The Washington times., 1919-11-10
The LOUe
Gambler
BY Virginia Terhune Van
de Water.
CHATTER LxxxI.

Copyright. 1919. Star Company
THE words were spoken To
David they seeed to ecne
4 through the room.
For a moment the girl in from
OF him did not move, but sat her
eye fixed on him. every drop Of coll
or ebbing from her face.
you mean" che Whispered ~
last. "that you are the DAVID De-
Laine who was Miss Jesnnes nsp-
hew-
Yes" he said. huskiiy. Il am
''Oh. let me think. please. can
not understand IT." she begged.
pressing her hand TO her eyes.
He walked away from her and
stood at the window, his back 90
the room.
Outside the rain was stiIl fall
ing. In the silence he could hear
the drops dash against the pane.
The street lamps revealed the wet
and ghstening psyements.
His thoughts went back 70 a
night years ago when htk fsthef
lay dying. David had then stood
by a window in the Baltimore home
and gszed out into the street The
pavements had looked then Just as
they did tonight Even now he re-
called the grip OF pain at HIS heart
as he appreciated the fact that his
father was slipping out of his lffe-
Tonight he had that same grip
ping pain at his heart The woman
he loved more than all the wori5
had heard his confession. Would she
slip out of his life as completely
as IL she were dead7
With a sudden resolution he
wheeled about and returned 20 her.
She dropped her hands from her
eyes as he approached but did not
look up.
You knew" she said 80 softly
that he had TO bend 20 hear the
words. who you were when you
came herep mean-die you know
that / knew Miss Jeanne De Lame
Il was not sure II you were the
Miss Leighton Of whom had heard
her speak. After had been here
for a little while i was convinced
that you were"
what convinced your
81 saw your initials on your bag
but what made me certain was
that pendant" with a motion to-
wards the trinket on her throat.
Unconsciously, her hand stole MP
TO IT
Miss De Laine left this TO me
You remember seeing IL in her pos
session."
yes, years ago. he replied.
when i was only q young boy. I
always thought IL was very besuti-
full"
She did not speak. but held the
amethyst pendant In her hand. ~ TX
the touch Of IL cslrned her.
''I have told you the truth. No
Leighton" David said, "can you for
give me"
For vhaty-
For the deception practiced-
Oh-don't you suppose I know how
the whole adventure must look to
you ]. suspecting VITO you were
andthat you were q TREND OF my
= -.urfs-csrne hefe. ever Wfter the
insult that she had put upon you
in her will"
Desiree started violently. II Gid
not suppose you knew" she NUT
tered. -
A Complete Confession.
'T did know, ] may as well con
fess that, too. And while i am
making a clean breast Of the whole
thing. ! want to tell gon that was
horrifed, shocked. by the terms OF
that will Ny aunt was not herself
when she made st. ] could not get
away from it-although ] tried 10.
But law is law. Nevertheless.
shall prove that she was of un-
sound mind when she drew up that
document. And have put myself
on record as renouncine every cent
of it-here or hereafter.
He stopped, colorinG violently.
Did his words carry q suggestion
that he dared hope there WAS any
possibility of his ever fulnilfng the
condition of the willf
But / could never had complied
with the terms of the instrument
he began. fioundering hopelessly.
She looked directly at him. In
the depths of her dark eyes he saw
something like pity and a COM
prehension that made his head
swim.
Don't try to explain TO me" she
pleaded, and her tone was very low.
81 understand entirely"
You understand" he repeated
incredulously. You understand
that II was only the need OF work
and-I may as well be frsnk-the
desire for adventure that made me
come to your father on that day"