Putnam patriot., 1910-02-18

u III him tenderly, and ne
smiled back abstractedly. as man
sometimes will when his mind tries to
gather Id comprehensiveiy thought
and Il picture which are totally differ
emit Before him In neat little iustrous
stacks stood 7.ooo francs In gold. $50
francs. Sl.400. more than half the
sum of his letter of credit.
He counted off ten coins and placed
them on the second dozen. The ball
rolled into No %. He leaned back
again with a second sigh. and the pref
ty woman smiled a second smile and
the wooden rake pushed the beautiful
system one bet in every three turns
of the wheel In stakes of $40 and $50.
TO be sure. he lost now and then, but
the next play he doubled and retrieved.
Oh. the American Comic Opera COM
pany should be well taken care of!
Two more bets and then he would
pocket his winnings and so. He laid
20 francs on No. 20 and 400 on black.
leaned upon his elbows and studied the
pretty woman. who smiled. Ii she
spoke Eugiish-he scribIbled the Ques-
ton ON a scrip Of paper and pushed II
across the table, biusht1g q little az
- did 90. She read b. or at least
she tried TO read II. and sheok her head
With the ar of one deeHly puzzled.
He sighed again. rejecting that there
might have been q pleasant adventure
huA h. T.
Twenty-six. tAack and even!
Meevihew slid back his chair and
rose. He swept up the gold BY the
handful and poured II into his pockets.
casually and unconcernedly. as Il this
was an everyday Affair." and Of minor
importance But ~ . matter Of fact
bis heart was beating fast. and there
was 4 wild desire 10 his throat to yell
with delight. Eighties hundred dol
hrs. 1900 francs! A merry music they
made In his pockete-jingle. Jingle.
iinglel And then be saw Hillard COM
ing across the ball. Instantly he
forced the Joy from bis face and eyes
and dropped his chin In bis collar. He
became In that moment the picture Of
desolation.
"Is It all overy' asked billiard grave
".
"Ali overr mopotonously.
Come over 10 the cafe. then. I've
something important to tell you"
Found themT with rousing interest
~ shall tell you only when we get
out OF this place Come"
Hillard put ont friendly hand.
Il am sorry. boy. wanted you
win something. Cheer up! W
shake the dust OF this place In
morning"
..Oh. for a vacant lot and a good
whooper-up, Feelr' cried Merrins
touching his side pockets
"What is itF'' asked Hiiiard.
What is IT? 1t is 45o napoleonsw
"What?' sharply. even doubtfully.
That's what. Eighteen hundred
dollars. My system will have no
funeral tonight"
He caught Hillard by the sleeve and
fairly ran him over to the cafe
Nearly two thousand" murmured
Hiliard "weil. of all the luck.s
1T does seem too good TO be trne
say. what's the matter with your
iravatT
Hillard looked down at the fiutter-
Ing end and reknotted 1t carelessly.
II saw Kitty tonight" he said
To Merrihew II seemed that all the
rlatter about him had died away sud
denly. He brsathed deeply. Where II
sher
III explain what has happened."
Aerrfhew listened eagerly.
And why did you bother about the
ltalianr be interrupted why di1n't
you bold on to KittyY
4 confess II was stupid Of me. but
the gentleman with the scar was IN
suknown quantity Besides Why
shouid Kitty run away from No Of al
perDoos1 And why. when ] spoke to
them In the casino. did they ignore
me completeiyy
"Irs your COMPOUNDED prima donna
She's 1t the bottom Of Ill this. take
ny word for It something's desper
ately wrong Persons do cot wear
masks and hide 10 this manner just
tor . lark Why didn't you knock him
DOWN.
Il wanted to. but II wasn't the psy-
Geological moment You can't knock
q man down when he practically sur
renders--
You're too particular. But what's
the matter with Kitty! don't under
~AMA.>- 49,