The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-26

4 the sound had come through some tap
estry in a small recess Perhaps the tap
| sstry covered secret door, but there
was no time to investigate. A footmaan
vas waiting to conduct me to my host.
| An interesting party was assembled at
INNER that Is they were interesting to
ne as types Of study. AS conversation
lists they were failures, for the only sub
| lects on which they talked 1uently We're
| cards and horsefiesh.
| l selected my stories accordingly The
guests were apparently familiar with the
customs of Monte Carlo and every BIZ
| :arre gaming place abroad, but / told
them tales of our wild west, of games of
| 'aro and poker that fairly made them
| gasp, aand after dinner they said l must
each them some points in our national
| game of cards.
Sitting opposite to me at the table wasa
broad-shouldered, dark man, whose
eyes, buack and set rather closely to-
sether, never left my face. His lips were
hin and bloodless and his long. rather
lquiline nose had cruel curve about the
lostrils. But what most attracted my at
:ention was his odd trick of drumming all
most constantly with his right hand now
On the table, now on the arm Of his chair,
and now on his square chin. The instant
he spoke l recognized the voice l had
leard in my room. The man was Cap
ain Marchand, an English officer with a
French name. His wife sat at my right, a
handsome woman with a profusion of soft
brown hair and beautiful blue eyes, which
learned in short time were playing
lavoc with the mental peace of a young
elbow named Chadwick He was hand
some, boyish-looking fellow, one of those
,haps who imagine themselves violently
II love with every pretty face they meet.
Mrs Marchand seemed to have caught
ler husbands peculiar trick of beating
hat maddening tattoo with her fingers.
It fairly got on my nerves, but no one
else at the table appeared to notice it.
She had long, slim nervous looking hands,
covered with rings. the kind OF hands one
always associates with an artistic tenn
Permanent, and they were as restless as the
Apologize paws Of Uriah Heep Never
Cor one moment did she keep them still,
but played the DEVILS tattoo with mad
lening persstency.
During the evening was kept busy ex-
planning the intricacies of poker, after
which watched the guests yield to the
fascination of the game. Soon little piles
ST greenbacks and gold appeared and dis
appeared at the various tables. Excite
nent grew apace.
Finally interest conferred at the table
| where Marchand and young Chadwick
played alone. At the beginning the latter
Won, and with triumphant gesture
hauled in his little pile OF gold. The ex-
| Element had brought sparkle to his eye
and daring to his tongue, and he kept
Mrs. Marchand near, declaring that she
brought him luck.
When Chadwick won she clapped her
hands in girlish glee, and once or twice
| { caught cynical smile on Marchand' $
1 Ups Clearly her presence was turning
Shadwick's head; he played recklessly.
"I.ll make 1t s40oO'' exclaimed Mar
4 ,hand.
1 "A hush fell on the room. Then ros Mrs.
1 Marchand's clear, sweet voice. !,
Flow exciting! Oh, Mr.. Chadwick, sc
l .ne better. Make At IS 900 :,
The other guests rose and gathered