Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-29
Won by Card.

|
fOiginnIl
| Miss Bui7'!cy ST; In the library of
her residence at II card table opposite
Mr.. IIauxhurst. They were both
young. hundsomc and TO the manner
born. Miss Burslcy had Inherited a
small fortune, the remains of II largo
one, and had lived n fashionable life.
Mr.. IIauxhurst was rich.
| Miss Burslcy's especial interest I'm
Mr.. IIauNhurst was that he iudulged
her passion for cards. She was nm In
yeterntc gambler. Mr.. IInuNhurst be-
Ing rich. she did not scruplc TO win his
money, and he did not object to her
doing so IL she could. lie Invariably
permitted her TO fix the stake and to
decide whether the game should be
heavy or light. She always decided
that II should be heavy. She had 9th.
or men friends who gamblcd, but some
could not afford to lose, others took 1T
tie Interest In the game, while others
were extremely cautious. She knew
that IL she won the whole of Mr.
Hauxhurst's fortune he would lose II
like II man and scorn to blame her.
Perhaps there We're times when she
fancied that possibly sho might
break the bank" of his finances nnd
be rich Then she would marry Har.
ry Hunter. young man whose nmbi-
ton was TO be spendthrlft and was
only prevented by the want OF funds.
For time her dream of making her
self rich Mt Mr.. Hauxhurst's expense
seemed of possible realization. Slow
ly his money was passing from his
bank TO hers. One evening when she
Ind won from him II larger amount
than usual lic looked Mt her with his
imperturbable smile and asked: Sup
pose YOU win all have. What will you
do with it,"
Marry poor man."
ITO piss II on for your
She took up n fine hand and was too
Intent upon It to reply. He did not
press her. Indeed, he scanned his own
cards. then sat looking up at n paint.
Ing on the wall 1t represented the no.
turn OF the prodlgal and he seemed
to have forgotten the game In It.
When the hand was played his was a
winner, and II won large sum.
From that moment the luck changed.
Little by little Miss Bursley's winnings
passed back TO their original owner.
and then there wns steady flow of
her own possessions toward Mr. unux-
hurst. a woman In games of chance
invariably becomes n plunger. The
more Miss Dursley lost the higher she
liked the strikes and the wilder she
played. Mr.. IInuXhurst sat before her
languidly dealing the cnrds, apparent
~ neither pleased nor tlIsplensed TO be
winning such large sums from n wo-
man. Finally there came n time when
Miss Bursley knew that at the rate she
was losing one more evening would
put the whole of her estate into the
hands of Mr.. Hauxhurst.
That evening had arrived. It wns
the evening mentioned Mt the begin.
ming of the story. The gnme was
two handed bridge whist. Miss Burs-
ley's hands ran well at first and she
won handsomely. Mr.. Hauxhurst
looked at her with one of his usual
smiles and remarked:
"If this keeps up you'll yet be able
to marry your poor man."
MISS Bursley, who wns dealing. did
not reply and when she had finished
said. without trump" Mr.. Hnux-
hurst doubled" Mlsa Bursley event
back" This was kept up till half of
what Miss Bursiey had left was Mt
stake on that one hand. Mr.. Haux-
hurst went back" again.
He won five tricks and the rubber.
Then Mfr. Hauxhurst, instead OF
recommending caution to his adyer-
sary. proposed that they play single
hand of euchre for the funds she Ind
In sight. She accepted the terms and
lost.
he was rnking In his gains when
MISS Burslcy moaned that he had won
her last dollar. Every vestigc of her
property had passed to him.
There Is one thing You still nos.
sess OF far more value than nj, Won
have lost" he said, still smiling
She looked MT him for an expiann-
ton.
Yourself. I Will play all have won
from you against that treasure"
Miss Bursley flushed and said:
There are different ways I'm which
man may possess woman"
THE only way would possess you
is by marriage"
Miss Bursley was very white, and
her bosom was heaving tumultuouslv
Gnmbler-like. she caught at n straw.
She might yet retrieve her losses. IF
not. well. then-she was too perturbed
TO decide whether the loss of herself
to her opponent would be n curse or
blessing. The alternative had come
too suddenly.
Deal the cards." she said.
Mfr. Hnuxhurst dealt. and she no.
ticed that his hand trembled. His
nerve seemed to have deserted him.
| kIIss RIi1.cla,. sna..ad fe....