The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-04-15

ana women. 1uNB you nerve SuOukh
to play a real game?"
What do you call real game?"
"a game with cards in a private
room for something bigger than half
dollar points"
"How big?"
Depends on what capital you have.
How much capital can you commando"
The cashier hesitated for moment
and his eyes fell from the steady light
of Rowelrs, which seemed to have an
uncomfortable habit of looking into
ones inmost soul.
81 can bring one thousand dollars
here on Saturday night"
"All right. That will do as a starter.
Is it an appointment then?"
eyes, If you like. What time?"
81 generally get hero pretty late, but
l can make an exception in your case.
What do you say to ten o'clockY"
THAT will suit me-"
every well, then. Don't fool away
any of your money or nerve until l
come. You will need all you have Of
both"
The professional gambler and the
amateur began their series of games
few minutes after ten In little pri-
vate room. The younger man became
more and more excited as the play
went on. AS for Pony, he was cool
under any circumstances. Before an
hour had passed the one thousand dol
lars was transferred from the posses.
sion of Forme into the pockets of the
professional and by midnight the
younger man was another one thou
sand dollars in Rowell's debt.
ut isn't my practice" said Rowell,
slowly, "to play with man unless he
has the money in sight. I've made an
exception in your case, as luck was
against you, but l think this has gone
far enough. You may bring me the
ono thousand dollars you owe any day
next week. No particular hurry, you
know"
The young fellow appeared to be
dazed. He drew his hand across his
brow and then said mechanically, as
if he had just heard his opponents re-
mark:
mo hurry9 All right Next week.
Certainly. guess I'll go home now"
Forme went out, leaving Rowell idly
shuffling the cards at the small table.
The moment the young man had dis
appeared all Rowelrs Incidence van
ished. He sprang up and put on his
overcoat, then slipped out by the rear
exit into the alley. He had made up
his mind what Forme would do Men
tally he tracked him from the gam
30 tha ,;yo,. nd ha
went so far as to believe he would take
certain streets on his way thither. A
| gambler is nothing if not superstitious
and 50 Rowell was not in the least
surprised when he saw the young man
emerge from the dark stairway, hesi-
tate for q moment between the two di-
rections open TO him, and finally choose
the one that the gambler expected him
| to take. The cold streets were de-
| serted and so Rowell had more diff
| ficulty in following his late victim un-
| perceived than he would have had
earlier in the evening. Several times
the older man thought the pursued had
become aware of the pursuit, for Forme
stopped and looked around him; once
coming back and taking another street
as if trying to double on whoever was
following him.
Rowell began to realize the difficulty
of the task he had set for himself, and
as he had never had any faith in it any
how, he began to feel uncomfortable
and to curse the tender heart of Mel
lish. If the youngster got the idea
into his head that he was followed he
might succeed in giving his pursuer
the slip, and then Rowell would fine
himself with the FOOLS death on his
conscience, and what was to him in
fnltely worse, with a thousand dollars
in his pocket that had been unfairly
won. This thought made him curse
Mellish airesh. 1t had been entirely
against his own will that he had played
with marked cards, but Mellish had in
sisted that they should take no chances
and the veteran knew too well the un
certainties of playing a fair gam
where a great object lesson was to b.
taught. 1t would make them look lilS
) two fools, Mellish had said, if Forme wol
the money. In answer to this Rowel
had remarked that they were two fools
anyhow, but he had finally succumbet
10 M6lllSn dS JuS WhOIC SCIlcluc wa
Mellish's. AS Rowell thought bitterl
of these things his attention was d
verted from the very thing ne had i
hand. Few men can pursue n cours
of thought and fellow creature a
at the same time. He suddenly realize
that young Forme had escaped hin
I Rowel stood alone in the dimly-lighte
silent street and poured unuttere
maledictions on his own stupidity
Suddenly voice rang out from dar
doorway.
"What the devil are you followin
l me for?"
4 "Oh, you're there, are you?" sal
Pony, calmly.
: I'm here. Now what do you war
of me? Aren't you satisfied with wht
you have done tonight"
= Naturally not, or 1 wouldn't /
. foolchasing at such an hour as this"
d "Then you admit you have been 70
t lowing me?"
~ never denied it."
?, what do you want of me? Do b
# long to myself or do you think l b
II long to you, because 1 owe you SON
z money!"
o ~ do not know, am sure, to who
u you belong" said Rowell, with h
slow drawl. ~ suspect, however, TIL
e the city police, who seem TO be
S scarce at this hour, have the fir
e claim upon you. What do / want
l, you, you say. 1 want to ask you
e question. Where did you get II
.aAN