Evening star., 1911-01-22
CHAPTER XVIII.-Continued.

Of our sitting here to draw cards to de-
termine the order in which we shall offer
ourselves to the nobiest and most beau
tiful woman in the world would be coarse
and vulgar If it were not so ridiculous, !,
The men who had their chance on the
| steamer or after we came here-and l
don't pretend to know who they are
ought in decency to have left the field.
We seem to have forgotten that we pre-
| tend to be gentlemen; or. far less par
donable. that we pay court. to a lady.
Damn you all. refuse to have anything
| interfere with my affairs in any way I'll
| smash your heads collectively or separate
| ly as YOU prefer
| My interest in this colloquy had led me
| further into the room. and hearing my
| step they all turned and faced me. Dick
had continued at my side, but the black
looks they sent our way were intended.
| thought. rather for me. Shallenberger.
having taken himself out of the tangle,
| leaned against the wall and filled his
pipe with unconcern. Ny appearance
| reused Ormsby to fresh outburst.
You're responsible! Il you hadn't
| forced yourself upon the ladies at Hope
| field there wouldn't have been any of this
| trouble"
You're only an impostor. anyhow. You
went to the house to fix a chimney, and
seem to think you're engaged to spend
the rest of your natural life there" pro-
tested Henderson. twisting the ends of
his mustache.
Then they dropped me and assailed
Dick.
Wed like to know what you expect to
gain by dropping out. You got cold feet
mighty sudden!" beloved Ormsby.
GOrse and Henderson paid similar trib-
utes to the apostate, whose melancholy
grin only deepened. Shallenberger was
pacing the floor slowly and putting his
pipe. Hume and Arbuthnot growled oc-
casionally, but shared. / thought, Shall
lenbergers changed feeling.
My silence had been effective up to this
time, but l was afraid to risk it longer
Dick. imagined. had kept close to me
for fear of missing any part OF the alter
cation he knew my appearance would
provoke The more vociferous sultors had
howled themselves hoarse and glared at
me while considered the situation. Hen
derson rallied for final shot.
"A good horsewhipping Is what you de-
serve he cried, leveling his finger at me.
Gentlemen" | began, not without in
ward quaking. you have spoken loud,
| naughty words to me, and in reply l
must say that your vocal efforts suggest
only the melodies OF the braying jackass.
and that your manners, to speak mildly,
are susceptible OF considerable improve
ment"
You leave this neighborhood within
| an hour!' doomed Ormsby, and in his eff
forts to free himself from his chair it
fell backward with a crash that echoed
through the long room.
Then summon the coroner by tele-
phone, for l shall not be taken alive" l
| answered. quietly. trying to recall my
youthful delight in Porthos. Athos and
Aramis. Il should dislike to change the
mild color scheme of this pleasant dining
| room. but as sure as you lay hands on
me these walls will become a playground
for any corpuscles you carry in your
/ lOathSome persons.
Come along, let us put him out" Hen
derson was saying in an aside to Ormsby.
| You were playing a game here for a
stake not yours for the winning" I con-
tinued. Now l suggest that you shuf-
of valor-shuffie the pack, say, and draw
for the jack of clubs. Whoever is the
| fortunate man l shall take pleasure in
pitching through yonder very charming
easement
Agreed cried Henderson. and the
| three flung themselves into their chairs.
| The alacrity Of their consent had un-
nerved me for moment. D'Artagnan
was sure would have fought them all,
but 1 consoled myself, as the cards rat
| that, considering the fact that l had
never in my life laid violent hands on a
fellow being, l was conducting myself
with admirable assurance. My weight
has always HuHS Well Wltnln l3O, ana
physicians have told me that l was in
| capable of taking on flesh or muscle.
Any one OF these men could easily toss
me through the window l had indicated
as means of their own exit.
Shallenberger caught my eye and indi-
Gated with slight jerk OF the head that
had better run before it was too late
The painstaking care with which Hender-
son had fallen upon the cards was dis
quieting, to put it mildly. Dick nudged
mo hn ri he HOLD
coat.
1T will not be necessary" / replied,
carelessly. Tender your services to the
other gentlemen.
! felt the cold sweat gathering on my
brow. The three had begun to draw cards,
and heard them slap the bits Of PASTE
board smartly upon the table as they
lifted them from the deck and, finding the
jack of clubs still undrawn. waited the
next turn. / had no idea that q pack of
cards would dissolve SO readily by the
drawing process. and my memory ceased
trying to recall the adventures OF DAT
tagnan and hovered with ominous per-
sistence about the mad don of La
stood my ground out of sheer physical
inability to run or from an accession OF
courage due to the remembrance OF my
success in detecting the HOpefield ghost.
In any case / affected GOODNESS as l
waited. even throwing out my arms to
''shoot" my cuffs once or twice. and
yawning.
Come. gentlemen, hurry: let us not
waste time here" l exclaimed, impa-
tiently.
IF Ormsby turns UP the card you're
dead man." Dick was muttering, gloom
lily.
They're all alike to me-" l replied
loudly. Mr.. Ormsby is very beautiful;
l shall hope not to disfigure him perma-
nently:" but as l spoke my tongue was a
wobbly. dry clapper in my mouth.
/ was bending over now, watching the
three men pick up the cards, and once,
when I misread the jack of spades for
the jack of clubs a shudder passed over
me. They were down to the last card
and Ormsby's hand was on 1t. i recall
that group of stems a shelf over
wildly. Then I looked at the floor to
steady myself. and hope leaped within
me- for there, by Ormsby's foot-a large
and heavy one-lay an upturned card the
jack OF clubs. whose lone symbol magni-
fed itself enormously in my amazed eyes.
At this moment l became conscious
that something had occurred to distract
the attention of the other men, who were
staring at some one who had entered
noiselessly.
Gentlemen. you seem immensely in
terested in the turn of those cards.
am glad to have arrived at the critical
moment. Mr.. Ormsby. will you kindly
lift the remaining card from the table?"
Miss Octavia stood beside me. She was
dressed In a dark-brown riding habit: the
feather in her fedora hat emphasized her
usual brisk air. She swung her riding
crop lightly i'm her hand and bent over
the table with the deepest interest
Ormsby turned up the card. 1t was the
of III