The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-25

and he played ike a mailman, like
drunken man, and still won; and he threw
handfuls of gold on the table at hazard,
without concern and with q gesture of GER
tanty and disdain-
But all the time he felt as Ii were a red
hot iron in his heart, and his thoughts
turned TO the little beggar asleep in the
snow-the child whom he had robbed.
She is still in the same place, - he said
TO himself Certainly she must be there
still In a moment Yes! When it
strikes L 1 swear it! l will leave, l
will hasten to take her in my arms. fast
asleep as she is l will carry her to nv
home will put her to sleep in nv own
bed l will bring her up. l will give
child, and 1 viii protect and cherish her
forever-forever.
But the clock struck 1, and the quarter.
and the half, and the three quarters and
Lucien was still seated at the internal
table
At last just before o'clock-the man
ager rose abruptly and said with loud
voice:
The bank is broken, gentlemenl 1t is
enough for to-day"
With one bound Lucien sprang to his
feet Pushing aside without ceremony
the players who surrounded him, and who
watched him with envious admiration. he
left hastily, descended the stairs at full
speed, and ran to the stone bench From
afar, by the light of gaslamp he saw
the little child.
God be praised " he exclaimed She
is still there. He approached and seized
her hand
"Oh, how cod she is! Poor little
creature!" he murmured
He put his arms around her, and
raised her to carry her away. The head
of the child fell back, but she did not
awake.
"Ah, how one sleeps at that age, he
said He pressed her to his breast to give
her warmth. and. then, seized with a
vague uneasiness and to arouse her from
her heavy slumber he kissed her on the
eyes as he had many time kissed the
woman whom he loved and cherished the
most.
But he perceived with terror that the
Childs eyelids were half open and dis
closed the eyeballs CLASSY, dull aud mo-
tionless, His brain agitated by frightful
suspicion, Lucien placed his mouth close
to that of the child, but not breath issued
from her lips
While with the louis dor which he had
stolen from the beggar, Lucien had won
fortune, the child without shelter had per
ished-perished with the cold.
With his throat contracted by a sensa-
IlOn OF tue mOSL terrlDIe agony, Luclen
endeavored to utter cry, and in the eff
fort which he made he awoke from his
nightmare on the bench of the gaming
house, where little before midnight he
had fallen asleep, and where the waiter,
who usually left the last, at about .
o'clock in the morning. had allowed him
to remain undisturbed by a sentiment of
commiseration for the ruined gambler.
A dull December dawn lit up with q
pale hue the glasses of the windows
Lucien left placed his watch in pawn,
took bath, breakfasted, and went to the
recruiting Office to sign a voluntary en-.
Hstment in the first regiment of the Chas-
seurs d'Afrique.
Lucien de Hem is now lieutenant He
has but his pay on which to live, but he
succeeds in doing this, being an officer of
the most exemplary habits and never
touching a card 1t would appear even as
if he were able to save something, for the
other day at Algiers one of his comrades,
who happened to follow him at some dis
lance up precipitious street of Kasba,
saw him give aims to little Spanish girl
who had fallen asleep under a gate, and
ne had the curiosity, indscreet as it was,
to see what Lucien had bestowed to allie
viate poverty. He was greatly surprised
at the generosity of the poor lieutenant.
Lucien de Hem had placed a louis dor
in the hand of the little child.