Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-04-21
Red Wins.

Il was the croupier's hoarse cry, again
and again reiterated, only diversified with
that of Red loses,' which broke the still
ness IN the superbly- appointed nom at
HOmburg. with the gaming-table in its CEN
TIRE, round which were gathered lis eager
yotaries, behind whom were the scarcely
less interested groups of lookers-on.
'-Come away, my dear said a very love
ly woElan among the spectators, in whis-
per 10 her husband. a am sorry that we
came. This is no place for Pearl, indicat-
ing with a nod of the head, as she spoke,
an exquisitely beautiful girl, scarcely more
than a child, of some twelve OF thirteen
summers, who stood beside them.
''Come, Pearl the father said.
But the girl stood entranced, her eyes
fixed upon Z man S face seated at the far
thest end Of the table. IL was q strikingly
handsome face, even when wearing, as il
now did, an expression of calm, born of
desperation. No tinge of color was in either
checks or lips.
His ewes shone with Il strange and hard
glitter, and were fixed upon the balls as
they swung round, as though on the color
uppermost hung his hope Of life or death.
And 50 it was. He had sat down pos
sessed Of fortune; he arose beggar!
Fate had steadily pursued him with mock
ing hopelessness, until he had placed his
last stake, only 10 see II mercilessly swept
from him.
He half arose from the table. What
rsore was TO be done, save TO 20 out some
where into the still night air and send a
bullet through his heart or brain.
/, was at this moment the girl, with
flushed cheeks and half parted lips, darted
up to his side.
Take this she pleaded, ''fer my
sake" and pressed a gold piece into his
cold hand
He turned To his excited Imagination
she seemed scarcely mortal in her pure,
childlike loneliness. His first impulse was
to return her oifering-he was not yet an
ms-taker-but again rang out the croupiers
cry of command to place the stakes.
The child stood breathless in her eager
expectancy, her eyes burning with feverish
interest.
A sudden impulse overmastered him.
Without speaking a word, he placed the
gold upon the table.
The next minute small pile OF gold was
at his elbow. He staked it all again. Again
he won. A bright spot OF scarlet replaced
the pallor in his cheek, which spread and
deepened Us Dame Fortune, who had sc
persistently frowne,i upon him, now re-
served for him only her smiles.
Morning was breaking when he rose from
the tables, no longer desperate man, but
with his fortune threefold returned TO HIM.
After his first winning he had turned Il
return to the child her offering, but she hac
vanished. Should he ever find her, evei
repay the debt: He knew not; but, stand
ing at last out under the clear blue sky,
with a great weight lifted from his hear
and brain. Harold Clayton vowed that i
should be his life-search, but that the lessor
taught him should never be forgotten, anC
the gaming tables should know him nevel
more.
Six years passed, and Harold Claytor
was winning name and fame in his owl
land, in his profession as an artist.
Standing one night In crowded assem-
bly,, some one IN passing touched him light
ly on the arm with her fan, and glancine
around. he met the smiling face of his hos
tess.
.'Come," she said, "a want 10 presen
you to MY belle. If you can prevail upol
her to give you sitting. and transfer he
coloring to canvass, you will render your
self immortal"
"Is she, thea, 50 beautiful. n he question
ed.
Judge for yourself" she lightly rejoin
ed, leading him 10 little group doin!
homage to the fair girl in its centre.
'NIiss Reyburn-Mr. Clayton, were tn
formal words of the introduction, as Harol'
bowed in acknowledgement before the wo
man whom his artistic eye confessed th
most beautiful that in all his wandering
he had ever met.
Before the evening was ended he nigh
have added, the first woman whom he eve
loved, since she had awakened in him a
Interest as new as it was strange.
/ Through the next week her face haunte'
him. Then they met again, and the charr
grew and deepeusd. He could not defin