Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-07

haven't red cent in my pocket. nor |
even decent clothes" he ended
"That' can be partly remedied." said |
Harry after pause. He took a dark |
coat from its hook ard tossed 1t to
him. Put that on he said "You
needn't return IT.
Hugh caught the garment. In an
other moment he Ind exchanged 1t for |
the one he wore and was eErptying the |
old COATS pockets.
Don't sneak said Harry With sud
den contempt. Don't you suppose ]
l1now q deck of cards when ! see it?"
The thin scar on Highs brow red
dened. He thrust into his pocket the
pasteboards he had made an instinc-
tive move TO conceal and buttoned the
coat around him. 1t fitted sufficiently.
Look here. Harry" he began. You
were Il good fellow In the old days
I'm sorry never paid you the money
! borrowed. | would have but for
THAT happened. But you won't go
tack on me now. will You? I want to
get out OF the country and begin over
again somewhere. VIII you loan me
the money to DO IT,"
Hugh was eager and voluble now.
The man to whom he appealed was his
fo.lorn hope. He had come with no
inteation of throwing himself upon his
fathers mercy. He had wished to see
anybody in the world but him.
eff you will. I'll never forget it. Har-
ryv he cried. Never the longest
day | live, I'll use every dollar of 1t
just rs say. will. on my honor-'
Honor he said Have you enough
to swear by? You are what you are
, because you are bad egg You were
| born gentleman, but you choose to
be rogue. Do you know the meaning
| of the word honor or right or justice?
Have you single purpose of mind
| which isn't crooked?"
You're just like the rest. then"
| Hugh retorted. lust because I did
that one thing you'll give me no more
| chance. Yet the first thing did with
that money was to square myself.
! paid every debt of honor had That's
why I'm in the hole now. But get
no credit for it, even from you. I wish
you could put yourself in my place
Harry had been looking steadily at
the sallow face with its hoof print of
the satyr, not seeing II. but hearing
his own voice say to Jessica: II was
! my brothers keeper | see it now"
And out of the distance. it seemed. his
| voice answered.:
Put myself in your place! l wish |
/ could. wish to God couldr' ~
The exclamation was involuntary,
automatic. the cumulative expression
of every throe OF conscience Harry
had endured since then. the voice OF
that remorse that had cried insistentiy
for reparation. DINING in his ears the
fateful question that God asked of
: Cain. Suddenly whiri Of rage seized
. him. unmeasured, savage, malicious.
|. He had despised Hugh. now be hated
hirn-hated him. because he was Jessi-
cas- husband and. more than all. be-
; cause he was the symbol Of his own
self abasenent A daredevil side OF
l the old Satan Sanderson that he had
chained and barred rose up and took
him by the throat He struck the OAK
wGinscoting with his fist, feeling REQ
mist grow before his eyes.
$50 you paid every debt of, honor
you had eb? You acknowledge ,
D gamester's honor. but not the obliga
: ton of right action between man ani
man! Very we'll Give me that pacf
] Of cards. You want money-here I
e ISL
He swiftly turned the clicking com
r 4 A. -
the door and took out two heavy can
vas bags. He snapped the cord from
the neck Of one of these, and a ring
ing stream OF double eagles swcp
2 jingling on the table. He dipped hi
i hand in the yellow pile. A though
mad as the hoofs of runaway horse
was careeniug through his brain. FL
felt an odd lightness of mind. q tens
5 tfngling Of every nerve and muscle
Here is two thousand dollars-your
II you win it-for you shall play for II
you gambler, who pays his debts o
honor and no other! You shall pla
fair and straight. If you never pla
again"
: Hugh gazed ut Harry in startle
way. This was not the ministerial
u Harry Sanderson he had known-thi
. figure with the white. infuriate fact
= the sparkling eyes and the strangt
veiled look. This reminded him of til
= reckless spirit of his college days, tina
: he had patterned after and had stoo
: In awe Of
tt How can 1 play" he said;s "whe
E, you know very well haven't a so
n markee?'
s. Harry stuffed the gold back into tn
e. bag. He snatched the cards ,fror
S. Hugh's hand and a box Of waxen .ef
ID velopei waters from his desk. Their
@ was a strange light in hiseye. a tremo
9. in his fingers.
4 ut Is I who play with money! b
!. said. MY gold against your coiii
. ters!i Each of those hundred redrdisk
- represents q day Of your nfe--a da,
- do you understand ID red. diiy OF you
: sin! A day of yours against doubl
az eagle! What yon wins you keeps. B,
y for every cos,nter. WIN you snail pa
me one straight. white div. cipa