The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-09-08
BY E. w. HoRNUNG
"Then Mn come 10 me-

cant you guess" ! cried And for
many seconds we stood staring in each
other eyes.
Have YOU got the pluck" said he
breaking the spell in a tone so cynica
that it brought my last drop of blood
TO the boil
You shall sec" said !. as stepped
back and whipped the pistol from my
oyercoat pocket Now. VIII you let
me pass or shall do it here:'
The barrel touched my temple and
my thumb the trigger Mad with eX-
element as | was. ruined. dishonOred
and now finally determined to make an
end of my miSspent life. my only sur
prise to this day Is thar did not do so
then and there. The de>picable salts
faction of involving another in ones
destruction added its miserable appeal
10 my baser eg1iSm. and had fear or
horror flown To my companions face
] shudder to think | might have died
diaboNcally happy with that look for
my last impous consolation. 1t was
the look that came instead which held
my hand. Neither fear nor horror was
in it, only wonder admiration and
such a measure of pleased expectancy
as caused me after all TO pocket my
revolver with an oath
You devil" l said, Il believe you
wanted me TO do it
Not quite" was the reply, made
yt-iflt q lfffln - Vta al, - IL
or that came too late To tell you the
truth, though. | half thought you
meant it, and l was never more fasci-
mated in my life. never dreamed you
had such stuff in you. Bunny. No. I'm
hanged if let YOU 90 now. And you'd
better not try that game again. for you
won't catch me stand and look on a
second time. We must think of some
way out of the mess. had no idea
you We're chap Of that sort. There.
let me have the gun"
One of his hands fell kindly on my
shoulder. while the other slipped into
my overcoat pocket. and ! suffered him
TO deprive me of my weapon without
murmur. Nor was this simply because
Ratiles had the subtle power of making
himself irresistible ut will. He was
beyond comparison the most maSterful
man whom have ever known vet my
acQuieScencc was due TO more than
the mere subsection of the weaker ma
ture TO the stronger The forlorn hope
which had brought me to the Albany
was turned as by magic into an almost
staggering sense of safety. Rallies
would help me after all A. ]. Rallies
would be my friend. 1t was as though
all the world had come round sudden
ly to my side. So far, therefore, from
resisting his action, caught and clasp
ed his hand with a fervor as uncon-
trollable as the frenzy which had pre-
ceded it.
God bless YOU" / cried Forgive
me for everything I will tell you the
truth did think you might help me
in my extremity. though | well knew
that had no claim upon you Still
for the old schools sake-the sake of
old times-I thought you might give me
another chance. If you wouldn't l
meant TO blow out my brains, and will
still if you change your mind"
In truth | feared that it was chang
ing, with his expression. even as
spoke. and in spite of his kindly tone
and kindlier use of my old school nick
name. His next words showed me my
mistake
What boy it is for jumping to con-
illusions! ! have my vices. Bunny, but
backing and filling is not one of them.
Sit down. my good fellow. and have a
cigarette TO Soothe your nerves. in.
sist Whisky? The worst thing for
you Here's some coffee that was
brewing when you came in. Now
listen to me. You speak of another
chance What do you mean? Anoth-
er chance at baccarat? Not if know
it You think the luck must turn
Suppose it didn't. We should only
have made bad worse. No, my dear
chap, you've plunged enough Do you
put yourself in my hands or do you
not? Very well. then you plunge no
more, and | undertake not to present
my check Unfortunately there are
the other men. and still more unfortu-
n1tely, Bunny, I'm as hard up at this
moment as you are yourself"
1t was my tdrn to stare at Raffies.
"You?" | vociferated You hard up?
How am | to sit here and believe thatT
Did | refuse to believe ii of your"
he returned. smiling And with your
own experience do you think that be-
cause fellow has rooms in this place
and belongs to a club or two and plays
a little cricket he must necessarily
have a balance at the bank? l tell
you my dear man, that at this moment
I'm as hard up as you ever were
have nothing but my wits to live on
absolutely nothing else 1t was as
necessary for me TO win some money
this evening as it was for you. We're
In the same boat. Bunny. We'd better
pull together"
Together" jumped at it. "I'n
do anything in this world for you. Raj
1es." l said, "if you really mean that
you won't give me away Think of
anything you like, and I'll do 1t! l
was desperate man when came
here, and I'm just as desperate now.
] don't mind what | do if only 1 can
get out of this without a scandal"
Again ] see him leaning back ia
one of the luxurious chairs with which
bis room WAS furnished 1 SOC his in