though
on the color uppermost hung his
hopes of life or death.
And so it was. He had sat down
possessed of fortune; he arose a beg.
garl Fate had steadily pursued him
with mocking hopelessness, until he
had placed his last stake, only to sec
it mercilessly swept from him.
lie half arose from the table,
What more was to be done save tc
get out somewhere into the still
night air, and send a bullet through
his heart or brain.
II was at this moment the girl
with flushed cheeks and half-partet
lips, darted up to his side.
Take this" she pleaded, "for my
sake" and passed gold piece into
his cold hand.
He turned. To his excited imag
ination she seemed scarcely morta
in her pure loveliness. His first i'm
pulse was to return her ofering-he
was notyetan alms-taker--but again
rang out the croupier'ssc of com
mand to place the. stakes,
The child stood breatisIess in hel
eager expectancy, her eyes burning
with feverish interest.
A sudden impulse osesmastered
him. Withou. speaking a word he
placed the gold upon the liable.
The next minute a small pile ol
gold was at his elbow. He staked it
all again. Again he won A bright
spot of scarlet replaced the pallor in
his cheeks, which spread and deepen
ed, as Dame Fortune, who had so per.
sistently frowned upon him, nov re-
seryed.for him only her smiles.
Morning was breaking when he
rose from the tables, no longer a des-
perate man, but with his fortune
three.fold restored to him.
After his first winning, he had
turned to restore to the child her
offering, but she had vanished
Should he ever find her-ever repay
the debt? He knew not; but stand
ing at last under the clear blue sky,
with q great weight lifted from his
heart and brain, Harold Clayton VOW
ed that it should be his life search,
but that the lesson taught him should
never be forgotten, and the gaming
table should know him neyermore.
Six years passed, and Harold Clay
ton was winning name and fame in
his own land in his profession as an
artist.
Standing one night in a crowded
assembly, some one in passing, touch
ed him lightly on the arm with her
fan, and glancing around he met the
smiling face of his hostess
"Come," she said, II want to pre-
sent you to my belle. If you can
prevail upon her to give you sit
ting, and transfer her coloring tocan-
vass, you will render yourself i'm
mortal"
SIS she then SO beautiful2r he ques-
toned.
"Judge for YOURSELF" she lightly
rejoined, leading him to a little
group doing homage TO the fair girl
in its centre.
"Miss Rayburn-Mr. Clayton was
the formal words of the introduction,
as Harold bowed in acknowledgment
before the woman whom his artistic
eye confessed was the most beautiful
that in all his wanderings he had
ever met.
Before the evening was ended he
might have added, the first woman
whom he had ever loved, since she
had awakened in him an interest as
new as it was strange.
Through the next week her fact
haunted him. Then theymetagain
aud tba obnr,,, c,,n,, o,,J sjla,..lst,. ~ \