The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05

Inc stake was 81 a SIDE. CaFTlnger won.
The Iale stranger smiled grimly, and
opened another game. Again Carringer
won. Then the stranger pushed back his
hat aud fixed that still gaze upon his oppO-
nent, smiling yet. With this full view OF
the pale strangers face, Carringer was
more appalled, than ever. He had begun 70
acquire a certain self possession and ease,
aud bis marveling at tie singular charac-
ter of the adventure had begun to weaken,
when this new incident threw him back
into confusion. 1t was the extraordinary
expression OF the strangers face that
alarmed him. Never upon the face OF a
living being had he seen a pallor so
death-ltke and chilling. The face was more
thai pale-iJ was white. Carringer's OBJ
serving faculty had been sha rpened by the
ahsluthe, and, after having detected the
stranger in an absent minded effort two or
three times TO stroke a beard which had no
existence, he reflected that some Of the
white ess Of the face might be due to the
recent shaving OF full beard. Besides the
pallor there were deep aud sharp lines upon
the face. which the electric light brought
out very distinctly. With the exception Of
the steady glance OF the eyes and an occa-
sional hard smile. that seemed out Of place
OH such face, the expression was that OF
stone Enthusiastically cut The eyes were
black. but of heavy expression; the lower
lip was purple, the hands were fine, white
huu Lulu, duu plhCk veins Dulkeu out upon
them. The stranger pulled down his hat.
"You are lucky he said. "Suppose we
try another drink. There is nothing like
absinthe to sharpen ones wits, and / see
that you and are going to have delight
full game"
After the drink the game proceeded.
Carringer won from the very first rarely
losing game. He became greatly excited.
His eyes shone: color came to his checks.
The stranger having exhausted the roll of
bills which he first produced. drew forth
another, much larger, and Of higher de-
nominations. There were several thousand
dollars in the rail- At Carringer's right
hand were his Winnir gs-something like
500. The stakes were raised, and the game
went rapidly on. Another drink was taken.
Then fortune turned the strangers way,
and he won easily. 1t went back to Car
ringer, for no was now playing with all the
Judgment and skill he could command.
Once only did it occur to him to wonder
what he should do with the money il he
should quit winner; but a sense OF honor
decided him that it belonged to the stranger
By this time the absinthe had so sharp
ened Carringer's faculties that the tempo
rarY satisfaction which 1t had brought to
his hunger having passed, his physical suf-
feriug returned with increased aggressive
ness. Could he not order a supper with his
earningsl No; that was out Of the question.
He continued to play, while the manifesto
tions of hunger took the form of sharp
pains, which darted through him viciously,
causing HIM to writhe and grind his teeth.
The stranger paid no attention, for he was
now wholly absorbed in the game. He
seemed puzzled and disconcerted. He played
with great care, studying each throw
infinitely. No conversation passed between
them now. They drank occasionally, the
dice continued to rattle, the money kept
piling up aJ Carringer's baud.
The pale man began to behave strangely.
AT times he would start and throw back his
head, as though he were listening. For a
moment his eyes would sharpen aud flash,
and then sink into heaviness again. More
than once Carringer, who had now begun
to suspect that his antagonist was some
kind Of unearthly monster, saw fright
fully CHASTITY expression sweep over his
face, and his features would become fixed
for a very short time in peculiar Rrimace.
1t was noticeable, however, that he was
steadily sinking deeper and deeper into
condition OF apathy. Occasionally he
would raise his eyes to CarringtOns face
after the young man had made an astonish-
ingly lucky throw, and keep them fixed
there with steadlness that made the young
man quail.
The stranger produced another roll Of
bills when the second was gone, and this had
a value many times as great as the others
together The stakes were raised TO 81 900
a game, ana still Carringer won. At last
the time came when the STRANGER braced
himself for a final effort. With speech
somewhat thick, but very deliberate and
quiet, he said:
"You We won ga, 900, which is exactly
the amount | have remaining. We have
been playing for several hours. am tired,
and | suppose you are Let us finish the
game You have S74, 900 and no more. |
have an equal amount and not a cent be-
sides. Each will now stake bis all and throw
final game for it."
Without hesitation, Carringer agreed.
The bills made a considerable pile on tue
table. Carringer threw, and the box held
but one combination that could possibly
beat him; this combination might be thrown
once in 10000 times. The starving mans
heart beat violently as the stranger picked
up the box with exasperatidg elaboration.
1t was long time before he threw. He
made his combination and ended by defeat
ing his opponent. He sat looking at the
dice long time, and then he slowly leaned
back in his chair, settled himself comfort
ably, raised bis eyes to Carringers and
fixed that unearthly stare upon him. He
said lot a word: his face contained not
trace Of emotion or intelligence. lie simply
looked. One cannot keep ones eyes open
very long without winkng, but the stranger
did. He sat 80 motionless that CarrluRer
began 10 be tortured.
If will 20 now" he said to the stranger
said that when he had not e cent and was
starving.
The stranger made no reply, but did not
relax his gaze; and under that gaze the
young man shrank back in his own chair.
terrified. He became aware that two men
we're cautiously talking in an adjoining
booth. AS there was q deathly silence in
his own, he listened, and this is what he
heard
Eyes; he was seen to turn into this street
about three hours ago."
"And he had shavedp
''He must have done 30 and to remove a
full beard would naturally make great
change in a man.
"But it may not have been he"
"rrue enough; but his extreme pallor at
tracted attention. You know be has been
seriously troubled with heart disease lately,
aud it has affected him seriously"
Eyes; but his old skill remains. Why,
this is the most daring bank robbery we
ever had there A hundred and forty-eight
thousa ID dollars-think of i'll How long
has it Ueea since he was let out Of Jolietp
Eight years. In that time he has grown
beard, and lived by dice-throwing with
men who thought they could detect MIN il
he should swiudle them; but that IS impossi-
BILE No human being can come winner out
of game with him."
Then the two men clinked glasses and