Evening star., 1918-02-03

NE game more" said Arthur
500 0:;';s. :5s: hay. had .....n 70.
W tonight should say. for
This morning." replied Lord Claverly.
n,easantlv: give luck a chance to turn.
my boy. We'll. well, if you will insist
l cannot refuse" and he dealt hand
at ecarte. The same stakes" he asked
before he turned the trump.
make il Ave hundred for final fut-
ter
His lordship nodded and turned up
hearts took up his hand. and declared
the king.
Its wonderful" said man at the
table to Sydney Harcourt. who stood be-
side him. intently watching the game
II was wonderful. Lord Claverly' 5
luck had held without a break through
out the night into the small hours of
the morning Al first there had been a
rubber of bridge, from which he rose
a substantial winner. Then came a
brief spell of poker. But when Lord
Claverlys luck eliminated in royal
sequence, the other men laughingly
cried off. About midnight his iordship
settled down-not for the first time-to
a duel at ecarte with young Arthur
barley, who claimed his revenge for Il
the card table.
Still Lord Claverly's luck held out
wonderfully. The court cards flowed
in an unbroken stream into his hand.
and !. o. Us of young barley. writ
ten on backs of envelopes and other Old
scraps of paper. grew to a pile at his
elbow.
The boy was a plucky loser. who
took his losses like a gentleman. The
last game went with the rest His
cheek was slightly flushed and there
was the fever of strong excitement in
his blue eyes. but he smiled good
humoredly as he tore a scrap of the
margin of newspaper that lay on the
floor, scribbled an L. O. u. for $500, in
itialed it and tossed it over to Lord
Claverly.
You will give me my revenge tomor-
row night, my Iord?' he said cheeriIy.
las you please replied his lordship.
But I'm afraid. barley. you have
hitherto found revenge an expensive
luxury"
Dariey took the words for chal-
more game for a thousand"
But Sydney Harcourt laid restrain
ing hand on his shoulder and whisp-
cred: Not tonight. Artie: the milkmen
the club a bad name It's time we
were all in bed
"All right, Syd. Darley replied with
q light laugh. though keen observer
iniEnt nave notlced MS lips Quiver. To
morrow, then. my lord, for final
bout
Lord Claverly nodded. gathered up the
pile of l. o. Us. to the amount of
$4,000. put them into his pocket, lighted
cigarette and walked out.
Through the glare of electric light in
the room, the windows showed family
luminous squares in. the gray dawn
Harcourt turned the lights off and
threw up the blinds and the windows.
and the pure air and the faint, cold
gleam of the morning stole into the
room.
In spite of his feverish gaiety, AR
thur Darley's young face was pinched
and drawn. red patch burned in his
cheek. and his eyes shone too brightly.
All this Sydney Harcourt was quick
to notice, with the kindly solicitude of
a friend, for Arthur barley was like
younger brother to him. He kept by his
side down the marble staircase and in
the cloakroom. and when they stood
together at the club doors, lighting
their cigars. Harcourt ran his arm into
Darley's
Our ways lie together across the
park. he said. Well walk, Artie, if
you don't mind. 1 want to have a quiet
word with you
A hundred yards from the club
G brought them 50 st. James Park. For
a little while they walked on in silence.
for Sydney Harcourt somehow found
that word" of his very hard to say.
In the hush Of the still morning soft