The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-04-23

late. Push IT out OF sight. win your /
can smell H."
Leila set the delicate cup on a table
behind her.
What time did you return this
morningY" she asked. sitting a yawn.
Il don't know-abOut 5 or g. How
the devil should / know what time /
came In"
Sitting there before the mirror OF her
dresser she stole a second glance at his
marred features in the glass. The loose
mouth, the smeared eyes, the palsy
like tremors that twltched the hands
where they frightened on the arms of
his chair. became repulsiye TO the
verge of fascination. She tried TO look
away. but could not
You had better see DR.. Grisby." she
managed to say.
I'D better see you; that's what I'd
better do" he retorted thickly. You'll
do all the doctoring / want. And
want IT. all right"
every Well What is it,"
He passed his swollen hand across
his forehead
what is it," he repeat ID. It's the
limit this time. if you want to know.
I'm all in"
"Roulette?" raising her eyebrows,
without interest.
eyes, roulette too. Everythingl
They got me upstairs at Burbank's.
The games crooked Every box, ey.
cry case, every wheel every pack is
crooked, crooked crooked. by God?'
he burst forth in fever, struggling to
sit upright, his hands always tighten
ing on the arms of the chair. IT'S
nothing but creeping joint, run by a
bunch of handshakers! ZIP
Suffering, choking, stammering i'm
precautions, his hoarse clamor died
away after awhile. She sat there.
head bent, silent, impassiye, acquies-
cent under the physical and mental
strain to which she had never become
thoroughly hardened. How many such
scenes had she Witnessed She could
not count them. They differed yer.
little in detail and not at all In their
ultimate object, which was to gel
what money she hal. This was his
method of reimbursing himself for his
losses.
He made an end to his outburst aft
Or awhile. Only his dreadful fat
breathing now filled the silence and,
supposing he had finished, she found
her voice with an effort:
81 am sorry. 1t comes at a bad
time, as you know
"a bad timer he broke out violently.
SLOW can it come at any other sort of
time? With us all times are bad. If
this is worse than the average 1t can't
be helped. We are In it for keeps
this timer
"We?"
ayes, wew he repeated, but his face
had grown CHASTITY and his uncertain
eyes were fastened on hers in the mir
ror.
''What do you mean-exactly?" she
asked, turning from the dresser to con-
front him.
He made no effort TO answer. An ex-
preston of dull fright was growing
On his visage. as though for the first
time he had begun to realize what had
happened.
She saw it and her heart quickened,
but she spoke disdainfully: well,
am ready to listen-as usual. How
much do you want?''
He made no sign His lower lip
hung loose. His eyes bIinked at her
what is it?' she repeated "What
have you been doing? How much
have you lost? You can't have lost
very much. We hadn't much to lose.
II you have given your note to any of
those gamblers 1t is a shame-a shame!
Leroy, look at me! You promised me,
on your horror, never to do that again.
Have you lied, after all the times
have helped you out, stripped myself,
denied myself, put off tradesmen,
faced down creditors? After all |
have done do you dare come here and
ask for more-ask for what have MOI
got-with rot one bill settled, not one
servant pail since December
ITO be Continued