The aegis & intelligencer., 1903-01-02

all day, but about S o'clock. when til,
crowd had thinned out. Allen walked
in. He laid 500 bill on the black ant
i'll low voice said: My last dollar
Black | live. Red-wcll. why not,
Chance has decided the fate of fan
greater things
l rolled the wheel. The little ball
rolled around the groove. We both
watched it in breathless silence. Know
ing the man as | did. felt sure his life
hung OH the chance. He had come to
The end OF his rope and staked all. Sud
denly and with Il sharp click the little
ball struck the diamond. bounded and
rolled of. struck again. then glided into
the black, only to be thrown out again,
soll partly around the wheel. then set
tie down, "Twenty-One, red" He had
lost,
For moment he stood there. look
ing straight ahead. then. with laugh,
turned and walked down the stairs.
/ In my life | ha~e played for some
/ pretty high stakes. hut never before
! have rolled the wheel when thought
| human life was ut stake | followed
him. resolved il possible to prevent his
doing himself any harm. The streets
were brilliantly lighted-a procession of
gayly decorated floats was passing. Ev-
cry one was merry. But Allen walked
on, to all appearances unconscious of
his surroundings.
Suddenly squad of mounted officers
dashed up. Stand back they cried.
forcing the people OH to the sidewalk.
By this time L found myself standing
next 10 Allen. Our way was blocked
by the crowd, so we stepped forward
to the curb. Down the street the city
fire department-hoSe cart and all-waS
coming at full speed. making an exh.
bition run.
Suddenly Il slim. girliSh figure dartCd
forward directly in the path Of the OIL
coming team. The next instant Allen
had dashed forward. seized the girl hy
the waist. lifted her bodily and tossed
her full into the arms of the startled
crowd.
One second Allen stood there. Il smile
on his lips. looking square at the on
coming horses.
Jump l cried. but he did not move.
The crowd held its breath. Then the
plunging horses were upon him. When
they picked him up a moment later. Il
mangled. bloody form, he was uncon-
scious, hut still alive.
The following morning the papers
contained Il full account Of the diSas
ter. Allen was still alive. but in Il very
precarious condition. The name of the
young lady was Miss Bcrnicc Arthur.
and Aliens fatal pause after saving
the girl was ascrihcd to mnmcntary
confusion.
Miss Arthur" it WAS further stated,
"had suffered NO injuries and whrE
seen by a reporter was apparently as
we'll as usual. Acting on the impulse
Of the moment. she had started to
cross the street. not seeing the ap-
preaching fire team until so unceremO-
niously hurled from her perilous situl-
tiOn."
On the society page appeared a no.
ticc OF the p0Stponement of Miss Ar
thurs marriage which was to have
taken place the following day. The
reason assigned was the unsettled coli
dition OF Miss Arthur's nerves, due to
her narrow escape.
l visited the hospital, hut could not
see the patient. His life could he
saved, hut he would be Il cripple for
life.
| didn't call again until learned by
the paper that Mr.. Allen was able to
receive visitors Then | was rather
afraid he would not care to see me, hut
he seemed glad to have me there. lie
was sitting propped up in Il chair, look
ing pale and thin, but remarkably hap
py. Around the room were arranged
several bouquets of fresh cut flowers.
The way they were arranged was
what first caught my attention--a
touch here and there that makes the
plainest kind Of Il room take on the
appearance of Il home. and that touch,
sir. can only he given by the hand of Il
loving woman.
We chatted on different unimportant
subjects until l rose to go, when he put
out his hand ana. with II smile. said:
You remember the last bet l made:
Well, | think chance decided in my
favor after all
l didn't know what he meant just
then, hut later as | came down the
stairs, | met Miss Arthur just going
UP. her arms full of flowers. Then |
understood.
Yes, sir: he married her. though most
people say that she married him. At
least. as the story goes. she proposed.
If you're watching out this window
about o'clock. you'll see them drive
by. He can't walk Il step. you know.