The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-04-20
much left that is worth having even at

much left that is worth having even at
a gift"
Horace is the only man who could
prove amatch for him.
And Linley won't play with the
brute, small blame to him either
''Linley is going to play with him TO-
night'
Both the men turned, and found
Jared Henderson at their elbow.
Don't you believe it, said Lacy,
helping himself to q cigar from the
newcomers case
cts a fact. They are to play poker
ten dollars ante, and betting unlinit.
cd.'
Cushmore Whistled
Horace refused to have anything t.
do with him last night; whererlpon
Balsam remarked:'And just as we'll,
too, if he wants to keep his reputation
as the best player in the club which
brought Linley up to the scratch like
the Thoroughbred that he is.
"You don't mean to tell rne that the
fellow had the cheek to say that"
Lacy was tremendously shocked. lie
could not understand anyone being
rude, even.
''He did, though Now for dinner at
Delmonico's, and then back here to see
them play"
And the three men casting a look of
unutterable disgust in the direction
Of the great leather chair in which the
new member OF the club sat reading
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
ncWs OF the great contest had spread
abroad, and prominent actors and men
about town were there to see the con-
test between Horace I.inlcy and the
comparatively new member Of the club
James Balsam.
Lacy and a group of his intimate
friends stood just behind my husbands
chair, and CllSilmorc was on the oDDo-
site side of the table.
From the very first, BalSam was a
winner. He had the most astonishing
luck in drawing. If he needed Il king.
or an ace, or a jack, he was almost
certain to draw it.
The bets ran high. GOOD hands we're
the rule, but Linlcy was in hard l?lcl.
After an hours play he had lost at
, least $4,000.
Toward midnight something occurred
which made Cv15hmore raise his eve
broWs. He looked across to Lacy.
Jared Henderson, who was an exceed
lnGly nervous man. turned white to
the lips. and suddenly left the room.
Ba]SAM had been detected cheating.
With his face d;>rk2ned by an angry
frown, Horace pushed back his chair
"Ttlsc cards arc nlurkcd.' ne said,
quietly; they must have been snug
GIct into the club with the cOnnivancc
OF one OF the servants:
Its ie!' Balsam hiSscd. He look
ed, around the room, hoping to find
some support among the members, and
finding none, he made 4 sudden move
! ment toward the door.
In 4 moment. Cushmore sprang at
him and seized his wrists
Not SO fast, my friend,' he said.
Lacy sent Il waiter for 4 policeman.
I but my husband called the man back.
"Dont make an ass Of YOURSELF"
he said; ''Vllateyer happens, let us
avoid Il Sclndal.'
Then he turned to his opponent
"Thorc'S the door, he said, pointing
With his finger. Go"
The other put his hand in his Dock-
! ct, drew forth a huge roll of bills. and
laid his winnings Oh the table, feeling
like Il whipped dog.
Horace removed 4 fcw of the notes.
probably q hundred dolklrs-and hand
ed them to Balsam, without a word
\ murmur OF appreciation at his gen
crosby ran round the room.
When the door was closed upon Bal
| sam, and those who had witnessed the
| uiSglVlceful episode had returned to the
card-rOom, my husband begged to be
allowed to say Il word publicly.
"Gcnt1emen," he said. II am going to
act on impulse. From this moment,
and i'll your presence, swear solcinnly
never to touch 4 card again for the
remainder Of my life. Whether I am
4 fool for my pains or not, will prob
ably be q matter OF dispute, but my
| mind is made up. [ have never be-
! fore seen cheating at cards, and never
again will I. willingly, submit to such
an experience. / am. impelled to the
course | am about to take, and I take
| it confident that l shall at least have
| your sympatlly.'
There were mUrn1urs of applause,
which wore drowned in louder m,,r-
murs 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, mourncd by
| hundreds Of acQuaintances, and above
all, by the members of the Nonpareil
! Club, he called me to him and told
| me the secret of his life. All! how shall
I tell the rest?
| My Horace, the husband whom I
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 more ingcniously to cover his
retreat from the card tables, after he
had become a millionaire Not a soul
ever suspected him, OF guessed the se
cret of his mysterious opponent.
! E--.-.---