The Grit-advocate., 1905-03-10

risen and was trying ta calculate
something. She had q most pathetic
face, and her arms were neld out in
appeal toward me. She was wayworn
and weary, and the moisture was ris.
ing from her clothes in cloud.
Blessed sir" at last she gasped
how could he have been at the meet.
ing of the Covenanters in Lyme, When
he was playing at the Dukes theaeer
in London?"
20, so we say, baggage" brusquely
said the man. We'll give ye an op.
pcrtunity to prove your words: those
lips will not rebuff then"
The prisoner had been silent for
time, but at the mention of the Dukes
theater he began to rave, to mutter.
and to sigh.
/ hardened myself to it all for the
time, even the piteous look ON the
woman's face
Gil moved from where he was
standing near my chair over to where
the woman and prisoner sat. lie
posed for cynic. yet would drop be-
fore the fire from pretty womans
eye, sooner than any man that l knew,
and became weak as water, and
smooth as table oil He leaned over
the back of the bench on which they
crouched with outspread hands over
the blaze. and began to talk to the
woman. She turned her body around,
SO that what she was saying in q
whisper should not be understood
from the motion of her lips by the
other occupants of the room. Such
exclamations as "'Sdeath. Pox me,
Zounds," etcetera, fell from Gil's lips.
He was deeply moved. l trembled
for my plans.
The constable for one. was not en-.
joying this. With his men it was diff
ferent from the laughter and insinuat.
ing looks which they bestowed upon
the trio. 1t reached it's climax when
the woman in her eagerness laid her
hand on Gils arm. She'll take up
with him quick enough" one of them
said in loud aside, at which they all
burst into what would have been a
longer and perhaps louder laugh If
Gil had not quickly jerked his sword
from it's scabbard, throwing off the
woman's hand.
He twirled it rapidly in the air,
cen over the heads of the twain he
was championing, and dared the fell
low to repeat his remark. There was
silence among the men.
Many a fellow has bit the dust for
less," Gil said menacingly as he slid
his sword back with rattling sound.
called for yet more wine, and
again the constable did justice to it.
He took from his pocket his dice and
ratified them persuasively.
"Ye play?" he asked.
why not?"I replied, sitting a
yawn. "The sky yet remains dark;
it will be hours before the rain stops
if at all today"
Now throughout the room was
heard the rattle, rattle of the dice as
they fell upon the deal boards Of the
table, for Gil had also seated himself
apparently on amicable terms with
the other fellows, and they had begun
TO game likewise Frequent curses al
ternated with the fall of the dice
they did not come from Gil-and told
who was the loser. The air was dense
from the smoke from Gil's pipe, for
he was an inveterate smoker, and had
suffered considerably from the habit
when it first fastened its hold upon
him; gone hungry, been imprisoned,
and came near to having had his ears
cut off; yet nothing could make him
give it up.
Dice throwing had been Gil's part
in my education, as l said before, and
although 1 was no rake to waste my
patrimony in play with such scum,
still I humored the man and let him
win my money, while l kept his glass
filled. After awhile he became maud.
lin and raved and cursed whenever
won, which was SO seldom that his
face had leering, cunning look. as
one who plays deep game. and finds
him successful in it.
Ito be continued)
Poverty and Politeness.