The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-09-30

reach her the deacon had taken her arm
and walked OF with her, and Hutn,
listen while he murmured what he CON
sidered strong love-making into her ear
She was thankful when they reached
the gate OF Mrs. Byrd's house; $1,000
said, twisting his lips into grin.
II never have any time to talk to you
lately. What do you do with yoursei
why, don't know" Ruth returned,
to do do to keep me busy"
Yes, said tho deacon between his
teeth: plenty OF time to 80 out to Lee
hut. wonder II your father knows OF
your carvings on.
But you won't fool with me" the
deacon went on-'not with Deacon Har-
yey. ] love you. girl. and you're going
Never returned Ruth holly.
"oh. I see returned the deacon. ITS
Lee, Il is? Well, we'll see about that"
Ruth rushed into the house. II was
the first time that Lee had occurred to
thrilling TO a strange, new feeling.
And in the meantime while Ruth had
been unhnppily disappointed In Hugh,
Tom: his precious bundle on a stick
whistiing along the country road.
And he met lobe. lobe must have
been on the lookout for the younger
boy but n his widest st dreams dream. he had
now playing into bis hands.
cant stop" Tom said, laughing, as
the two walked away together.
Whats up. youngster'" aueried
Got TO take this of to the town." re-
WHAT'S in itY' questioned Tobe. with
apparently little interest.
| returned.
Got any money. kid?"
oh. about q dime" Tom returned
ruefully. Father keeps me pretty
You ought to have a little cash to
spend in the city" lobe insinuated.
| az know II, but haven't got II, so
won't worry" returned Tom;
] kid? x dime is better than nothing"
| Cant today" Tom returned firmly.
Besides. I want TO buy something for
Ruth with that dime. She's beea good
| not TO tell fatheron me-"
| lobe hated Ruth because she isfused
| to hive anything to do with him,
Don't you know you can't buy anything
T rent ts" little Gs game nn nG ~. about at tms
your luck changed. and think what
Ruth would say IL you brought her
home a decent present"
T9be's, glib talk s,, made Tom he'if ,;,t,:
money il would, be nice to get her
| something worth while,
"Are you on, kid?". lobe asked as he
saw Tom hesitate. .,
Tom assented. It's about time my luck
did change" And he followed Tobe to
the rendezvous I'm the woods where the
two rough men waited secure In Iope'
promise that he would get the Kid to
play a little game. Tobe, however. was
| TOO wary to let anyone else In on his
winnings this time.
"Well play alone today, he said, go
ing deeper into the forest. You're more
likely 10 win IL We leave out the other
They began to play. and Tom lost his
cherished dime the first round.
Never mind, sald tooe enc %aSb.
You'll have better luck tn time" AND
so saving, he handed the money bacp
TO the boy. who promptly lost u again
once more" lobe said. and that t,m M
the excitement of Il went to the boy'i
head. II he could win as easily as tina
his luck must have turned at last. Their
would be no harm in borrowing 2 ntti.
H iust what Tobe was waiting for
but he said nothing n Tom drew
a bill out of the wallet: It wasn't
large bill but Tom lost He would hey'
TO take h't'e 'nore W p"' '"S"
he lost. ,
,oo oxen s ~ his hand. This time ne would
surely win. II was too big temptation
and Tom bet the remaining pifis IN INT
Tom laying his cards down tri
umphantiy smiled UP at lobe hopefully
Bot lobe. who had carefully slipped a,
extra card into his hand held the 20 1S
D OnsN OF money, and Tom. looking down
saw that the inevitable had happened
For moment everything o turned rs,s sl ss
careiesslv lighted another cigarette. III
pretended TO symapthize with the boy
but he entirely forgot about the extr
cards that he had slipped under nh
when he sat down to PLAY, LON: , t%rn
He sprang passionately to his rect; ou
his hands, was confident that Tom wa
too great coward rSa 70 attempt was SopeIss
TO do anything now. He had taken
chance with money that did not beion
TO him. There wasn't a person IN Tn
/ world he could turn to Tor help
running through the still dar
. woods. He ran unseeingly. 1t wa
his one object to get away 1rol
every one to think about his 'awfu
| WtCkeuneS8. anu WnnS ITO "uo
: ming farther and farther away from
home his mind kept turning upon tn
, warmth OF the lighted supper table:
Il He would never be there again! Hi
life was over. Tom. almost ex
hausted. paused for a momen
, by tiny forest pool AS n
stood painting heavily tempta
, ton to md TDbe and do somethin
came over him and as he thought, h
Z heard footsteps approaching, and
O moment later Tcbe appeared on hi
way to the village.
lobe trudged along, and benin
a him in the shatow Of the bushe
skulked Tom. As they game
the open space Tom saw tina
!, lobe was on his way to the littl
a grocery store, and then he remem
bered that Tobe had been out OF sur
:, plies for a long time. and was proba
4 bly, going to settle up with Deaco
d Tom stole up on the porch an
watched through the window as Toh
entered into an alteration with tn
deacon. The deacon growled OF
J; something that Tom thought was
u refusal to trust lobe for any NOR
e supplies.
lobe grinned good-naturedly q
! though refusing to notice the deacon
I display OF temper. and then he reache
: into his pocket and displayed the no
OF bills that he had won from poe
= Tom.
Tom had to struggle not to spring fol
ward and claim the money, but he kne'
/ a. WOULD dO no 0O0d Thu AaanAu .