The Irish standard., 1907-08-17

continued gains that began to heap up
In such an alluring pile upon his por.
ton of the table. The lookers-on who
had come in began to observe this, and
gathered more closely about his chair,
fascinated 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. Suddenly he forced the fight
to finish. The opportunity came in
q Jackpot which Halves had opened.
The betting began with a cool thou.
sand. Then Hampton's turn came.
Without drawing, his cards yet lying
downward before him on the board,
his calm features as immovable 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
streaming face with his handkerchief:
Willis counted his remaining roll, hest
tated, looked again at the faces of his
cards, flung aside two, drawing to fill,
and called loudly for showdown, his
eyes protruding. Slavin, cursing
fiercely under his red beard, having
drawn one card, his perplexed face in
stantly frightening as he glanced at
it, went back into his hip pocket for
every cent he had, and added his pro-
fame demand for chance at the
money.
A fortune rested on the table, for
tune the ownership of which was to
be decided in a single moment, and by
the movement of a hand. Willis was
gasping, his whole body quivering;
Slavin was watching Hampton's hands
as a cat does a mouse, his thick lips
parted, his fingers twitching nervously
The latter smiled grimly, his motion
deliberate, his eyes never wavering.
Slowly, one by one. he turned up his
cards, never even deigning to glance
downward, his entire manner that of
unstudied indifference. One-two-
three. Willis uttered snarl like a
stricken wild beastt and sank back in
his chair, his eyes closed, his cheeks
CHASTITY. Four. Slavin brought down
his great clenched first with crash
on the table, string of oaths bursting
unrestrained from. his. lips Five.
Hampton, never stirring a muscle, sat
there like 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 wander.
Ing from those stricken faces fronting
him. Then he softly pushed back his
chair and stood erect. Willis never
moved, but Slavin rose unsteadily to
with both hands.
Gentlemen" said Hampton, grave
~, 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 go it may be of some interest
for me to say that have played my
last game"
Somebody laughed sarcastically, a
harsh, hateful laugh. The speaker
whirled, took one step forward: there
was the flash of an extended arm, a
dull crunch. and Red Slavin went
crashing backward against the wall.
AS he gazed up, dazed and bewildered,
from the floor, the lights glimmered
along blue-stecl barrel.
"Not a move, you red BRUTE" and
Hampton spurned him CONTEMPORARY
with his heel. "This is no variety
show, and your laughter was in poor
taste. However, if you feel particu-
larly hilarious tonight I'll give you
another chance. l said this was my
last game; I'll repeat it-this was my
last game! Now, damn you! if you
feel like it, taught"
~ He swept the circle of excited faces,
his eyes glowing like two diamonds.
his thin lips compressed into single
straight line.
"Mr. Slavin appears to have lost his
previous sense Of humor," he re-
marked, calmly. II will now make my
statement for the third time-this was
my last game. Perhaps some of you
gentlemen also nay discover this to
: be amusing"
The heavy, strained breathing of the
motionless crowd was his only answer,
and a half smile of bitter contempt
curled Hamptons lips, as he swept
over them a last defiant glance.
mot quite so humorous as it seemed
to be at first, reckon" he commented,
dryly. "Slavin," and he prodded the
red giant once more with his foot,
I'm going out; if you make any at
tempt to leave this room within the
next five minutes I'll kill you in your
tracks, as l would mad dog. You
stacked cards twice tonight, but the
last time 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 ominously in the other. Not
q man moved Slavin glowered at him
from the floor, an impotent curse upon
Ibis lips. Then the red drapery fell.
While the shadows of the long night