The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-10-14
CENTR
GAMBLER
By.........
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
2 Copyright, 1903, by T. c Mcclure e
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

nat puts inc Out ltHuIhtu me
lean Yankee from the Cross Triangle
outfit The third man. Davies. MS he
called himself. raped the table with
his knuckles lndlffcrently. lie WAS
ahead of the game and could afford to
lose the pot
There remained old man Lorry To
him Gentry looked with surprising In
soueaneo Having dealt the cards, the
gambler Was disturbed by no doubts as
To Lorly' ) action He would raise and
promptly Lolfy had cut before the
deal, il is true. but Gentry had reversed
the eat adroltly, unobtrusiyey.
Nevertheless. Ia the gamblers sur
prise. Lorry WIS uncommonly slow
lie vueilhted mentally between eau
ton and rupidity; his weak, red rim
med eyes shone feyerishly behind the
iron bound glasses. and he chewed
ncrVonsly upon one end of his ragged
tobacco stained mustaehe. Finally he
slammed his hand upon the table.
Gentry arohcd his brows inquiringly
OUT" he asked. motioning toward
the discard
Old man Lorts swore abandonedly
"Nnw@ he replied See yer twenty
an go Yer Il hundred better"
From the interior OF his shirt he pro
auecd "A roll of bills which the gambler
appraised with amazemcnt lie had
not thought 10 find such rich prey
Lorry. conscious that he was creating
sensation threw two bills upon the
table with I'm air.
"Stc1dy, pop" cautioned llenly, pro
prlctor of the saloon.
"Mind yer own business" responded
old man Lorty sharply
and five hundred better" Gentry
remarked softly
An five hundred"
again"
Iorry glanced delinntly about the Ia
bile. Henly had turned his back As
for the rest, startled cut of their com
posure by this abrupt change In the
compleNion of the game they watched
breathlessly
"Gall YER exclaimed the old man,
leIusfsine the remainder of his for
tune in the pot
an oath ~ Gentry displayed his cards,
Better n my kings up an jacks lie
broke off. staring blankly AT the gam
bier as he calmly rakcd in his spells
and passed the cards to Dugan. The
latter shool, his head. with an air of
hnality
"Nope." he said NO more for me"
"None in mine" agreed the lean Yam
kee briefly. and Davies nodded assent
TO the Judgment of the others
Lorry Stumbled displritedly toward
the bar "Ginllir some ski. Billy" he
demanded
Gentry arose and placed fifty in the
bartondcr's hnnds You can pay for
the drinks out of thut I'm going To
take II little walk to cool of. See you
later. gentlemen" He paused on the
threshold, but none answered him, and
he passed on ont into the infinite silent
peace of the mountain night
He walked II few steps along the
apology for II rond which formed the
main street of the half deserted mining
village then halted suddenly
"Old fool" he muttcred inpntiently,
comforting himself against the thought
of the WRONG he had done old man
Lorry lie should have known bet
ter Well. what's his loss Is my gain.
II hadn't got II some other fellow
would
Gentry lighted cigar. stuck his
hands in his trousers pockets jauntily
"A nj 10 Ixy'.
But he did not stop there Through its
open windows fragments of an argu-
nient nontcd 10 his ears. punctuated
with old man Iorry's voice bleating
that he had been shorn. That was
quite trle, but the gambler did not
wish to discuss the question with him
since of necessity 1t would mean even
tual bloodshed He stepped quickly past
the fan of light which the doorway
threw across the road aud began an
ascent of the mountain trail He would
return ere long, when things We're
queted. saddle his horse and ride on
to the next camp.
The night air was warm and sooth-
ing with the balm of the pine scent.
III
broad arched, brilliant sky, fretted with
bright stars. hut from these he kept
his face His thoughts were too near
10 the earth for contemplation of the
ornament AZ he left the struggling
village behind him he entered upon a
great sweet solitude whose essence was
in the mystery Of night upon the noun
al ..ln .trIu
forest aisle empty. dusty, now white
in the glare OF the heavens. now black
ly Swallowed by massed pines, through
whose interstices the starlight fell.
Presently the gambler came upon
little clearing In which, set at IA dis
lance back from tue road and sur
rounded by dilupidated picket fence,
Was II small cabin, vine clad. Its win
dows shone dimly with yellow lamp
lihht. this although the hour was
past midnight. AS he stopped. putting
spceulaively upon his cigar. voice
linked him n feminine voice. singular
~ rich in intonation and clear and at
that he made out slender figure sway
ing upon the gate of the fence. He
tossed away his smoke. removed his
SLOUGH hat and approached.
Good evening" he said courteously
''Howdy. stranger, BE you frou
Hammels. down yonderf"
Gentry failed to repress a start The
uncouthness Of the words. the strong
touch OF dialect was 40 distinctly out
OF keeping with what the beauty OF
the girls voice had led him to expect
And now that he could see her, there
was positiv. refinement Of feature In
the face, wholly charming. upturned to
him.
Yes" he answered her.
The girl regarded him with uncon-
cealed curiosity. An what might be
yer name, strangerT'
Mason" lie He'd without wondering
why he should lie, lacking a reason
"Oh," she sighed. with evident re-
lief II didn't know from yer style,