The herald., 1897-08-18

IT
IN. D'Aubigny was a friend OF Dave
and was typical southern planter This
being interpreted, means that he was
not averse to cards, and being extremely
wealthy he was plunger from the head
waters Of Plunge creek. Ash was a stin
player himself, and it was a very usual
thing for game to be going on In hia
private office. after the play was over
and the theater was supposed to be closed
for the night. And D'Aubigny was often
among the players.
Ben made a confident of his father
who told him frankly he saw no hope
of winning D'Aubigny's consent, and
that knowing the Frenchman as he die
he was by no means disposed to urge
Ben's case. 1t would only lead to
quarrel he said, that would hurt your
chances more than anything 1 could do
would help them But Ben was desper-
ate and still urged the old man to make
some kind of a trial, saying that mat
ters couldn't be worse, for D. Aubigny
had already flatly refused, and that he,
Ben, could see no chance of moving him.
So Dave promised to see what he could
do.
The chance came sooner than he had
| expected, for only a few nights 1atei
D'Aubigny was playing in Ash's room.
and there came a duel in the game be-
tween him and the manager. They each
held four of kind, and in the OLD game
fours were big enough for a man to bel
his entire fortune on. The others in the
game dropped out after Ash had raised
! the bet five thousand, but D'Aubigny
doubled his raise as coolly as possible,
and they had it back and forth, ten
thousand and then twenty thousand at
clip, till there was over $4,000 in tho
pot.
1T was tremendous betting, and 30
far beyond what Ash had ever seen that
he was staggered. He was still as conf
dent of his four of kind as ever, but ii
seemed like insanity to gamble at such
figures He hesitated, as he well might.
when, with $120OO0 already up, D'Au-
bigny raised him $4,000 more, and
thought for several minutes before
speaking. There was no question Of
doubt ae to the payment involved, TO.
though they were playing in an unlimit-
ed game, and a fortune was on the table
in the shape of pencled scraps of paper
only, gambling debt was a 6sebt OF
honor, and each scrawl was as valuable
as certified check. There was, how
ever, serious question in his mind aa
to how far he should go, when suddenly
he happened to notice Ben's eager face
in the small circle of lockers on.
81 will see that $20,G00,' he said, slow
ly and l will make you another bet in
addition, if you are willing to close tha
pot on that. We have enough money up
now, and this bet will settle question
that is more important than money to
both Of u.s.
"'What is it?' asked D'Aubigny, In
surprise. He would probably have kept
on betting as long as he had anything
left to put up, but even he realized that
the stakes were already unreasonable.
"'My son wants to marry your daugh-
ter said Ash, and, as understand the
matter, she is willing, but you will not
consent. Now, I will bet you his wishes
against yours. If iose, will guarantee
that there will be no marriage, and no
further annoyance to you from him. If
you lose, you give your consent
well, the Frenchman did not know
whether to be insulted or not. His first
impulse was to resent the proposition.
but Ash spoke again to him so diplo-
matically and tactfully that his anger
was cooled, and, after spluttering bit,
he actually began to consider the idea,
Ash, seeing this, clinched the matter by
saying that, of course, if D'Aubigny
doubted the value of his cards he needn't
call the bet. That quickened the gam
bling fever, and he finally said: Very
well, If you do not care to bet any moro
money, l will call you on your own
terms.
"They showed down. D'Aubigny had
four fives. Ash had four eights. And
Ben married the girl"