Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-06
THE GREAT R]}pY {){2 GEEV],()N
 BY "Q.' Book I.-THE QUEST OF THE GREAT RUBY.
' I give nothing. least of all chance"

give nothing, least or all cnance.
 "Well, can you tell me if this is worth any thing"
 As I said this I held out the clasp. which flashed brightly as it caught the rays of the large candeabrum overhead. She turned her eyes upon it, and as she did so, for the first time 1 fancied I caught gleam of interest within them. It was but gleam, however, and died out instantly as she said:
 " Let me look at it."
 handed it to her. She bent over it for a moment, then turned to me and asked:
 Is this all of it :? I mean that it seoms only one half of clasp. Have you not the other part ?"
 1 shook my head, and she continued:
 Tt is beautifully worked and seems valua- ble. Do you wish mo to buy it ?"
 :" Not exactly that" I eXplained but if you think it worth anything I should like to stake it against an equivalent"
 |" Very well; it might be worth three pounds, perhaps more, but you can stake it for that if you will. Shall it be at once?"
 "Y Yea. let me have it over at once" said, and placed it on the red square marked 13.
 She nodded, and bending over the table set the pointer on its round.
 This time l felt quite calm and cool. All the intoXcatOn of play had gone from me and left my nerves steady as iron. As the needle swung round I scarcely looked at it, but fell to watching the faces of my fellow gamblers with idle interest. This stake would deciI,- between life and death for me, but diI not feel i; My passion had fallen upon an anti climax, and l even warming when H." murmur of many voices and d small pile of gold and silver at my side announced that 1 had won.
 "So the luck was changed at las" " said the woman. Be brave whilst it is with you" In answer 1 again placed the clasp upon the number l3.
 Once more I won and this time heavily. Tom laid his hand upon my shoulder and said. Let Us Go," but 1 shook my head and went on.
 Time after time 1 won now, until the pile became immcM@r. Again and again Tom whis percd in my e;l that 1 had won enough and that luck would change shortly but 1 held on. And now the others surrounded me in d small crowd and began to stake on the num- bcrs I chose. Put the clasp where 1 would the needle stopped ill front of it.. They brought a magnet to if this curious piece of metal had any power of attraction, but our hostess only laughed and assured them at any rate there was no steel in the pointer, as (shc addrdl some of them ought to know by this time. When eight times had put the buckle down and eight times had found q fresh heap of coin at my side, she turned to me and 1 said:
 "Iou play bravely, young man. What is your name?'
 "JasIrr Trcnoweth." Again funricd I caught the geam in her eyes and this time it even seemed as though 1 her teeth shut tight as she heard the words 1 But she simply laughed tranquil laugh and said:
 "A queer-sounding name, that TrenoWeth. Is it a lucky One?" | Never until now" said l. "Weu, play on. It does my heart good, this fight between Us. But you are careful, 1 see i; why don't you stake your pile as well while this wonderful luck lusts?"
 Again Toms hand was laid upon my shoul- der, and this time his voice was urgent. But I was completely deaf.
 As you please" said I, coldly, and laid the whole pile down upon the black.
 It was madness It was worse than mad ness. But l won again and now the heap of my winnings enormous. I glanced at the strange woman; she sat as impaSSiVe as ever.
 Play" said she.
 Thrice more I won, and now the pile beside her had to be replenished. Yet she moved not a muscle of her face, not a lash of her myste- riouS eyes.
 At last, sick of success, turned and said -
 II have had enough of this. Will it satisfy you if stake it all once more?"
 Again she laughed. You are brave, MT. Trcnoweth, and indeed worth the fighting. You may win tonight, but I shall win in the end. told you that I would readily lose to you, and so will; but you take me at my word with a vengeance. Still, 1 should like to possess that clasp of yours, so let it. be once more."
 I laid the whole of my winnings on the red By this time all the guests had gathered round the table to see the issue of this conflict. Not ,,I %6 # h, wheel, so engrossed were they in the duel Every face was white with excitement, every lip quivered Only we, the combatants, sat unmOved-I and the strange woman with the unfathonable eyes.
 :. Red stands for many things" said she, as she lightly twirled the needle round, '' blood and rubies and lovers lips But black is the livery of Death, and Death shall win them al , in the end"
 AS the pointer of fortune circled on its last errand, 1 could catch the stifed breath of the crowd about me, so deep was the hush tha fell upon us all. I felt Toms hand tighter its clutch upon my shoulder. I heard, or fan cied I heard, the heart of the man upon mN right thump against his ribs. could feel my own pulse beating all the while with steady anGregular stroke. Somehow knew that should win, and somehow it flashed upon m, that she knew 1t too. Even as the idea cam, . darting across my brain, a multitude of pent , up cries broke forth from thirty pairs of whit lips I scarcely looked to see the cause, bu as I turned to our hostess her eyes looked straight into mine and her sweet voice ros above the din:
 Gentlemen. we have played enough to night The game is over."
 had broken the bank.