Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-11-12

on our wedding night"
She must be a walking nightmare.
What Is the fortunate lady's name? II
take II she has tons of money"
Her name is Drawbridge, and she has,
at any rate. enough money to pay you.
Clarke"
II hope there will be a little left for
you when I am paid, l do really, my dear
boy"
well, there may be or there mayn't;
but I'm marrying her to get the money
to pay you. and that's the whole, plain
truth"
Mr.. Armitase was about to rise from
his chair when the other leaned right
over the table and stopped him.
ON moment. Arnitage. one moment.
When are you going to touch that money.
ny"
II can't tell you tho exact day now,
can !? I only proposed to her yesterday.
1t was your telegram that brought me to
the sticking point"
I'm afraid l shall have to push you
a little beyond the sticking point. I'm in
a hole myself. I've got to find at least
lNF luIllltu IDllINS Ill lpul-hIu-NN II
hours"
rs that true?"
"Perfectly true. I shall be In a very
inconvenient position if l don't find it;
and it's got to come from you. Can you
get five hundred pounds out of your fair
lady between this and tomorrow night? If
you can I'll wait a few days for the rest.
but five hundred I've got to have before
| go to bed tomorrow night: or--you know
the alternative If l don't. There's some
thing else-I should like a hundred to-
night"
II haven't ten pounds left in the world.
I'm practically broke"
Then il looks as If you'l have to get
a hundred for me and "A bit over for your
SELF
MIR. Armitage. looking steadily at the
other. seemed to see something in his
face which made it clear that lie meant
what he said. A grim look came on his
own face as l saw him say: III see what
! can do
You'd better. Where is tho LADY,"
"Punting, in the club; playing bacca-
rat"
Then you'd better cut off to the club
as fast as ever you can, and take her by
the scruff of the neck and squeeze that
hundred out of her while she's got 1t to
squeeze"
Mr.. Armitage got UP from his chair.
Where shall I find You, at the hotel
or here?'
you'll find me all over the place. my
lad. don't you make any mistake. I'm
not going to lose sight of you till I've got
my money, or got you in jail"
Mr.. Armitage took himself Off, with an
air of Indifference which was very we'll
! done; he could not have had a very care
less feeling in his heart. Almost imme-
diately Mr.. Clarke followed with the evil
dent intention of logging his steps.
What on earth was ] to do? | could
| not allow a person of my own sex to en-
ter into what l knew would be such a
hideous marriage without making some
| attempt to lay before her the facts upon
which my knowledge was based.
! got up from my seat and went in
search of Miss Drawbridge; finding her,
as ] had expected. in that part of the
building which Is found in every French
casino. and which, presume ironically
is called "cercle prive," as If 1t ever is.
IN any sense of the word, a club" or
has anything private" about ii. She
was seated at one of the baccarat tables,
and | could see at a glance mat she was
winning: she had quite a quantity of
bank notes in front of her, and kept add
ing to the store. Presently the bank was
closed and the PLAYERS rose. Miss Draw
bridge rose, too. with her spoils in a white
satin handbag. AS she moved toward the
door MI. Armitage came into the room,
with Mr.. Clarke not very far behind him.
I saw Armitage ask her, with an attempt
at a smile:
We'll, what luck? How many banks
have you broken
Her back was toward mo, 50 that ]
could not see her answer, but l guessed
what 1t was from his rejoinder,
That's great news" l fancy he hesi-
tatod. Would hi have the assurance to
ask for that hundred pounds for Mr..
! rI,-IYa r~t4L,Y,t . ~ rnnrtfs uFnrninUP He
approached the subject by what | sup
pose he meant to be a delicate way. Tn
awfully glad you've had a bit OF luck, be-
cause the fact Is it's all the other way
with me; I can't do anything right, and
between ourselves / saw him hest
tate again; I amagine that the decent
man which was in him made II difficult
for him to ask a woman for money when
It came to the pinch.
What she said | could not see, but 4
conceive of her as saying, struck ny his
hesitation: well, and what is 1t between
ourselves?'
He made a stumbling emo 10 explain
what 1t was he wanted.
You know, it's like this; I'm awfully
pushed for coin. If you could manage
to lend me, say. a hundred out OF those
winnings of yours"
She cut him short, I could not tell with
what words, but her hand dived into her
Wnlte Eatln nag just 40 eHNy rS
through the swing door out or sight.
Two or three minutes afterward, when
I returned to the Casino. ] saw in the
crowd round the little horses Mr.
Clarke sidle up to Mr., Armitage. Both
their faces were in plain sight. l could
see Mr., Clarke ask:
We'll, have you got II? Has the sweet
young thing been kind"
Mr.. Armitage turned away, as IT the
others gibe had reused him to sudden
anger; but | saw him hand his compan-
ion something as he moved away, and
I knew what it was,
/ found Miss Drawbridge sitting at the
very table on the terrace which had been
lately occupied by Mr.. Armitage and MS
friend. As | took the chair IN front OF
her she said to me:
That's right, come and talk TO me
and have something" She herself was
having some curious connection in a big
glass; for me she ordered a lemon
squash. i've had a good night, my dear
1t seems as if | cant lose at baccara'
lately-as il my luck had turned; I'm
sure it's about time II should. You looF
a little moped. What been troubling
you?"
/ considered for a second or so; theT
l decided, by degrees, to make the plunge
| approached the subject by what
meant to be a roundabout fashion or my
own.
I've just learned something rather dis
agreeable"
"Have you? That's easy; the difi
Guilty is to learn something else Is l
private, or for publication"
: i've just learned that a man who
thought was rather a decent sort In
thief and a rogue, and two or three othe