The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-11-19

"ThIs Is What | Want"
small fortune because of that card, -
difidently
Poker"
Yes. Why Will man try to I'LL
royal flush? The man next to me
drew the ten or hearts, the very card
l needed. The sight Of it always I'M
nerves me. l beg your pardon"
"Oh, that's all right" said I, won
dering how many more lies he had up
his sleeve.
And there's still another reason. /
saw man put six bullets into the
two central spots, and an hour later
the seventh bullet snuffed the candle
OF a friend of mine. / am from the
west"
II can sympathize with you" I re-
turned. After all that trouble, the
sight of the card must have given you
q shook"
Then I slowed away the fatal card
and took up my bundle and change. I
have in my own time tried to ali royal
Pushes, and the disappointment still
The element of chance is the most
fascinating thing there is" the
stranger from the west volunteered.
so it IS" I recalled, suddenly re-
calling that was soon to put my trust
in the hands OF that very tickle god
dess
He nodded and returned to his revol-
4 7 IS
hailed a cab, and drove up town to
my apartments IN Riverside It was
eight o'clock by my watch Ileaned
back against the cushions, Eliminating
There seemed to be something goirC
on that night; the ten OF hearts was
acquiring a mystifying, not TO say sim
lister aspect. First it had alarmed the
girl in Mouquin's. and now this
stranger in the curio-shop. l was con-
fident that the latter had lied in re-
gard to his explanations. The card
had startled him, but his reasons were
altogether OF transparent thinness. A
man never likes to confess that he is
unlucky at cards; there is q certain
pride in lying about the enormous
full draws you have made l frowned.
1t was not possible for me to figure
out what his interest in the card was.
II he was q westeTner, his buying a
pistol IN a pawnshop was at once dis
robed Of its mystery; but the incon-
sistent elegance of his evening clothes
doubled my suspicious. Bah! What
waa +ha uCa ~ 4rO.xhI;1x v1xnoSe ~~s4L
this strangers affairs He would never
cross my path again.
IN reasonable time the cab drew up
in front Of my apartments. dressed.
donned my Capuchins robe and took
look at myself in the pier glass
Then / unwrapped the package and
put on the mask The whole made s.
capital outfit and I was vastly pleased
with myself This was going to be
such an adventure as one reads about
| IN the ancient numbers of Black
woods ] slipped the robe and mask
into my suitcase and lighted my pipe
| During great moments like this. a
man gathers courage and confidence
| from 3 pipefUl Of tobacco. I dropped
INV Q SOt4A1A NeAbAS A&AO4tAS, touched Lu9
gas logs. and fell into a pleasant
dream 1t was not necessary for me
to start for the Twenty third street
ferry till nine; so l had something
like three-auarters OF an hour to idle
away. What beautiful hair
/ that girl hadl 1t was like sunshine,
/ the silk OF corn, the yield Of the har-
vest And the marvellous abundance
Of it. II was true that she was an
artists model; it was equally true
! that she had committed a mild impro-
priety in addressing me as she had;
but, for all could see, she was a girl
of delicate breeding. doubtless one Of
the many whose family fortunes, or
misfortunes. forced them to earn q liv-
ing. And it is no disgrace these days
TO pose as an artists model. The
classic oils, nowadays. call only for eI-
I quisite creations in gowns and hats:
! mythology was exhausted by the old
masters. Rome, Paris, London; pos
sibly a bohemian existence in these
cities accounted for her ease in strik-