Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-10

TIE GAMBLER.
By Gilbert Dayle.

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By Gilbert Dayle.
In q room of Gibraltar hotel sal
Beryl Falkiner, looking white and
anxious. A few yards sway stood I
young mamie was hardly more thar
Q boy, in an officers uniform. They
were the only occupants of the room
and a glance at their faces revealed
that they were brother and sister.
The boy was gazing with set ex
preston at an open letter he held In
his set hand. He was deadly pale.
Every penny of my money will
have TO go to save the honor of the
firm he read out. Oh it's awful!
Do you grasp what 1t means to you,
Beryl?"
Mot SO much to me as to you, Ted
dear" she said ,bravely. Il shall b
able to be "a governess or something
but you--you win have to give up the
regiment-sell out"
The boy sank into 70 chair and bur-
led his face in his hands.
His sister went to him and twined
her arm about him
"We must think, dear, she said,
softly, "that 1T means more ITO the
dear old father than any one else! We
shall have to try and do our best to
put things straight for him. I know
1T will be hard Leaving the regiment,
but"
"lt's mot thIat!" he burst out.
"What then, Ted, dear?" she said
anxoiusly.
He raised his head and turned I
white face to her.
''How cam tell you" he cried brok.
emily. 'I'vs been a fool7worse than a
fool. I'm heavily in deDt, Beryle, and
it's debt Of honor!"
She GLANCED tremblingly at him.
1--WE gambled and lost!" he contin'
ued gloomily. There's a man here
who likes high stakes-and he holds
q batch of my l. 0. us. OF course ]
never dreamed of this horrible thing
happening, thinking the only result
Vt my folly would be that he'd blame
me for my extravaganza"
"How much do you owe this man?'
she asked.
He rested his head ON his hands
again. His young face was twisted
and drawn.
Give hundred pounds It's debt
Of honor, and it can't be paid! My
God, it can't be paid!" he repeated be.
tween his teeth.
"Fvie hundred pounds." she said,
with a little gasp. "He let YOU
mere boy, play until you owed that!'
"IIe did not know but what I could
afford IT."
A bugle rang out The far end Of thu
town. Young Faulkner sprang hoarse
Iy to his feet.
II have Ito go!" he said hoarsely.
TIN come and SEE you again after
lunch"
n y
A little later the same morning
Captain Crosbie Drysdale was stroll
Ing i'm the Alameda Gardens. He was
a good looking man of about thirty
He climbed the paths lelsnrely, appar.
emily deep in thought. Presently hi
eyes fell on the figure of girl who
was sitting "a few yards up. He recog.
ndzed her Immediately, and a sudden
gleam came into his eyes.
"Too hot for our old friend, Mrs
Cresfeld?" he asked with a laugh
into THE seat beside her
when ds your visit up?"
Beryle made no reply. He glanced
at her and aw THAT her face was
turned towards Europa. He noticed
,velashes were wet with fears
~ am very sorry" he said. IN a
low. sympathettc voice-"if 7 cam b,
II anv usep'
She trrned her beIad and their eve,
met She had only known him ,
week vet a kind Of mutual under
standing had sprung up between them
he seemed different from
most of tbe mem She had melt
81 should nike to helm. if 7 could.'
he said. slowly.
She sbook Nor head
"No one can belnln she said with
DHttne catch nj her voice "Tbere |,
nothIng 40 he dome. we ARE rninedl"
He said notbinc A sudden desir
Ia Nell him her trouble crent over her
IL seemed tn gness wbaIt was IN be,
.houpbts
"perh,ns IL VIM told men b.
,eo,aIn MI 4, ,tone N nars,,asion
The storv came a. HIM rrsdro,,v
T.'r fatber was ano,aoed IN commarc.
Aha haad ~ % frrn - cood ,osit;on
To w,oS relt,G = - I'D o,,d hoJ anln,woa
Nc i,mror MARINER No ATTEND ~ most
n Hbe business Tbem, ono dsr Al.