Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-09-08

MrOdt!"
angel. Tell your Kitty to strike for a
return ticket to America before she
leaves"
You think it's as bad as that?"
look on me as a prophet of evil. if
you like, but truthful"
"Ill see that Kitty gets her ticket"
Merrihew snapped the cas- Of his
watch and drew his legs from under
the table. Il lost a hundred last night
too"
after that l suppose nothing worse
can happen said Hillard cheerily.
You will play. for all my advice"
It's better to give than receive
that" replied Merrihew philosophical,
ly. 1--WE u good mind to follow the
company. I've always had a banker.
ing to beat it up at Monte Carlo. A
last throw. eh? Win or lose and quit.
l might win"
"And then again you mightn't. But
the next time l go to Italy I want YOU
to go with me. You're good company,
and for the pleasure Of listening to
your jokes I'll gladly foot the bills, and
you may gamble your letter of credit
to your hearts content. must be off,
Who is riding the Sandfords' black?"
Haven't noticed. What do you
think Of Kitty"
Charming"
"And the photo isn't q marker"
POSSIBLY not"
lord, if 1 could only hibernate fol
three months like a bear! My capital
might then readjust itself if left alone
that length of time"
See you at the club tonight," laugh
cd Hillard.
They nodded pleasantly and took
teir separate ways. Merrihew stood
'ery high in Hillard's regard. He was
a lovable fellow, and there was some.
thing kindred in his soul and Hillard's
possibly the spirit of romance. What
drew them together perhaps more thar
anything else was their mutual love
Of outdoor pleasures. Take two mer
and put them on good horses, send
them forth into the wilds to face al
Inconvenience. and if they are not
fast friends at the end of the journey
they never will be.
Fol all his aversion to cards there
was a bit Of the gamester in Hillard
as once in his office he decided on the
fall Of a coin not to withdraw his per
sonal from the paper. He was quite
positive that he would never hear that
voice again; but, having thrown his
dice. he would let them lie.
Now, at II o'clock that same morn
ing two distinguished Italians sat
down to breakfast in one Of the fash.
ionable hotels. The one nor the other
had I've heard Of Hillard. They did
not even know that such a person ex.
listed, and yet serenely unconscious
one was casting his life line, as the
palmist would say, across Hillard's.
The knots and tangles were to come
later.
1.-THE coffee in this country is abom-
Unable" growled one.
The waiter smiled ~covertly behind
his hand. These Italians and these
Germans! Why, there is only one
place in the world where both the arc
ma and the flavor of coffee are pre-
served, and it is not. decidedly not, in
Italy or Germany. And if his tip ex-
ceeded 10 cents he would be vastly
surprised. The italian lever wastes
on necessities a penny which can be
applied to the gaming tables. And
these two were talking about Monte
Carlo and Ostend.
The younger Of the two was a very
handsome man, tall, slender and nerv-
GUS, the Venetian type, his black eyes,
keen and rowing, suggesting a hasty
temper. The mouth. partly hidden un-
der a graceful military mustache. was
thin Tipped, the mouth OF a man who
was. always master of his vices. From
his right cheek bone to the corner of
his mouth ran a scar. very we'll heal.