Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-04-28

'''. 10 va ''.'' '''N ''''''''~
Treasure" Thought Eric, "to
. ',' %. iU. scientists uf the country
,.f ,... - a d,al IF Gi-, us>j"n 1t would
li... Hds nothing more t. he seen,
ir. .u.'t . situ," around the room lie
o., .r DO, Iight AMI followed lklapel
~. '.. uHl'r They hti spent several
b %. 30 90" youlihkc Vac" and found
kg..tt to,c waiting FIR them. He
,....,.l anxious and moody. and catching
u.u,lpn,i To- hmm Ia follow
INN H." Young priest led the way
silently. Vt casting quick, cautious
glance about him. To the large gate,
and when they were outSld", almost into
tho liuuu orchards. lac turned to Eric,
aud after "A moments nervous hesitation
hr l".nu. Did my brother ever gamble"
"W,Il replied Eric, with smile,
I've played the game my people call
Inh,r many times. I'm sorry 10 say
tuo many times IN fact-and I've tried
faro also once or twice. with poor re-
suits
"lIu,. " interrupted Kulcan, did you
ever allow Yourself To he so carried
away with the excitement Of these games
that Npu forgot Your duty to Your sisters
and hrpthcr,|
so answered Eric, but | have
seen many men lose their heads and
gamble away all they owned"
Then. said the priest, ''you will I'M
drr~taud / must confess to you, my
brother. and burden you with miser-
able tale tale of grief and shame. !
cannot look YOU in the face, but must
tell You. We have, as You have seen, a
game called Understanding the I'M
known. unknowable--a game of num-
hers. An. how can tell you? You will
despisc me-"
"t,u on. said Eric, who surmised what
VIA coming, although he did not guess
its full meaning.
The younger priests" resumed Kul-
can. have always played this game
among themselves, as do all our people,
but had always, by lklapers advice,
avoided II, and knew not even how it was
played until y year ago. Then i'll an
evil hour vcntured wager against
Chalpa's game. and | won sixty silver
taos Eatcd by my success and imag-
iniug myself 10 be blessed by fortune, i
tried again and won. But the next even
ing lost all that had won, and in the
much more. did not feel willing to
stop then. but was eager to get my own
money back. Then | said i would never
gamble again. but before had succeed
ed had become n victim to the habit
which dominates all the people of Atz-
Ian.
This was before my father, the gov
eruor, died. and soon Chalpa had won
all the money and cattle which / pos
sr-sel. Then | began to be indebted to
him. and N my now frantic endeavors to
win enough o. free myself-for debtors
are slaves here-l became reckless. and
when my father died Chalpa laid claim
Ia all my property. But l had no sus-
picion Of his methods and believed him
honest. Chalpa changed his plans, or
rather bruadened them, for | think his
object at first was only to win my pos
ses,ions lie cast his evil eye upon
Aimee. my betrothed. and although she
despiscd him ho wished to wed her.
In this he was unsuccessful, but that
very month she WAS selected for the sac
riiico. and ho is the one who cast the
lots. dare not say scarce dare
think him so treacherous. SO villainoul
~ To do such deed! Nor do think he
dare, for the decision is made in the
presence of three othsrs-priests in high
standing. But she was chosen and you,
my brother. saved her and restored hel
To- me. Then my fortune altered for q
time. and recovered some of my money
but yesterday horrible thing happened
went again To his house and lost all
4 all; worse than that. xlas!
Seeing me feverish, blind, despairing
/ he offered to wager all that he had wor
from neutrality-suspicious. my sis
/ ter, my Lola. You know that under oul
laws sho Is mine to be given away. sold
bartcrei or wagered-as the head of the
family possess her-and perhaps yor
may not know that such debts as thes'
are legal. Flushed with the aitsi which
he provides. and dazzled at the chanc,
10 recover all my possessions, accepted
the offer The next moment regretted
and tried to recall my hasty words, bu
IL was too late. had lost! staggered
forth and roamed about for hours, crazet
with shame and terror. thought o
self destruction. but what would tina
avail me? Then ! sought you. my broth
er, who know all things"
Gilbert reflected for q moment. II
him. apart in thought and feeling from
Kulcan and his people, the case scenes
almost trivial. He could not realize tina
10y the young priests indiscretion h
might lose the very light Of his life. II
viewed the transaction in semiludi
crous light. and attempted to lay tina
part Of II aside and consider only Kul
cans financial condition, but the prizes
soon convinced him that his terribl
wager was reality-a most serious an
momentous reality-and showed him tn
difficulty Of an attempt to defeat Chal
pas desires. in view Of the fact that tn
entire priesthood and populace woul
stand by him in exacting his just dues
Kulcan reiterated his statement of til
legality OF the wager, and said ths
Chalpa had offered him his revenge j
affording him an opportunity to recon-
by wagering thousand taos Of silver
well knowing that he could by no poss
bility obtain that sum. Herein, how
ever, Gilbert saw q vague chance to e!
cape as he reflected upon Iklapels az
count Of the fabulous sums Of gold an
silver in the underground vaults of til
temple. In his character Of q god h
might. without doubt. convert some {
this idle hoard In the endeavor to saw
his darling. and he resolved to do 8,
But the difficulty was, even after til
money had been obtained, to play tt
game to prevent Chalps's winning agaii
Although convinced that the evil eye
villain had grossly cheated Kulcan, b
, had no knowledge of the game an
! knew Of no means OF detecting b
, fraudulent practices.
Underlying all his meditations was
stern resolve to settle the affair, as we
as Chslpa's existence, as last resor
I by the argument Of the pistol bulle
e but he determined to try all other chal
nels before availing himself Of thu
D source.
Curiously enough, upon his suggestiu
: Chalpas swindling, Kulcan, whose nj
= ture was utterly unsuspicious, himse
= showed how he thought it could be don
and with a wild CLEAN in his eyes (
; the truth seemed for the first time NJ
merely to dawn upon him, but to bur
!. upon his mind in noontime glory, in
crushing. binding fash Of conviction