El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-10

las he generally considered 1t. 4 know
1 can trust you" she continued, gazing
long and earnestly at him. Wellsworth
didn't know how earnest the look really
was how much of it meant a close sizing
up of risks. he thought about it later
on-rather a too late later on.
Mrs. Marvin, seemingly satisfied with
her close scrutiny of her companion,
opened her handbag and took out her
lpurse. The $1,000 was doing fine
tango selection in WellswOrth's pocket
Almost, it seemed, WellswOrth could hear
Il the bills say, Welcome to our cellar"
The lady took from her purse five 81, 900
bills, the kind the fictionist calls crisp
and new" She took no pains to hide
that she had many more left. They all
looked good. That's an expression used
every day. Take it any way you wish.
They looked good, with the emphasis on
the verb.
Now, do not suppose it would appear
very nice for lady to wager openly on
her first visit, said Mrs Marvin. 1T is
more for the-what shall say-the
deviltry of it that I'd go at all. Now
would you mind taking this 5000 of
mine and betting it according TO your
Judgment after we get there? 1t is not
so much a matter of trusting you to do
$50 as it is the protection it viii afford
me" She passed the bills over to Wells
worth. He gulped hard.
I'll be only too glad to 20 with you
to the poolrOom and bet your money to
the best of my judgment" said Wells
worth, bowling, for he recognized a good
sport, and good, easy picking for some
one, he thought. 'Of course, you know
the old saying that a woman is so illogical
that she cannot lose philOsophically. No
doubt you are different and would not
weep if you plunged and lost.
mot at all. not at all" answered Mrs.
Marvin, easily. Il take the risk. IF
it was a sure thing it would be monoton-I
ously vulgar. Now, Christ mean my
husband Mr.. Marvin-has taught me
nothing if he hasn't taught me that. He
says he'd rather die a good sport in the
aImshouse than to become sordidIy rich
on constant good things He likes the
risk-Oh, 1 can tell you he likes the risk
so bet away for me, and remember there's
plenty more in the bag if I lose that" /
On the way to the Lexington avenue
cafe Wellsworth felt somewhat like that
half conscience stricken man you've
heard about-the one who remorsefully
said it was like taking candy from a
baby" His mind began to work very
swiftly after he had pocketed the $1,000
Suppose he should get away from Mrs
Marvin. Then he could double back to-
the hotel, get his grip and while speeding
toward Toronto he could call it a pretty
good afternoons work. He knew the
place to do the slipping away. There was
a rathskeller on the way to the Licking
ton avenue cafe. 1t had two entrances
one entirely. out of sight of the other. He
could order another cocktail and go out
the rear entrance never to return. This
was a lucrative idea-not excruciatingly
clever, but financially sound.
But as they sauntered through Broad
way a chance remark-just a little chance
remark, entirely Scattered all of the
plausible scheme This was the remark,
and so arlessly made that Mr.. Wells,
worth wondered patronizingly how Q
of the intelligence Of Mrs. Marvin
could be so unsophisticated.
Il forgot to tell you" purred she, cling
ing closer to his arm than absolutely nee
essary, that the proprietor said some
thing about there being a great race pro-
gramme to-day and that if a person with
money was willing to enter into a part
nership there was a way that man in
the poolroom could get advance informa-
don-that's what he called it. 1 think
so that he could tell pretty near which
horse would win. Not for sure. of course;
that would rob it Of the risk. but some adj
vance way of Judging things pretty sure.