West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-12-05

died the cards In his box intently and
that his fingers cnressed the top one
ever 30 softly during the instant the
eyes OF the rest were on Gienister.
The dealer looked Up at last. and Cher
ry saw the CLEAN OF triumph I'm his
eye. He could not mask Il from her,
though his answering words were hesI-
tating. She knew by the look that
Glenister was pauper.
Come on" insisted Roy hoarsely;
turn the cards."
You're onr'
The girl felt that she was fainting.
She wanted to scream. The triumph
Of this moment stIHed her-or was 1t
breath OF the little man behind her
rattle as though he were being throt-
tied and saw the lookout pass a shak-
Ing hand to his chin, then wet his
parched lips. She saw the man she
had helped to ruin bend forward, his
lean face strained and hard. an odd
look OF pain and WEAKNESS In his eyes.
She never forgot that look. The
crowd was frozen I'm various attitudes
Of eagerness. although II had not yet
recovered from the suspense OF the
last great wager. 1t knew the Midas
and what IL meant Here lay half Of
It. hidden beneath a tawdry square OF
pasteboard. With maddening delib-
Grafton the Kid dealt the top card. Be
meath II was the trey of spades. Glen
lister said no word nor made n move.
Some one coughed, and 1t sounded like
q gunshot. Slowly the dealers fingers
retraced their way. He hesitated pur-
posely and leered at the girl. then the
three spot disappeared and beneath 1t
lay the ace as the king had lain on
that other wager. 1t spelled utter ruin
to Glenister. He raised his eyes blind
ly, and then the deathlike silence OF
the room was shattered by a sudden
crash. Cherry Malotte had closed her
check rack violently. at the same in
slant crying shrill and clear:
THAT bet Is or! The cases are
wrongw
Glenister half rose. overturning his
chair; the Kid lunged forward across
the table, and his wonderful hands,
tense and talon-like, thrust themselves
forward as though reaching for the
riches she had snatched away. They
worked and writhed and trembled as
though in dumb fury, the nails sinking
into the ollc;Oth table cover. His face
grew livid and cruel, while his eyes
blazed at her till she shrank from him
affrightedly, bracing herself away from
the table with rigid arms.
Reason came slowly back TO Glen
lister and understanding with IL. He
seemed to awake from q nightmare
He could read all too plainly the gam.
bler's look OF bafIled hate as the man
sprawled on the table. his arms spread
wide, his eyes glarlng at the covering
woman, who shrank before him like a
| rabbit before n snake. She tried to
| speak, but chobed. Then the dealer
came to himself and cried hnrshly
through his teeth one word:
"Christw
He raised his fist and struck the
table so violently that chips and cop
pers leaped and rolled, and Cherry
closed her eyes to lose sight of his aw
full grimace. Glenister looked down Oh
him and said:
'"I think / understand, but the money
was yours anyhow. so don't mind.
! His meaning was plain. The Kid sud
denly jerlxed open the drawer befor,
him, but Glenlster clinched his right
hand and leaned forward. The minel
could have killed him with a blow, fol
the gambler was seated and at hi,
mercy. The Kid checked himself
while his face began TO twItch a.