The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-03-03

II
Ind chosen him wisely.
"Pemmicaa. want some money
about and Challoner broke off alb
ruptly.
| Instinctively Pemmican knew that
the game was up with ChallOner
| Moreover he saw that the man was
very drunk. He walked away quickly,
saying:
I'm sorry. sir. It's against the
rules"
what rotw replied Challoner.
remmlcan had reached the end OF
the hall, leaving the other to gather
what he could of his excuses.
Angered. Challoner resumed his po-
sition at the buffet Suddenly he felt
touch OH the arm. Turning, he found
himself face to face with Pemmican.
"Why don't you try Colonel Har-
graves?" whispered the latter.
WHAT" came from the clogged
brain of ChallUuer.
"1ry Hargluves," the other went on.
Hes been down to Gravesend for two
days. aud he's back
Pemmican of the low brow spread
out his palms and said pointedly:
"IIe pulled out ten thousand on Flora
Mcqueen at Gravesend. that's ALL"
"WhatT" Challoner began to under.
stand.
pcmmican nodded.
Sure thing-S1O.OO0"
Slowly Challoner refilled his glass
For moment there was silence. then
pemmican repeated tantaizingly:
Ten thousand dollars-not cent
lessw
Challoncr thought for moment.
"Was Colonel Hargraves down there
alone;" His voice was thick. hoarse.
Pcmmican looked long and quizzical
ly into Challoner's eyes.
"He was not" The gambler moved
away.
Cholloner followed him aud said
grufIiy:
Look here. Pemmican. II Hargraves
comes in tell him TO wait for me-"
An enigmatlcal smile played about
the orner Of Pemmican's mouth.
Yes" he said simply. and. noddinC
went his way.
Left alone Challoner found himself
a prey to all the black fiends OF rage
jealousy and desire for revenge For
a time everything was blotted out from
his vision except the face OF Lefty
Love and the face OF Colonel Har.
graves. "This small world" he NUT
tered to himself, "is much too small
for me and Colonel Hargraves." With
that there loomed up out of the mists
of his mind the brilliantly lighted and
ornate entrance Of n certain apartment
house short distance away. and n
few minutes later obedient to his sub
conscious will. his feet carried him
down the stairs to door evidently
leading TO the outside. Challoner was
not the first man Of social prominence
that could directly trace the beginning
of his life as an outcast to passing
| through that door.
"IIiram Edgar Love"-so read fad
ed yellow card on the door panel Of
suit 10 In the Drellncourt. an apartment
hotel In section Of the city long pop
ular with n class that has been well
termed the fringe of society" The
name was written i'm ancient india ink
In copperpate perfection by the care
ful, cleanly, genteel EnGliShman that
Hiram Edgar Love had been-Hiram
Edgar Love, who long ago had
been laid TO rest In a quiet Surrey
churchyard leagues distant, though his
name still did yeoman service, for II
spelt respectability. II covered a mul.
titude Of peccadillos. His soul went
marching on. for was II not the
shade of Hiram Edgar Love that had
rented the Love suit I'm the Drein-
court, his shade that paid the rent
his pipe and his slippers that lay near
the fireplace for the world to see
Hiram Edgar Love the myth, the con
stantly expected but never coming
master OF the house?
Before the entrance of this suit
Challoner came to Il halt.
81 wonder If she's alone" he mused
ms, with something like the palpitating
Difference Of stranger, he pressed the
button underneath the faded card and
waited TO learn his fate at the hands
of the one woman In all the world for
him. Nor was it by any means the
first time that he had asked himself
that question. All the way through
the streets 1t had been in his mind ev-
cry moment. and so absorbed was he
with the thought that he failed to see
the familiar nod with which the di-
minutive god of the Drelincourt lift
acknowledged his advent as he pro-
ceeded to carry upward his human
freight.
Leaving the car at the desired land
ing, he directed his steps to the ex-
treme end of the corridor.
IF he's there" he assured himself,
pressing the button. "Ill know what
to do, all right
'lf 1t were not for Hargraves"- He
broke of abruptly. for the door had
opened with unexpected suddenness
A trim little maid stood before him.
"Your mistress-ls she at home"
Miss Love is not at home, sir"