Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-12-06
a. Reporters story


" y HfpofFTF . Nf"lN
fegghi,i MN d,R e,ttJ
(Notr In the last number the lat pat, Of the sen.
i,nc. that night --s slept under --'., roof; and
that night ior the 6s, tine in hi, fe played cards Tor
stakes" should read And fot the hut time my
po,ty Acquaintance played cards fot stakes'D
A. the door opened the host half rose from
his chair, as Il TO intercept the intruder, then,
with suppressed exclamation, sank bank into
his chair. The other player looked steadily
into the young girls face. The girls eyes
dropped under the gaze but she passed TO her
---'s side, hnd---witha faint, 81 beg your
PARDON and slight inclination OF her head
towards the other player whispered a few
words to her who rose instantly and passed
out OF the room. The young girl started to
follow : but was arrested by an impulse mpos-
sible accurately to describe, yet which had the
effect Of causing her to turn towards the per.
son who remained in the room,
Although, as said, it is impossible to de.
scribe the impulse, part sensation, part volition,
which imp,ll,d, nay f5pipelled the young girl
to turn towards the man whom have so inn
perfectly described y, some description II
not analysis OF the impulse is necessary 10
even partial understanding Of what follows
l, seemed to the girl # she saw, without
looking, the glittetinc, stcel-gray eyes oihim
who sat ON the other side of the large kou table
a, which the two had been playing. The eyes
were fixed, impassive, expresSionless, vet com.
polling attention by their very direc,ness.
She turned and looked him full in the
face---hcr look was the daun,lcss challenge
OF maidcnhood But the stcel.gray eyes that
me, her own linehed not. And then, though
the mans lips moved not, and she was uncon.
scioes of audible speech, she heard sound.
less words-like the ghosly phrasing Of a
thought that formed themselves into a sen
tenee and babe her sit. Then came moment
Of awful stu1sglr, short as the compressed
conflict OF dream, sharp as the awful agony
Of drowning, vivid as the awakening on q
battle field. The young girls hand touched
the back OF the chair before her. She recoiled
She still held in her right hand the small
lamp she had brought As she sprang back
ward her RICH, arm, thrown out Involuntary
to help her balance, struck the fragile laml
against the heavy door, half ajrr. The mex
moment they were in darkness; the candle
had been put out, simultaneously with the frs
opening of the door. Without a sound sh
fell TO the floor, fain,ing with terror.
When the young girl recovered conscious
ness she sat in the chair from which she ha'
SO unaccountably recoilcd. AT her left Sat
Opposite her sat ALL three held cards
The game was draw poker--a game She haC
previously known nothing of except oy it
name. Yet she found herself acting by som
occult, psychic agency, as il she knew tn
details OF the game to their ultimate letter.
"You play good game -" her----said
81 am proud of you"
She would have answered him but word
failed her. She thought to fling away tn
card, she held. But the muscles refused t
obey her will. A terrible nambness in III
heart, this strange dumbness upon her lip
She could only pant----and pray.
$50 lar, so good. Your understands ii
game as well as you. We will now play OF
usual stakes, you and I. Our currency is NJ
exactly bi.mctallic, Madam iwent on - -
addressing the young g,rl,) bu, it is none Il
less interchangeable. am wagering thousandtl
ounces Of my brain, against thousand,h.ounc'
Of your----'s heart. We shall settle o.
bets a, Christmas. have estimated, modest
Is you will trust admit, that my bra
weighs only 81 ounces while have estimate
your uncle's----hear TO weigh 100 ounce
SO you see his capital is nearly double min
In admitting you into the game. we have
course decided not TO accept as stakes eth
your heart or your brain--a wuman's heu
being the most fragile OF earthly commodi,is
and women. brains being absolutely witho
market value. But ifyou are willing to ri
your crownine glory, your beautiful nui broS
hair, you may play Observation-Disclosures agar
thoasandth'ouases OF your--,-s hear, and u
brain"
Was there ever heard more grewsoI
speech from mortal lips 2 Were they NOR
lipsi
Mu,ely the young girl bowed. Mutely t
game went on with yayiog fortune ,
with the one terrible tendency 1.-The ultima
success Of
P.fhips menth later, as III c three sa
their nearly silent game, the heavy stiffness
the room was broken by the sound ola ma
the Christian name Of the gill who made
third Of that strange trio.
The girls face flushed pink; rose, Grim on
then paled as swiftly. Then she turned TO
--pi.eously, as she fam would speak, ,
could not
Mechanically the lips Of her--open'
&C.," he said.
"No." said the low. metallic, yet tuna
voice Of - ----" will bring him 10 yol
The young gihs slender hand lay on
table. iistless. On the bare, white rouns
wis, an impious mosquito hanque,ed.
lean finger Of 80 poised momen, Il
crushed the insect, dying the white wrist "
lis own sub-eaianeous canine An impe
, howe, lay on ono edge Of the table.
pressed one white corner upon the bio
smeassd wrist and flung the card out into
stsrht night. Il aa,,eIed aud fell, brush
tbs up,urnsd face Of "a young man ~ho '
tusain0 away nom ens .ef the doom Of -