Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-24
DAILY STORY
WON BY CARD.

[OriginaLl
Miss BursIcy sat in the library of
Ter residence ut card table opposite
Mr.. Hauxhulst. They were both
young. handsome and to the manner
born. Miss Bursley had inherited a
small fortune, the remains of large
one, and had lived fashionable life.
Mr.. HauxhurSt was rich.
Miss Bursley's especial interest in
Mr.. HauXhurst was that he INDUCED
her passion for cards. She was an in
veterate gambler. Mr. HauXhurSt be-
ing rich, she did not Scruple to win his
money, and he did not object to her
doing so if she could. He invariably
permitted her to fix the stake and to
decide whether the game should be
, heavy or light. She always decided
| that it should be heavy. She had 9th
| er men friends who gamblcd, but some
could not afford to lose, others took lit
| tie interest in the game. while others
We're extremely cautious. She knew
| that if she won the whole of Mr..
| HauXhurSt'S fortune he would lose it
| like a man and scorn to blame her.
| Perhaps there were times when she
| fancied that possibly she might
break the bank" of his finances and
| be rich. Then she would marry Har-
~ Hunter, Il young man whose ambi-
| ton was to be IL Spendthrift and was
| only prevented by the want of funds.
| For Il time her dream of making her
| self rich ut Mr.. HauXhUrSt's expense
seemed of possible realization. Slow
| ly his money was passing from his
| bank to hers. One evening when she
had won from him a larger amount
than usual he looked at her with his
imperturbaDie smile and asked: Sup
| pose you win all have. What will you
do with it,"
/ Marry poor man"
ITO pass it on for yOu?"
| She took up 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 Il paint
ing on the wall. 1t represented the re
turn of the prodigal, and he seemed
TO have forgotten the game in IT.
| When the hand was played his was a
|
From that moment the luck changed
Little by little Miss Bursley's winning.
| passed back to their original owner.
and then there was Il steady flow of
her own possessions toward Mr.. Haux-
hurst. A woman in games of chance
invariably becomes a plunger. The
more Miss BurSley lost the higher she
fixed the stakes and the wilder she
played. Mr.. Hauxhurst sat before her
languidly dealing the cards. apparent.
ly neither pleased nor displeased to be
winning such large sums from Il wO
man. Finally there came time when
Miss BurSley knew that at the rate she
was losing one more evening wouId
put the whole of her estate into the
hands of Mr.. HauXhurst.
That evening had arrived. It was
the evening mentioned at the begin
ming of the story. The game wa:
two handed bridge whist Miss Burs
ley's hands ran well at first. and she
won handsomely. Mr.. Hauxhurs
looked Mt her with one of his usua
smiles and remarked:
IF this keeps up You'll yet be abb,
to marry your poor man."
Miss Bursley, who was dealing. die
not reply and when she had finished
said, without a trump" Mr.. Haux
hurst doubled" Miss Bursley ''wen
back" This was kept up till half o
what Miss Bursley had left was Il
stake on that one hand. Mr.. Uaux
hurst went back" again.
He won five tricks and the rubber.
Then Mr.. HauXhurst. instead o
recommending caution to his adver
sary. proposed that they play a singl,
hand Of euchre for the funds she hat
in sight. She accepted the terms ant
lost.
! He was ralling in his gains whel
, Miss Bursley moaned. that he. had wo,