Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-06
BOB HAMPTON OF PLACER.
BY RANDALL PARRISH,
AUTHOR OF WHEN WILDERNESS WAS KING"
Copyright. 1907. by A. c. McClurs

tured to wander from the board. Several
times drinks We're served. but Hampton
contented himself with gulp of water,
always gripping an unl'ghted cigar b.
tween his teeth He was playing now with
apparent recklessness, never hesitating
over a card. his eye as watchful as that
OF hawk, his betting quick, confident
audacious- The contcgion of his spirit
seemed to affect the others, to force the n
into desperate wagers. and thrill the Look
ers-on. The perspiration was beading
Slavin's forehead, and now and then an
oath burst unrestrained, from his hairy
lips. Halves and Willis sat VIII te-face l.
their fingers shaking as they handled ths
fateful cards. but Hampton played without
perceptible tremor, his utterances few AMI
monosyllabic, his calm face betraying not
And he was steadily winning. Occasion
ally some other hand drew in the growing
stock of gold and bank notes, but not
often enough to offset those cont 'nusd
gains that began to heap up in such an
alluring pile upon his portion of the table.
The watchers began to observe this and
gathered more closely about his chair. fas-
cinated by the luck with which the cards
came floating into his hands, the cool
Judgment Of his critical plays, the reckless
abandon with which he forced success.
smoke and electric with ill-repressed ex-
cftement, yet he played on imperturbablv,
apparently hearing nothing. seeing noth-
ing, his entire personality concentrated on
u
finish. The opportunity came in Jackpot
which Halves had opened. The bett ng be-
gan with cool thousand. Then Hamo-
toms turn came. Without drawing his
cards yet lying face downward before him
on the board, his calm features as inn
movable as the Sphinx, he quietly pushed
his whole accumulated pile to the center.
named the sum and leaned back in his
chair his eyes cold, impassive. Halves
threw down his hand, wiping his sire am
ing face with his. handkerchief: Will
counted his remaining roll hesitated.
looked again at the faces of his cards.
flung aside two, drawing to fill, and called
loudly for a showdown, his eyes protrud-
ing. Slavin. cursing fiercely under his rel
picked face instantly Frightening as he
glanced at 1t, went back into his hip
pocket for every cent he had, and added
his profane. demand for a chance at the
money.
A fortune rested on the table, a fortune
the ownership OF which was to be decided
In single moment. and by the movement
OF a hand. The crowd swayed eagerly for
ward, their heads craned over to see more
clearly, their breathing hushed. Willis
was gasping, his whole body quvering;
Slavin was watching Hampton's hands as
cat does mouse. his thick lips parte1.
his fingers twitching nervously. The latter
smiled grimly, his motions deliberate, his
eyes never wavering. Slowly, one by one,
ing to glance downward, his entire man
ner that Of unstuded Indifference. One
two-three. Willis uttered SNAIL Ike
stricken wild beast and sank back in his
chair, his eyes closed. his cheeks CHASTITY.
Four. Slavin brought down his great
clenched fist with a crash on the table,
string Of oaths bursting unrestrained from
his lips. Five. Hampton, never stirring
muscle, sat there like a statue, watching.
His right hand kept hidden beneath the
table, with his left he quietly drew in the
stack of bills and coin, pushing the stuff
heedlessly into the side pocket Of his coat,
his gaze never once wandering from those
stricken faces fronting him. Then he
softly pushed back his chair and stood
erect. Willis never moved. but Slavin rose
unsteadily to his feet, gripping the table
fiercely with both hands.
Gentlemen" said Hampton. gravely.
his clear voice sounding like the sudden
peal of bell, II can only thank you for
your courtesy in this matter and bid you
all goodnight. However before I go it
may be Of some interest for me to say that
1 have played my last game
Somebody laughed sarcastically, a harsh,
hateful laugh. The speaker whirled, took
one step forward; there was the flash of
slavin went crashing backward against
the wall AS he gazed up. dazed and be-
wildered, from the floor. the lights glim-
mered along blue-steel barrel
Hampton spurned him contemptuously
with his steel. This is no variety show
and your laughter was in poor taste. How
ever, If you feel particularly hilarious to-
night I'll give you another chance. 1 slid
this was my last game; I'll repeat it-this
was my last camel Now, - you! if you
feel like 1t. laugh"'
He swept the circle of excited faces, his
eyes glowing like two diamonds, his thin
lips compressed into single straight line
''Mr. Slavn appears to have lost his
calmly. II will now make my statement
for the third time-this was my last game.
Perhaps some of you gentlemen also may
discover this to be amusing
o;,,a1 htvry oe
tionless crowd was his only answer, and a
half smile of bitter contempt curled Hamp-
toms lips as he swept over them last de-
fiant glance
mot quite SO humorous as it seemed to
be at first, reckon he commented, dry
ly. "slavin," and he prodded the red giant
once more with his foot. I'm going out;
II you make any attempt to leave this
room within the next five minutes I'll k IL
you in your tracks, as 1 would a mad dog.
You stacked cards twice tonight, but the
last time 1 beat you fairly at your own
game"
He held aside the heavy curtains with his
left hand and backed slowly out facing
them. the deadly revolver shining om;-
Slavin glowered at him from the floor. an
impotent curse upon his lips. Then the
red drapery fell.
While the shadows of the long night
still hung over the valley. Nadia, tossing
restlessy upon her strange bed within the
humble yellow house at the fork of the
trails was aroused to wakefulness by the
pounding of a horses hoofs on the plank
bridge spanning the creek. She drew aside
the curtain and looked out, shading her
eyes to see clearer through the poor glass.
All she perceived was a somewhat deeper
smudge when the rider swept rapidly past,
horse and man a shapeless shadow. Three
hours later she awoke again, this time to
the full glare Of day, and to the remem-
brance that she was now facing a new
life. AS she lay there thinking. her eyes
troubled but fearless, far away on the sun
kissed uplands Hampton was SQUIRTING for
ward his horse, already beginning to exhibit
signs of WEAKNESS Bent slightly over the
saddle pommel, his eyes upon those snow
capped peaks still showing blurred AMI
distant. he rode steadily on, the only NOV
ing object amid all that wide, desolate
landscape.
(To be Continued Tomorrow