The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-05-13
THE MUTE
GAMBLER
By JANE PiNCKNEY BENNETT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation, 1911

tlOlu 'uul fONPTcu u. tIuStttS VI
lights. illumined the scene. There
We're men and women, too, Of various
ages. from the stripping TO the septu-
gennrlan. One old woman with white
hnn sat with a paper in her hand COW
cred with memoranda consisting prfn.
cipally of figures. II was scheme
that she had worked out or some one
had given her for sure winning. She
scarcely ever bet more than franc at
one time and usually lost There
were men in evening dress and men
whose coats were frayed at the elbow,
while here and there girl scarcely
out of her teens was betting with hot
cheeks aud gllstenng eyes.
A lady-she might have been any
nge between twenty-five and thirty
flve-in an evening costume of ex.
duislte fabric and construction, enter
I'd the room aud. handing her wraps
TO an attendant. went to the main Ia
BILE, where roulette was being played.
Seating herself, she began to play
with silver FIVE franc pieces. No
sound broke I'm upon the falling of the
coins on the table. the monotonous nm
nouncements of the man who conduct
ed the game ard the rafting OF the
ball. One having no interest In It
would wonder how so many people
could be so silently intent upon so
UNMARRIED proceeding.
Presently the recent arrival began
60 toss gold napoleons on the cloth In.
stead of FIVE franc pieces. Indeed, her
betting increased TIL she became the
one person Mt the table who engaged
the crowd of lookers-on. Some of
those who were standing behind her
moved around TO the other side. where
they faced her. She wore hat with
very wide brlm and adorned with
large black feathers. one Of which fell
over the front and with the brim
completely shaded her brow. In addi-
ton to this. veil extending to the
chin rendered It impossible to dis
tinguish her features.
She played with varying fortune At
first she won. Then she lost more
than she had gained Next she began
to win slowly. and ut Il certain point,
having gained n thousand francs. she
left the amount she had bet and her
winnings on the number she had
covered There was quite pile of
gold there, and when the ball was
spun and settled into It's place the
covered the stake with an.
other pile five times as large. A spasm
was seen to pass over the lady, and
she quickly placed her hand on the
lace about her throat, MS If TO pull 1t
away that she might breathe easier.
Her singers remained Ut her neckwear,
and she bent over the table till her
chest leaned against 1t, about to gather
In her winnings, MS every one supposed.
But she must have changed her mind,
for she remained in the same position,
her eyes, though they could not be
seen, apparently fixed upon the gold.
The conductor, taking 1t for granted
that she had determined to risk the
whole amount on the same number as
before, made tile usual announce
ments, the ball was spun and. after
rolling and jumping and hesitating and
backing and filling, at last settled into
its pocket. Amid EXPLANATIONS the
conductor announced the number that
had won, and the ady's heap of gold
was added to by another five times its
size. She gave no evidence of the ex-
element natural to such winning She
did not start; she did not make an In
voluntary change of position.
"What wonderful self control" ex-
claimed one of those looking at her.
"She must be an old hand at IT." re-
marked another.
"Great heavens" cried several at
once. she's going to risk II all again"
The gamekeeper, who meanwhile
had been waiting for the lady to re-
move her winnings, seeing no inten-
ton on her part to do so, reluctantly
made the call for bets. the machine
was whlrled. and amid III reprcssed
EXPLANATIONS the bali gave the lady
another pile i've fines as great as that
before her on the table.
Twice again the pile was increased
by the same arlthmetical progression,
and the bank was broken.
At that moment man entered the
room, advanced quickly TO the table
and touched the lady on the shoulder.
She did not look to see who was cali
ing her attention. She sat apparently
with her eyes glued to the immense
golden pile before her.
"Clarissa," he said in trembling
voice.
There was no reply.
The crowd about the table now be-
gan to grow anxious. There was
something in the mute figure that In.
spired them with kind of awe. The
game had ceased, and the eyes Of ev
cry one present were fixed on the
gambler or the man standing looking
down upon her, vainly endeavoring "a
arrest her attention.
"Take OF her hat"
Lift her veil"
'There's something wrong with bert
"Some one look ont for her pile!'
These words that were spoken Il
loud tones and others that made