Evening journal., 1907-09-18
Won by Card.
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small fortune, the remains OF large
one, and had lived fashionable life
Air. Iauxhurst was rich.
Miss Bursley's especial interest in
Mr. IIauxhurst was that he INDUCED
her passion for cards. She was an in.
veterate gambler Mr.. nauxhurst be
ing rich, she did not scruple to win his
money, aud he did not object TO her
doing so II she could He iu~ariably
permitted her 20 fix the stake aud TO
decide whether the game should be
heavy or light She always decided
that II should be heavy. She had 9th.
er men friends who gambled, but some
could not afford TO lose, others took lit.
tie interest in the game. while others
were extremely cautious She knew
that If she won the whole of Mr..
Hauxhursts fortune he would lose It
like a man and scorn to blame her.
Perhaps there were times when she
fancled that possibly she might
break the bank" OF his finances and
be rich. Then she would marry Har
ry Hunter, young man whose ambt
ton wus to be a spendthrift and was
only prevented by the want Of funds.
For time her dream Of making her
self rich at 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
lmperturbable smile and asked: "sup-
pose you win all have. What viii you
10 with itT"
Marry a poor man."
'ro pass It on for youT'
She took up a fine hand and was too
Intent upon It to reply. He did not
press her. Indeed, he scanned his owr
cards, then sat looking up at a paint
Ing on the wall. 1t represented the re-
turn or the prodlgal, and he seemed
10 have forgotten the game IN It.
When the hand was played his was a
winner. and It won a large sum.
From that moment the luck changed.
Little by little Miss Bursley's winnings
passed back TO their original owner.
and then there was a steady now of
hurst A woman I'm games Of chance
Invariably becomes a plunRer 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 a wo-
man. Finally there came a 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. IL was
the evening mentioned at the begin
ming OF the story. The game was
two handed bridge whist. Miss Burs-
ley's hands ran well at first, and she
won handsomely. Mt. Hauxhurst
looked ut her with one OF his usual
smiles and remarked:
"If this keeps up you1l yet be able
TO marry your poor man"
Miss Bursley who was dealing. did
not reply and when she had finished
said. without a trump" Mr.. Haux-
hurst doubled" Miss Bursley "went
back" This was kept up tin half Of
what Miss Bursley had left was at
stake on that one hand. Mr.. Haux.
hurst went back" again.
He won five tricks and the rubber.
Then Mr. Hauxhurst. instead OF
recommending caution to his adver-
sary, proposed that they play a single
hand Of euchre for the funds she had
In sight She accepted the terms and
lost.
He was raking in his gains when
Miss Bursley moaned that he had won
her last dollar. Every vestige Of her
property had passed to him.
There is one thing you still pos
sess OF far more value than all you
have lost" he said. still smiling.
She looked at him for an explana-
ton.
Yourself I win play all I have won
from you against that treasure"
Miss Bursley flushed and said:
There are different ways in which
a man may possess a woman"
"Ihe only way would possess you
| - uy iulfIldH Ht.
Miss Bursley was very white. and
her bosom was heaving tumultuousiy.
Gambler-like. she caught at a straw.
She might yet retrieve her losses. II
not, well. then-she was too perturbed
to decide whether the loss Of herself
to her opponent would be a curse or
blessing. The alternative had come
too suddenly.
Deal the cards." she said.
Mr.. Hauxhurst dealt ana she no
ticed that his hand trembled. HIS
nerve seemed to have deserted him.
Miss Bursley scored four points to her
enemys two. Then he scored one,
making his points three. It was Miss
Bursley's deal. She turned a knave.
made the trump hearts and was eu.
chred. she had lost the game and
herself.
Il have been months" said Mr..
Hauxhurst. working up to this point.
But now that have won you without
your consent I give you your choice
either to abide by the result as indicat-
ed by the cards OF take as a gift all I
have won from you. Which shall It
boz"
She sat with averted face consider
ing, while he remained as he was,
gazing at her. intent on hearing her
decision. Perhaps It would have help
ed matters had he spoken a few words
from the heart but he preferred not