The Bottineau pioneer., 1894-11-17
his evening paper, went out into the
roar Of Broadway.


The chief card room of the Nonpariel
Club was crowded as it had never
been crowded before that night. The
news OF the great contest had spread
abroad, and prominent actors and men
about town were there to see the con-
test between Horace I.inley and the
comparatively new member Of the club
James Balsam.
Lacy and group of his intimate
friends stood just behind my husbands
chair, and Cushlnore was on the oppo-
site side Of the table.
From the very first, Bafsam was a
winner. He had the most astonishing
luck In drawing. II he needed a king,
or an ace, or a jack, he was almost
certain to draw it.
The bets ran high, good hands were
the rule, but unley was in hard luck.
After an hours play he had lost at
least $4,000.
Toward midnight something occurred
which made Cushmore raise his eye
brows. He looked across to Lacy
Jared Henderson, who was an exceed
tngly nervous man, turned white to
the lips, and suddenly left the room.
Balsam had been detected cheating.
With his face darkened by an angry
frown, Horace pushed back his chair.
'"These cards are marked" he said,
quietly; "they must have been SNUG
gled into the club with the connivance
Of one Of the servants
'It's lie" Balsam hiss ID. He look
ed around the room, hoping to find
some support among the members, and
finding none, he made sudden move
ment toward the door.
In moment, Cushmore sprang ut
him and seized his wrists.
mot so fast, my friend" he said.
Lacy sent waiter for d policeman,
but my husband called the man back.
Don't make an ass of yourself" !"
he said; whatever happens, let us
avoid a scandal"
Then he turned to his opponent.
There's the door," he said, pointing
with his finger Go"
The other put his hand in his pock-
ct, drew forth a huge roll Of bills, and
laid his winnings on the table, feeling
like whipped dog.
Horace removed few Of the notes
probably hundred dollars-and hand
ed them to Balsam, without word.
A murmur Of appreciation at his gen
erosity ran round the room.
When the door was closed upon Bal
sam, and those who had witnessed the
disgraceful episode had returned to the
card-room, my husband begged to be
allowed to say a word publicly.
"GentIemen," he said, II am going to
act on impulse. From this moment,
and In your presence, swear solemnly
never to touch card again for the
remainder Of my life. Whether I am
fool for my pains or not, will prob
ably be Il matter of dispute, but my
mind is made up. I have never be-
fore seen cheating at cards, and never
again will L, willingly, submit to such
an experience. l am impelled to the
course am about to take, and I take
it confident that shall at least have
your sympathy"
There were murmurs of applause.
which were drowned in louder mur-
inurs Of surprise, and several men said
openly that they considered Horace
an idiot However, it was admitted
on all sides that my husband had con
Quoted himself admirably
never knew until the day of my
husbands death the truth of the mat
ter. AS he lay dying, mourned by
hundreds of acquaintances, and above
all, by the members Of the Nonpareil
Club, he called me to MIN and told
me the secret of his life. All! how shall
I tell the rest?
NY Horace, the husband whom !
loved, who was more to me than all
the world, was the most successful
card-sharper of this or any other age.
Balsam was his accomplice, and he
used him moro ingeniously to cover his
retreat from the rd-tables, after he
had become a millionaire. Not soul
ever suspected him, or guessed the Sc
cret of his mysterious opponent.