The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-02-05
TheSpOilerS.
NJ REX e. BEACH,
Copyright 1905, by Rex h Beach,.


Cherry was deaihly 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, I'm which event c'splits" II Is
called the dealer takes half the mon
ley. The stakes were laid at last and
the deal about TO start when Glenister
spoke. "Wait. What's this place
worth. Rroncof"
what do you mean?"
You own this OUTFIT" He waved
his hand about the room. "Well. what
does 1t stand your"
The gambler hesitated an instant,
while the crowd pricked up Its ears.
and the girl turned wondering. vou-
hled eyes upon the miner. What would
he do now?
Counting bank rolls. fixtures and
all. about $120.OO1. WhyT
I'm pick the ace To lose. my onehalf
interest In the Midas against your
whole layout"
There was an absolute hush while
the realization of this Offer smote the
onlookers. II took time TO realize It.
| This man was insane. There were
three cards to choose from-one would
win. one would lose. and one would
have no action.
or all thuse present only Cherry Ma
,otte OWNED even vaguely the real rea-
son which prompted the man ID do
this. IL was not "gamcness" nor alto
gether a british stubbornness which
would not let him quit II was some
thing deeper. He swas deSolate. and
his heart was gone. Helen was lost 10
Ihim-worse yet. was unworthy-apd
she was all he cared for. What did he
want of the Midas. with its lawsuits.
It's intrigues and its trickery? He was
sick of II all. Of the whole game. and
wanted to get away. If he won, very
well. II he lest. the land of the aurora
would know him no more.
When he put his proposition the
Bronco kid dropped his eyes rs though
lebatinr. The girl saw that lie stu
died the cards IN his box inten,ly and
that his fingers caresscd the top one
ever so softly during the Instant the
eyes OF the rest were Oh Glenlster
The dealer looked M at last, ana Cher
ry saw the glcam of triumph In his
eye. He could not mask II from her.
though his answering words were heSi-
tating. She knew by the look that
Glenister WIS pauper.
Come on" insisted Roy hoarsely;
turn the cards"
You're onr'
The girl felt that she was fainting.
she wanted to scream. The triumph
Of this moment stified her-or was IL
triumph. after all; She heard the
breath of the little man behind her
rattle as though he 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 ruth bend forward. his
ledu lhce SlIulItu anu udTu, III cuu
look OF pain and WEAKNESS In his eyes.
She never forgot that look. The
crowd was frozen IN various attitudes
Of eagerneSs. although It had not yet
recovered from the suspense Of the
last great wager. IL knew the Midas
and what it meant. Here lay half Of
1t. hidden beneath tawdry square Of
pasteboard. With maddening DELHI
Grafton the Kid dealt the top card. Be
meath it was the trey Of spades. Glen
lister said no word nor made n move.
Some one coughed, and it1ounded like
a gunshot. Slowly the dealer's fingers
retraced their way. lie hesitated pur-
posely and leered at the girl. then the
three spot disappeared and beneath Il