The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-04-02

died the cards In his box intently and
that bis fingers caressed the top one
ever 50 softly during the instant the
eyes of the rest were on Glenister.
The dealer looked up at last, and Cher
~ saw the gleam of triumph in his
eye. he could not mask 1t from her.
though bis answering words were hesi-
tating. She knew by the look that
Glenister was pauper.
Come on" insisted Roy boarsely;
turn the cards"
You're onw
The girl felt that she was fainting.
She wanted to scream. The triumph
of this moment stihed her-or was it
triumph, after all? She heard the
breath of the little man behind her
rattle as though be 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 weariness In his eyes.
She never forgot that look. The
crowd was frozen in various attitudes
Of eagerneas, although It had not yet
recovered from the suspense Of the
last great wager 1t knew the Midas
and what It meant. Here lay half Of
1t, hidden beneath q tawdry square Of
pasteboard. With madeening delib-
Grafton the Kid dealt the top card. Be-
meath 1t was the trey Of spades. Glen
lister said no word nor made 2 move.
Some one coughed. and It sounded Ike
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
10 .Glsaister. he raised bis eyes blind
ly, and then the deathlike silence Of
the room was shattered by sudden
crash. Cherry Malotte had closed her
check rack violently, at the same in
stant crying shrill and clear:
THAT bet n OF! The. cases are
wrong"
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 oilcIoth table cover. His face
grew livid and cruel, while his eyes
blazed at her till she shrank from him
atfrightedly, bracing herself away from
the table with rigid arms.
Reason came slowly back to Glen
lister and understanding with 1t. He
seemed to awake from nightmare.
He could read all too plainly the gam
bler's look of baff1ed hate as the man
sprawled on the table. his arms spread
wide, his eyes glaring at the covering
woman, who shrank before him like q
rabbit before a snake. She tried to
speak, but choked. Then the dealer
came 10 HluS&ll anu CIlcu hdISbis
through his teeth one word:
Christi
He raised his fist and struck the
table 30 violently that chips and COP
pers leaped and rolled, and Cherry
closed her eyes to lose sight Of bis aw-
ful grimsce. Glenlster looked down on
him and said:
81 think understand, but the money
was yours anyhow, so I don't mind"
His meaning was plain. The Kid sud
denly jerked open the drawer before
him, but Glenister clinched bis right
hand and leaned forward. The miner
could have killed him with blow, for
the gambler was seated and at bis
mercy. The Kid checked himself,
while his face began to twitch as
though the nerves underlying 1t had
broken bondsge and were dancing In
wild, ungovernable orgy.
you have taught me lesson" was
all that Glenister said. and with that
he pushed through the crowd and out
into the cool night air. Overhead the
arctic stars winked at him, and the