Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-10-27

more genuine than this diligent man-ser-
wants surprise at the intrusion of two
strangers. but for a certain look of shrewd
Inquiry in his little black eyes. which the
visitors did not fail to notice. Arma-
thwaite would have been completely -.s
concerted but for Lord Kildonan. who.
tossing the man a sovereign, said briefly.
Members" and turned again to walk on.
Armath waite remembered. with a flash OF
Intelligence suddenly grown keener. q
suspicion which had occurred to him be
fore: by the time they had reached the
end of the long, dark passage. he knew
into what kind of house Ley had come.
and was prepared for the sight which
met their eyes when, directed by the sound
of voices which broke upon their ears
when they pulled open q baize-cOvered
swing door on the left at the end of the
passage, they entered a room, the atmOs-
phere of which was almost unbearab.y y
close. containing four or five small card
tables. With hardly q glance at the pay
ers in this room ard without releasing
crossed the room to q doorway, before
which hung a thick curtain. Raising this
they passed through together.
The apartment they now entered was
much larger than the first. In addition 10
small tables in two of the corners. it con-
tanned one long table. upon which the
deepest interest of the assembly was evil
IDENTIFY concentrated.
Armathwaite felt the elder mans grip
tighten on his arm. He looked up quick
II. and felt as If he had been turned to
ice. Following the direction Of the old
mans eyes, he saw Crosmont, his face
set nd livid with sullen anxiety and de-
spair, standing among the onlOokers on
the opposite side of the room, watching.
not the cards, but an insignifcantly DRESS
ed woman. She was sitting next but one
to the dealer, stalking her money. watch
Ing the game, with the stolid steadiness
of an old hand. Through the thickness
of her veil, as Armathwaite watched. he
saw two steel-bright eyes fash like sparks
of light; underneath the thick black edge
he saw two cOral-red lips tightly SIT. In
spite Of his suspicious. In spite of his fears.
1t was he who staggered, and not the older
map by his side, when he recognized in
the one person in the crowded room whom
on careful inspection he would have .chOs-
en- as rhe ideal representative of the pas
sion for play, the well-disguised but un-
CliStak1Dle lace anu 10TH Oh ldUy AlluOe
nan.
iae secret was out: she was a gambler
not from pleasure, not from choice, but be-
cause 1t was in her blood, bred by genera
tons of spendthrift, fast-living ancestors.
whom nothing but laws of entail, and the
occasional happy accident of a possessOr
of the estates who was free from the fam
fly vice, had stopped in the race of ruin.
Her fathers strange injunctions: her few.
erish anxiety to go abroad: her exhausted
calm after the visits to Liverpool; all was
explained. As she sat with her brilliant
eyes incapable of seeing anything but the
cards, all the passion of her ardent, en-
ergetic animal nature concentrated in the
one absorbing pursuit, SO that in the very
presence of her husband, her judge, she
remained as unmoved, as unconscious, as
If he had been a statue. the pity and hOr-
TOR of it all-for sthe deceived husband
for the guilty but il-starred wife-struck
Armattweite witt force that tGraej
him giddy, and sick, and trembling.
Lord Kildonan looked at him, meeting
his grief-stricken eyes with cold gray
ones.
''The room Is over warm for ye," he
said, in q low voice, with a strong accent
And they made their way quite quietly.
disturbing nobody, exciting no remark, in
to the first room.
(To be continued)