Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-11
THE GAMBLER
KATHERINE CECIL THURSTON,
by atherne Thuston right eerved)

the new beauty that nature had painted
upon her face lay an intangible, poig-
nantly suggested regret for the girlhood
| that had been denied her.
AS she stepped out upon the terrace she
paused for a moment, and her eyes trav-
eled mechanically over. Florence-warm,
beautiful. inert. Then, with the same unin-
| terested calm. she turned slowly toward the
breakfast table; but there her glance
frightened. H..
"Oh, letters!' she said, aloud, and with
| an impulsive movement she hurried for
ward, letting her elaborate muslin dress
trail unheeded behind her.
Scarcely seeing the profound bow with
which the man servant greeted her, she
picked up the letters and scanned them one
by one. Then, as she disappointedly threw
the last back upon the table, she half
turned in acknowledgment of measured
step that came across the terrace from the
direction of the house. At the same mo-
ment Mick pricked up his ears and slowly
wagged his tall, while the Italian servant
bent his body in fresh salutation.
Milbanke-for his was the second step
that had disturbed the silence-came for
ward without haste. Reaching the table,
he took Clodagh's left hand and pressed It,;
then he stopped methodically and patted the
dogs head.
Good morning. he said gravely Are
there any letters?"
Yes: four. and all for you-as usual"
He smiled. unobservant of the slightly
tired irritability Of Clodagh's tone.
All, lHUecu. ne SalQ. mat Is peasant.
Is there one from Sicily? scarpio promised
| to let me have the latest details of the great
work"
He took up the four letters and carefully
studied the envelopes. AS he came to the
| last his thin face became animated.
'Ah. this Is satisfactory" he exclaimed.
Il knew he would not fail me. What won
derful-what fascinating work it must be!'
He tore the envelope open and began to
| peruse the letter.
| While he scanned the opening lines Clo-
| dagh watched him absently; but as the first
| page futtered between his fingers she gave
4 and. moving round the table, sank into the
seat that the servant drew forward for her.
| Then. with an uninterested gesture. she
| poured out two cups Of coffee.
For a while there was silence, save for
| the turning of the letter in its recipient s
hand. the occasional snap of Mick's teeth
as he attempted to catch fly and the thou
sand impersonal sounds of lazy outdoor
life that rose about them. At last MiLbanke
| looked up, his face unged with mild ex-
! element
This discovery is very remarkable" he
| said. Sicily will obtain a new Importance -
Clodagh smiled family.
I'm the antiquarian's eyes," she said, with
| unconscious irony. There was no bitter
| ness and no Impotence in her voice. She
| spoke IL stating fact that long famil-
iarity had rendered absolutely barren.
Looking back over the four years of hel
| marriage, 1t seemed to her that life had
been one round of archaeological discover.
| ing-all timed - take place at the wrong
| season. She wildly remembered the first
| of these events-the discovery of some SUBJ
| terranean passages in the neighborhood OF
| Carrara, which had taken place two months
| after their arrival In Italy, while life YET
| retained something of the dark, vague sem
| blance usually associated with a nightmare
Still desperately homesick and unreasonably
| miserable in her new position, she ha6
| eagerly grasped at Milbanke's suggestion
| that they should visit the scene of these ex
| cavations. But with this first essay her In
| terest in discoveries had taken permanent
| flight.
The heat had been tremendous. the coun.
try parched and unsympathetic. the associa
lions terribly uncongenial. She remembered
the first morning when she and Nance
sitting In their black dresses. had by taci
| consent stolen away from the party of fell
low-enthusiasts to which Milbanke had at