The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-03

man na3 h0St asf ms xfa03&Tg ana &noz3&x gentleman took his place. who had never played with us before. LEsrange and were partners, Barker and the stranger against us. Between breakfast and lunch we did pretty well but in the afternoon fortune went quite away from me rose up at dinner tune having lost L2oo. l was almost frantic, for 1 did not know shat should do to pay. l spoke to L 'Estrange, who asked me all about our affairs"
 Did he suggest that you should take the money from my pcrtmanteau, Theo- dore p cried, all my suspicious of the mans evil character rushing back upon me.
 "No, Charley; but he said that my spell of bad luck wcnld De cye., perhaps, then, and that would be sure to win heavily next time. Besides, he said, was bound to settle up, or he would be d.sg.aced as my partner; so the evil sp,ri, led me to take your money, Charley. l put off the thing as long as l could; stood looking over the side of the ship, and tnhe would have caused me to jump overheard; and then 1 thought of you and home, and ] grew more des- perate than to commit suicide; l deter mined to try the cards again so took the keys from your pocket, 6pding you asleep, and hastened back to play But bad luck wen. on :; lost and lost, until was again some hundreds to the worse. need say no more, Charley have ruined you and Ill of us"
 The miserable boy threw himself on the floor, as if he would annihilate the memory of his sin by dashing out his brains.
 lifted him up and strove to comfort him. My tenderness made his anguish the more poignant.
 Do not be kind to me can bear anything but that" he groaned
 Who, then, shall lead you back to better ways but me, Thcodore2 You have fallen, poor boy yet you must rise again. It is frlghtful oecadence at the threshold of life. But we will bear 1t together, my brother. And now, tell me of your quarrel Whom did you strike?'
 Barker. could not pay the whole of my losses. He said something insulting, and knocked him under the table"
 " Do you owe hum some;hing siill!"
 "Yes, I5o But the doctor and some pNhSA II AVG hdIC AHLukS RlGdS- ant 4gain. am sorry lost my temper The doctor has assured me that Barker is quite we'll again. LEstrAnge has prom ised to square my debt; -pd he says can pay him al any time"
 " l am quite asiounded at L'Esrange proving friend, Theodore had the "orst teeling against him that have known in all my experience of men,
 '" You have been altogether wrong Charley; L Estrange is good fellow"
 Day had broken over the placid sea be- fore our conversation terminated. Ex. hausted by so many agitations. and with leaden hearts, we fell into our berths like dying men.
 did not wake till noon. Theodore slept, or feigned to do so. l got up, and looked out of the port-hole upon the dazzling waters. The weather was mag nlficent. l dressed quickly and left the cab,n. wanted to be alone, to ponder on the frig ttul position of our affairs At the instant of waking, all had burst upon me afresh, but the repose had given my mind both strength and calm. In few | days we should be at New York penni- less, planless something must be | scnemed before we were shot upon the | quayslde like human rubbish. Further, | l must preocCupy Theodore's mind with | the future, or the wretched boy would do | furtber mischief knew how much he | would suffer from the unappeasable tor. | ments oi remorse, from the shattering of all his vain condolences, from the shame | he had heaped upon himself and me.
 The deck was crowded with passengers for with fine weather all the invalids had | been brought from their cabins and placed | on chairs and c ,uches. paid no atten- tion to any one, but walked slowly, think ing as had never done before, and rest ing against the bulwarks from time to time, when grew faint with useless cogi- tation. No; could not imagine any ex- pedient in our case. Friend ess, beg gared, broken-hearted, dismayed, what could do? groaned in impotent az gony, and stared at the glittering sea, though saw it not.
 Etes-vous malade encore, monsieur?"
 l started and looked down, and SAW, lying on deck-lounge, the figure of a lady. Her veil was wreathed round her face, pale as death two dark, burning, plying eyes were ike upon me.
 "Do you not recall mel asked the ladv, still speaking ia French.
 A moment was confused, then re- memoered her, and replied: Pardon me, madame; was preoccupied. hope you are getting better. We have had rough weather"
 You nave suffered much, monsieur" she rejoined. looking intently at me. Il What changel An the sea is terri. ble."
 It is indeed, for poor weddings like me, m adame." A bitter sigh followed my words,
 You are still very i'll" said the lady. hope the weather will be fine until we reach New York; then you will be happy. We soon forget the discomforts of ship life when we are on shore"
 A mournful smile WAS my only com ment. What had to expect ashore2