Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-14

of the admiral that decorate these
walls?"
II have" replied Magee. He gazed
curiously at the nearest Of the por-
traits. How presistently this almost
mythical starched man wove in and
out of the melodrama at Baldpate
inn.
WELL" continued Kendrick, "the
admirars eyes haunt me. Perhaps you
know that he plays a game-a game Of
solitaire. L have good reason to re-
member that game. 1t is a silly incon-
|sequential game. You would scarcely
believe that it once sent a man to
hell"
He stopped.
Il am beginning in the middle of
my story" he apologized. Let me go
back. Six years ago was hardly the
man you see now-I was at least
twenty years younger. Hayden and I
worked together in the office Of the
Suburban railway. We had been close
friends at college. I believed in him
and trusted him, although I knew he
had certain weaknesses. was a hap
py man. I had risen rapidly, I was
young, the future was lying golden
before me, and I was engaged. The
daughter Of Henry Thornhill, our en-
ployer-the girl you have met here at
Baldpate-had promised to be my
wife. Hayden had also been suitor,
but when our engagement was an
nounced he came to me like a man,
and l thought his words were sincere.
"One day Hayden told me Of a
chance we might take which would
make us rich. 1t was not altogether
within the law, but it was the sort Of
thing that other men were doing con-
stantly and Hayden assured me that
as he had arranged matters it was alb
solutely safe. My great sin is that 1
agreed we should take a chance, a
sin for which l have paid, Mr.. Magee,
over and over"
Again he paused and gazed steadi-
ly at the fire. Again Magee noted the
gray at his temples, the aftermath Of
fevers in his cheeks.
1--WE took the chance" he went on.
For a time everything went well.
Then one clustering March night Hay
den came to me and told me we were
certain to be caught. We arranged to
meet the next night at the Argots
club and decide on what we should
do.
1--WE met in the library Of the club.
Hayden came in to me from the card
room adjoining, where he had been
watching the admiral doddering over
his eternal game. Just at that mo-
ment the admiral finished his game
and went out. We were alone in the
library.
Hayden told me he had thought
the matter over carefully. There was
nothing to do but to clear out Of Reu-
ton ofrever But why, he argued,
should we both go? Why wreck two
lives? 1t would be far better, he told
me, for one to assume the guilt OF
both and go away.
II agreed to his plan. Hayden led
the way into the room where the ad-
miral had been playing. We went up
to the table, over which the green
shaded light still burned. On it lay
two decks Of cards, face up. Hayden
picked up the nearest deck and shut
fed it nervously. His face-God, 1t
was like the snow out there on the
mountain.
HE held out the deck" went on
the exile softly; told me to draw. He
said If the card was black he'd clear
out. But il it's red, David he said,
'why-you-got to CO. I held my
breath and drew. 1t was full min
ute before 1 dared look at the card in
my hand. Then 1 turned 1t over. and
it was-red-a measley little red two
spot. 1 don't suppose man ever re-
allied all at once what such moment
means. l remember that I was much
cooler than Hayden. 1t was 1 who
had to brace him up. II even tried
to joke with him. But his face was
like death. He hardly spoke at all
at first, and then suddenly he became
horribly talkative. I left him-talk-
ing wildly-I left Reuton. / left the
girl to whom l was engaged
(To Be Continued.)