Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-05-20

for a man." cried Grace. IF it's TO
choose, I'd as soon choose Marion"
Plank looked at Leila. who laughed.
"All right; choose, then" said Syl.
via. Howard, you're dying, of course.
TO play with me. but you're looking
very guiltily at Agatha"
The major asked Leila at once, 50
Plank fell to Sylvia. pltted against Ma.
rion and Grace Ferrall
A few moments later the quiet of
the library was broken by the butler
entering with decanters and Ice and
glasses that tinkled .frostily.
Play began at taITe No. / on a pass
ed make of no trumps by Sylvia, and
at the other table on a doubled and re-
doubled heart make, which sent q
delicate flush into Agatha's face and
drove the last vestige OF lingering
thoughtfulness from Quarters, leav-
ing it a tense. pallid and expressionless
mask. out of which looked the velvet
fringed eyes of woman.
OF all the faces there at the two ta-
bles Sylvia's alone had not changed,
neither assuming the gamblers mask
nor the infatuated glare of the anna
teur. She was thoughtful, excited, de-
lighted or dismayed by turns, but al
ways wholesomely so, the game for
its own sake and not the stakes abb
sorbing her. partly because she had
never permitted herself 10 weigh mon
ey and pleasure in the same balance.
but kept mental pair of scales for
each.
AS usual, the fever Of gain was
fiercest I'm those who could afford to
lose most. Quarter, playing to rule
with merciless precision, coldly exact
ed every penalty that lapse in his
opponents permitted. Agatha, her
teeth set in her neither lip, her eyes
like living jewels. answered Quarters
every signal. interpreted every sign,
her play fitting In exactly with his, as
though she were his subconscious self
balancing the perfectly adjusted mech
anism of his body and mind.
Now and then lifting her eyes she
sent a long, limpid glance at Quarter
like a pale shaft OF light, and under
his heavy fringed lashes at moments
his level gaze encountered hers with
a slow narrowing Of lids-as though
there was more than one game In prog
ress, more than one stake being played
for under the dull rose glow OF the
clustered lights.
The collar of diamonds and aqua
marines shimmered like the reflection
Of shadowy lightning across her
throat. A single splendid jewel glow
ed on her left hand as her fingers fash
ed among the cards for the makeup.
"A hundred aces" broke in Plank's
heavy voice as he played the last trick
and picked up the scoring card and
pencil.
Once Marion, overintent, touched
card in the dummy when she should
have played from her own hand, and
Sylvia would have let II pass had not
Plank calmly noted the penalty.
"Oh. dearl It's too much like bust
ness" sighed Sylvia. Cant we play
for the sake of the sport? l don't
think It good sportsmanship to profit
by blunder."
Rule" observed Marion laconically.
"'Ware barbed wire IL you want the
brush"
81 myself never was crazy for the
brush" murmured Sylvia.
Grace whispered maliciously, "But
you've got it, with the mask and
pads" and her mischievous head bare
ly tipped backward in the direction of
Quarter.
Especially the mask" returned Syl-
via under her breath and laid on the
table the last card Of a Marlborough
Toward midnight sylvia. absorbed
In her dummy, fancied she heard the
electric bell ringing at the front door.
Later, having barely made the add,
she was turning to look at the major
when, beyond him. she saw Leroy Nor
timer enter the room, sullen, pasty
skinned. but perfectly sober and well
groomed.
"You are trihe late" observed Syl-
via carelessly. Grace Ferrall and Ma
rion ignored him. Plank babe him
good evening IN low voice.
luc Dtcple Ut tue OtueI ldDle nav
ing completed their rubber, looked
around at Mortimer in disagreeable
surprise.
I'll cut in II you want me. II you
don't, say So" observed Mortimer.
1t was plain that they did not, SO he
settled himself I'm an armchair with an
ugly glance at his wife and an inso-
lent one at Quarter, and the game
went on I'm silence, Leila and the ma
jor still losing heavily under the sheer
ing gaze of Mortimer.
At last, Who's carrying your he
broke out, exasperated. and in the
shocked silence Leila, very white
made a movement to rise, but Quar-
rier laid his long finger across her arm.
pressing her backward.
fro HE coNTrNUED.l
There have developed fOrty-oight