Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
THE GAMBLER
KATHERINE CECIL THURSTOl@
Author "The Masquerader," Etc.
Copyright 1906 BY rights reserved)

In one hour her castle of imagination had
fallen about her feet, and she had stood, as
1t were. houseless. In that brief space of
time she had realized that she had been in
habting FOOLS paradise. FOOLS para
disc! The name had seemed curfeusly. apt;
and through the long, dark hours of that
hateful night her cheeks had burned as she
recalled how she had peopled her enchanted
realm. while all the time its unconscious
creator had forgotten it's creaton-or re-
membered it only as one self-righteous act
among many. Lady Frances Hope was
right, Deerehurst had been right! Bar
nard had been right! Ideals were mis-
take-things made to be shattered. as hopes
were made to be broken! To live-to live
fully, heedlessly. extravagantly was the
only wisdom. Gore had spoken truly! She
had been a fool. She had been wrong In
supposing that she had debt to work OF;
on the contrary. life was her debtor. 1t
, was she who had score against life!
In this fever of mind she had written the
letters that sent Nance on her interrupted
journey to America: Cancelled her invitation
to her aunt and cousin to stay with her In
England: and set her own feet on the road
to the south. And in the weeks that fol-
lowed the same fever had burned in her
blood. During the preparations for the
Riviera and during the journey to Nice she
had been possessed by n frenzy of energy.
She had craved for incessant action and ex-
cftement with pertinacity that had SEEM
ed Unsuitable.
And in the crowded Casino at Monte Carlo
she had at last attained her object-she had
at last succeeded in losing herself; there,
day after day. night after night she had
sat in the sitting. scented atmosphere. lis
tening to the incessant, significant click Of
gold and silver. watching the artificial light
glarng down upon the hideously artificial
faces pressed In densely packed circles
round the long green tables. The place
had fascinated her with its outward immo-
bility. its hidden of greedy passion 1t
was. she had fiercely told herself life!
After six weeks Lady Frances Hope had
announced her intention of returning home.
But Clodagh had implored her to postpone
her departure for another week and. when
she had laHghingly declared the delay i'm
possible, had announced her own determine
ton to remain on alone-a determination
which no argument of her companions had
been powerful enough to alter.
And now, after nearly eight weeks spent
between Monte Carlo and Nice, she was re-
turning to take up her residence in Lon
don fiat chosen for her by Lady Frances
Hope.
Her brain felt feverishly active as the
cab. having skirted the park ratings from
Hyde Park Corner to Knghtsbridge, turn
ed into the square courtyard belonging to
the large. quiet building where she was to
find her home.
Descending quickly from the cab, she en-
tered the big doorway and glanced curious
ly at her new surroundings. The vestibule
was imposing, but a little lonely. And al
though the hall porter came almost imme-
diately to her assistance, and listened at
tcutiNcly u Tic luIOTIIldClOn tndl Sne was
the new tenant OF the second-1oor fiat, and
that her maid and her luggage were fol-
lowing in another cab. his lmpersonal air
daunted her. She was annoyed-and almost
frightened-by the sudden. poignant desire
that assailed her to see even one familiar
face.
However, she listened in her own turn
to the polite assurance that all was in
readiness for her. arrival; and in due course
she passed sedately to the lift and was
borne upward.
AS she stepped out upon the richly car
peted passage that led to her own door, she
looked around in the half-formed expecta-
ton that Lady Frances Hope might be
waiting her outside her own rooms; but al
most at once she dismissed the idea. Eng
lish people were not demonstrativel She
would find Lady Frances waiting for her
beside cozy tea table-or bright fire!
With the haste of anticipation she crossed
the corridor and pressed the bell of her
hall door.
There was slight delay before the sum-