Bisbee daily review., 1903-06-18
THE OUTCOME
 OF A GAME
IOriginall

confess was Sredliy QlSaipolhleh iuut Grace Horton married him instead of me. That bis marriage did not break of our intimacy was due entirely to Otis, who was ignorant of my attach ment for the woman he married, and l could not turn away his invitations to be frequent visitor to his house. Day by day l grew irritated against him.
 Otis had one veal ness-a passion for gambling; not that be visited the regu- lar gambling houses, for he did not. but he played at home. He would gath CT party of friends nearly every night and the play was always very high. This his wife did not know. She was aware that he played for money. but supposed the amounts were trifling Otis gradually collected all sorts of i'm plemen;s for gambling.
 One Saturday afternoon in June as was about to leave my office for halt holiday Otis dropped in and told me that he had bought a roulette table Would 1 go with him and see the ball spin? He insisted I yielded.
 On reaching his house We went tC what he called the looking room. di rested ourselves of our coats and vests. lighted cigars and sat down at the rou lette table. There is something fasci mating in watching the little ball spin rapidly around for awhile, then begin to coquette with the different pockets rolling toward one. striking point and nearly being knocked into another poised for a moment on the edge of third. never settling into its choice til the excitement of the watchers has reached fever heat. Otis was banker He won all the money had about me then 1 began to give him due bills. About o'clock I added these amounts and found that was bankrupt.
 It was plain 10 me that Otis had grown frightened al my large bets. He had a wife and 8 child, and if in stead of the bank having broken me ! had broken the bank 1t would have been terrible. The fires of hell were burning within me. This man had de prived me of the woman upon whom l had set my heart, and now he had talk on every dollar I possessed. As g drowning man will catch at a straw ! ran my hands through my pockets and felt a coin the size of 8 half dollar. /! drew it from it's place and in doing so dropped it. and 1t rolled under lounge I arose to get it.
 Never mind" said Otis. What was it?'
 Fifty cents, believe"
 ''Nery well; it's safe. Make your bet"
 bet on the number giving the high est returns. The ball spun around, dallicd here and there. then dropped into my number. From this on l had an astonishing run of tuck till had won back S1C0 of my losses. I played on. the luck continuing with me. Din ner was announced. but we paid no at tention to it. At II o'clock l had re- gained all l had lost besides a consid- erable sum from Otis. He figured his losses and in a trembling voice an- nOunced that they were $G.000, or near ly Sl,00O more than he could possibly pay. had broken the bank.
 The revenge ! had coveted now that 1t was attained suddenly turned bitter. After the first exciting moment of realization that l had saved what l possessed. won all Otis had and placed him in the position I was in when found the half dollar a revulsion came over me. He was my friend and had never injured me. had loved the girl who was his wife. and bis child was devoted to me. Nevertheless l had ruined hin and ruined his wife and child.
 Otis" I said when lad lost all this afternoon found a half dollar. with which I retrieved everything and broke your bank. IL rolled under that lounge. Go and find it and see what you can do with it. My opinion is that there's rare luck in it''
 He went to the lounge, got down oD the floor. found the piece and brought it to the table. l noticed a curious ex- pression on his face and turned my eyes from it 10 the coin. It had rathes the look of german silver than the true white metal.
 That's no half dollar" said Otis. Its check for something" It was a check for an umbrella that I had carried for week. I had re- gained my fortune and won Otis for tune on a valueless bit of metal. We stood looking at each other while the truth was breaking over us. His for tune was his own, and he was entitled to mine.
 The remembrance of that moment al ways gives me great satisfaction. h. stead of experiencing disappointment felt pleasure. preferred that Otis should possess the money. His wife and child would share it with him. and, as for me. l was young and would dou- ble my efforts to retrieve my losses. There was d crate in the room. and Otis. without speaking. gathering the due bills. both his own and mine, took them there; then. striking match. he lighted them. When they were burned. he cane to me with outstretched hand, saying:
 'Thr games draw. old man, and It's the last game that will ever be piayeI in this house and the last time I'll ever play for money"
 Breaking up his gambling utensils, he stuffed them in the grate, and while they were burning we went down. stairs to a good supper.
 tried hard to induce Otis to take the money that was due him, but failed.