Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1901-01-09
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THE GAMBLER.
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BY Gilbert Dayle.

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BY Gilbert Dayae.
In . room Of Gibraltar hotel sak
Beryl Falkiner. looking white and
anxious. "A few yards away stood .
young mamie was hardly more than
. boy. dn an officer'e uniform. They
were the only occupants of the room,
and q glance at their faces revealed
chat they were brother and sister.
The boy was gazing with set ex-
preston ait AN open letter he held In
bis set hand. He was deadly pale.
Every penny of my money will
have TO go to save the honor of the
frm,' he read out. oh. its awful!
Do you grasp what IL means to you
Beryl?"
Not So much to me as to you, Ted,
dear!" she said ,bravely. 81 shall be
able to be "a governess or something,
but you-you wia. have to give up the
regiment-sem out."
The boy sank into "a chair and bur-
led Ibis face in his hands.
| His sister went to him and twined
her arm about him.
1--WE must think, dear, she said,
softly. that 1T means more ITO the
dear old father than any one elsel We
shall have to try and do our best to
| put things straight for him. know
M will be hard aeayng the regiment.
| but"
"N's mot thaHl" he burst out.
"WhaJt then, Ted, dear?" she said
anxof usly.
~, =
white face to her.
emily. "Pvs been a fool-worse than q
fool. I'm heavily in debt, Beryle, and
It's debt of honor!"
She glanced tuemblingly ait him.
'I've gambled and lost" /" he contin-
| ued gloomhfy. There's mann here
who likes high sta kes -and he holds
| batch of my I. o. US. OF course /
| never dreamed of this horrible thing
happening, thinking the only result
OF my folly would be that he'd blame
me for my extHawag agance."
"How much do you owe this man7"
she asked.
He rested HIS head ON his hands
again. His young face was twisted
and DRAWN.
"Fdve hundred pounds. lis debt
OF honor, and it can't be paidl Ny
God, 1T can't be paid!" he repeated be-
1ween his teeth
"Fvie hundred pounds!" she said,
with qittle gasp. "He let you q
mere boy, play until you owed thaiti"
"He did NOT know but what could
afford it,"
A bugle rang out the far end Of the
town. Young Faakiner sprang hoarse-
! ly to his feet.
1T have TO gol" he said hoarsely !.
'1W come aud see you again after
lunch"
| A little later the same morning
Captain Crosbae Drysda1e was stroll.
| ing in fhe Atameda Gardens. He was
a good looking MAN of about thirty.
He climbed the paths leIsurelv, appar-
emily deep in Thought Presently his
| eyes fell on the figure of a girl who
was sitting a. few yards up. He recog-
| nd0ed her Immediately, and a sudden
| gleam came into his eyes.
Too hot for our old friend, Mrs.
Ouesfield?" he asked with a laugh,
| dropping into the seat beside her.
When ds your visit up?''
Beryle made no reply. He glanced
40 her and aw that her face was
turned towards Europa. He noticed
that she was very pale, and THAT her
eyefashes were wet with tears.
IT ann very sorry" he said, IN q
low, sympathetic voice-"fif I can be
OF any use?"
She turned her head, and their eyer
met. She had only known him q
week. yet a kind of mutual under
standing had sprung mp between them.
Somehow he seemed different from
most of the mem she had met.
Il should hike TO help, If could"
he said, slowly.
She shook her head
mo one cam helpi" she said. with q
Mu1e catch nj her voice. There is
nothing TO be done; we are ruinedi~
He said u0thfmg. A sudden desire
TO tell him her trouble crept over her.
He seemed TO guess what was I'm her
thoughts.
Perhaps If you told me he
begain, MI la tone of persuasion.
The story came to him gradually.
Her father was engaged in commerce
tho head OF a firm of good position.
he WAS getting old, and had allowed
his Jumdor partner TO ATTEND to most
Of tT1e business. Themf one i1ay the
crash came It itransp5red that. nm
known ITO Mr.. Nal1dner. his Junior
PARTNER had been speculatsng wildly
had host, and i'm desperation had an
proprdated money belonging to the
firms clients. FINALLY, he had alb
seconded, leaving Mr. Fa1kiner to
| weather the storm as best he could.
Drysdssae afstened TO the tale. HIS
| eyes staring ont to sea. He bit his
| fps as he realized what 1t all heant
| no the gtGa aft his side.
I am sorry-more than sorryi" he
said In a jerky Home at the finish.
Tt seemed TERRIBLY lame. but they
were the ouqy words he could find.
But ahait isn't the -xuo-e,. - she said.
with a 9fttle sob. sLeaving the regi-
| ment would not be % much in itself
| 10 Ted. But he must 1eave T in debit
He tells me he has been gambling.
and owes a large sum OF money fo
one of Hhe officers He can't pay
and the disgraca win break LIS
heasfi'' s. -
The rnaasr at her side csepca,ed his
teeth he did not speak. however.
The girl tssrned 10 him Suddenly auI9
touched his arm. Herr eyes were
| flashing -
ssrLde erue1 nana1 nn,ss ebe russs
.sWhnt DO you Bl5l7lf Of : n.Ir Who
1ets mere boy Ike Ted.-v3av With
hmm unltil he owes some hundrede 81
| pounds What 10 xou think Of him -
she repeated exc3tcdIy.
= think him . b1ackeuardt. ssfd
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