The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-01-03
The Spoilers.
By REX e. BEACH.
=. copyrisht. 1905 Rex E. Beach.
BY REX e. BEACH.

ter'S Ill fortune became as phenomenal
as his winning had been. The girl who
figured in this drama was keyed to the
highest tension, her eyes now on her
counters, now searching the profile of
her victim. Glenister continued to lose
and lose and lose, while the girl gloat-
ed over his swift coming ruin. When
at long intervals he won bet, she
shrank and shivered for fear he might
escape. If only he would risk 1t all
everything he had He would have to
come to her then!
The end was closer than she realized.
The throng hung breathless upon each
move of the players, while there was no
sound but the noise Of shifting chips
and the distant jangle of the orchestra.
The lookout sat far forward upon his,
perch, his hands upon his knees, his
eyes frozen to the board, Il dead cigar
clinched between his teeth. Crowded
/ upon his platform were miners tense
and motiOnless as statues. When q
man spoke or coughed, a score of eyes
stared at him accusingly, then dropped
to the table again.
Glenister took from his clothes bun
die of banknotes so thick that it re-
quired his two hands to compass it.
Onlookers saw that the bills were
mainly yellow. No one spoke while he
counted them rapidly, glanced at the
dealer, who nodded, then slid them
forward till they rested on the king.
He placed copper" ON the pile. A
great sigh Of indrawn breaths swept
through the crowd. The north had
never known a bet like this-it meant
a fortune. Here was q tale for ones
grandchildren-that man should win
Opulence In an evening, then lose it i'll
one deal. This final bet represented
more than many of them had ever
seen at one time before. Its fate lay
on single card.
Cherry Malotte's fingers were like ice
and shook till the buttons of her case
keeper ratified, her heart raced till she
could not breathe, while something rose
up and choked her. If Glenister won
this bet, he would quit. She felt it. If
he lost, ah! what could the Kid there
feel, the man who was playing for a
paltry vengeance, compared to her
whose hope of happiness, Of love, of
life hinged on this wager?
Evidently the Bronco Kid knew what
card lay next below, for he offered her
no sign, and as Glenister leaned back
he slowly and firmly pushed the top
card out of the box. Although this
was the biggest turn of his life, he be-
trayed no tremor. His gesture display
crowd breathed heavily. The king
had not won. Would 1t lose? Every
gaze was welded to the tiny nickeled
box. If the face card lay next beneath
the nine spot, the heaviest wager in
Alaska would have been lost; if it still
remained hidden on the next turn, the
money would be safe for moment.
Slowly the white hand of the dealer
moved back. His middle finger touch
ed the nine of diamonds. 1t slid
smoothly out of the box, and there in
its place frowned the king of clubs. At
last the silence was broken.
Men spoke; some laughed, but in
their laughter was no mirth. 1t was
more like the sound of choking. They
stamped their feet to relieve the grip
of strained muscles. The dealer reach
ed forth and slid the stack of bills into
the drawer at his waist without count
ing. The case keeper passed q shaking
hand over her face, and when 1t came
away she saw blood on her fingers
where she had sunk her teeth into her
lower lip Glenister did not rise. He
sat, heavy browed and sullen, his jaw
thrust forward, his hair low upon his
forehead, his eyes bloodshot and dead.
"I'll sit the hand out IL you'll let me
bet the 'fnger,'" said he.
Certainly" replied the dealer.
When a man requests this privilege,
It means that he will call the amount
Of his wager without producing the
visible stakes, and the dealer may ac-
cept or refuse according to his judg-
ment of the bettor's responsibility. 1t
Is safe, for no man shirks a gambling
debt in the north, and thousands may
go with nod of the head though never
a cent be on the board.
There were still few cards in the
box, and the dealer turned them. pay
ing the three men who played. Glen
lister took no part, but sat bulked over
his end Of the table, glowering from
beneath his shock Of hair.
Cherry was deathly tired. The strain
Of the last hour had been so intense
that she could barely sit In her seat.
yet she was determined to finish the
hand. AS Bronco paused before the
last turn many of the bystanders made
bets. They were the lease players"
who risked money only on the final
pair, thus avoiding the chance of two
cards OF like denomination coming to-
gether. In which event ('splits' 1t Is
called the dealer takes half the mon
ey. The stakes were laid at last and
the deal about to start when Glenister
spoke. "waIt! What's this place
worth. Bronco?'
what do you meanT
"You own this outfitw He waved
his hand about the room. "Well, what
does II stand your
The gambler hesitated an instant,
while the crowd pricked up its ears,
and the girl turned wondering, trou-
bled eyes upon the miner. What would
he do now?