Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-01-31
dark, cold face of her dead with the
moist, warm kisses of a loving woman.

moist, warm kisses of loving woman.
The drive was almost ended. The
last relay was growing jaded as the
stage-wheels lurched into the sand
swales which line the lower Santa
Cruz. AT the next turn, Tucson would
be in sight.
1t had been a tedious journey, and
Merton was alone in the coach which
he had taken at Yuma. All night he
had listened to the insistent straining
of latigo and fifth chain; all day he had
waite he'd the stage-wheels whirl the
arid mesa dust over the amending plain
of sage.
The sight of green cotton woods was
| refreshing, and as the stage rounded
the turn, Merton stretched himself for
view of the adobe town that in its
a great brown lizard that had crept
from off the parching desert to bask
near the cooling foliage of the trees
upon the grass.
AS he alighted at the "Montezuma,"
he felt almost physical gratitude for the
luxury of the scene about him; the
fresh plants and the water near this
old Spanish hostelry sunk deep in the
shade of the Santa Cruz. Merton had
come with money to pay for beef cattle
at Fort Grant, and tomorrow must
ride across the mountains and make
payment
After dinner he was too fatigued to
sleep, and he craved excitement as re-
lief from the mental monotony of his
trip across the desert. This was the
"Cinco de Mayo" He would visit the
fiesta to watch the dancers and listen
to the music. Merton did not wish it
known that he carried money, for he
was travelling without escort, so he put
the package of government gold in one
pocket and his private money-loose
gold coin-in another, and sauntered
up the Santa Cruz to the gardens. On
the way, the heavy package of gold
chafed him, so he tore open the paper
| and divided the coin among other pock-
cts and mixed government gold with
| his own.
When he reached the gardens, the
bale was in progress. For while he
| watched the wild contrasts and the CO.'S
tunes, barbaric, picturesque as feasts
OF Barca from the pages of "Salamm-
bottle red serape and the somber
mantilla; light laughter from bright
eyes and red lips set in the oval Of
dusky, olive faces, and the furtive
glances of the dark duenna; cascarones
| filled with sparkling tinsel-spangle that
glinted in silver and golden showers
when crushed over dark hair, and 1.-the
dancers in slow movement to the soft
waltz or solemn danza-all under the
canopy which sheds the desert star
| light and framed by Pickering lamps
set on brackets held from trees. Around
the tiendas and gambling layouts the
gardens were af1ame with the unshad-
ed flare of oil torches, picketed about in
the grove. Merton seated himself on
bench that faced roulette table to en-
| joy the fresh air of night. From the
table foated the melody of a Mexican
waltz, and, in accompaniment, one
heard the sound of slowly moving feet;
in view was the whirling wheel, and
louder rose the recurrent cries of the
banker and the sharp clink of the
changing coin.
Merton had never gambled, but soon
curiosity led him to observe the play
about which spectators had gathered,
drawn By the CLINT of gold. A miner
from Sonora was playinga heavy game,
and, as if guided by some hidden chart
of chance, won bet after bet placed on
single numbers. Merton watched his
enormous winnings, and was quickly
fascinated by this easy road to fortune.
He could observe no longer. He must
share the play.
| At first he followed cautiously the
play of the heavy winner, but no sooner
had he done so than the latter began to
| lose. -Four bets lost in quick succession
caused the miner to look about, and,
on seeing that his play was followed,
with gamblers superstition he quit
the game. In this Merton did not i'm
itate him, but played eagerly. For
some natures, the strong stimulant of
chance is an instant intoxicant, aud
Merton was quickly drunk with his
newly found sensation.
From the first, luck set steadily
against him, but the fierce fire of play
was soon fast in his blood, and through
doubling while losing he rapidly in
creased his losses But he took no
notice of them. Again and again he
tered it recklessly over the layout,
until at last he was surprised to find
his pocket empty.
| The shock of this revelation caused
reason to assert itself His money was
gone! He would use the other-no,
no that was impossible! He had never
stolen. His whole being revolted in
sharp physical shudder at this thirst
for play which held as lure the sug-
gestion of theft. But was he sure that
all his money was gone? He had come
with $500; certainly he had not lost
that much. Then he thrust his hands
into his other pockets and slowly count
ed the twenties they contained.
Good God Already he had lost $500
not his own God knows he never
meant to. He was ashamed of having
ever been tempted to play with money
which did not belong to him. Again
he counted the coin. Had he missed
a pocket? No, it was all clear now he
recalled putting the government gold
in the pocket with his own.
| A chill seized him. How could he
replace the money? In the race with
material disgrace, morals have hopeless
handicap. The fire of play that has
been quickly quenched at the thought
of dishOnor when he touched that
empty pocket, now famed again at the