The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-26
THE LOVE GAMBLER
A NEW SERIAL BY FAMOUS WRITER
David Gets His Letter of Recon-
mendatiOn, and Mr.. Leighton Is
Puzzled by His New Chauffer

an assumed surname. Baltimore
and New York are not so far apart
after all, and De Lame is not a COM
mon name. I am never afraid that
you will dishonor it-but just be-
cause you do honor il you want to
avoid its becoming the subject of
curious comment.
Write me when you can, and
when you make enough money to
take a trip South make me happy
by coming here.
Il may add that I am glad you
never met the young woman to
whom your poor rich aunt was so
anxious to see you married. 1 uSA
the word poor advisedly, for IS
have a sincere pity for any one WIZ
thinks that love can be bought
(HOu see, am an old bachelor-A
very old one-so have romantic no.
tions still.)
Il suppose I should pity the girl,
too. Not because she did not sue
coed in marrying you, but because
she has so little delicacy as to be
party to a scheme to trap a young
man Your aunt had the excuse of
her love for you and her affection
for her girl. The girl herself had
no excuse except a desire to get
married. You are fortunate never
to have met her"
''Te gods"' David De Lame sprang
to his feet when he read this con-
demnation and began to walk up
and down his ballroom. 81 did not
mean to give the dear old chap the
impression that Aunt Jeanne's pro-
tege was aware Of my aged rela-
tive's plans. I must write him that
the girl may have known nothing
Of them. Butt wonder il she did?"
He stopped in his very limited
walk. He had always taken it for
granted that Desiree Leighton had
been innocent of the schemes that
his aunt was intent upon. Now it
occurred to him that il Miss De
Lame had talked so freely to her
nephew of Desiree she might have
talked as freely to Desiree of
Davey. In that case the girl must
have loathed the thought of him
II she was a nice girl. And. OF
course, she was,
He told himself this flercely. His
employers daughters face came
before his mental vision. II she
was Desiree Leighton. she was in
capable OF planning to marry any
man.
What Difference Anyway
Then he brought himself up
sharply. What difference did the
girls attitude make to him? Never
the less, he decided to write to Mr..
Carey and thank him for his let
ter and suggest to him that prob
ably the girl in question was abso-
Iutely innocent of the net that had
been spread for her.
If she suspected it, how she must
hate the man who had been picked
out" for her,
The thought was not pleasant. To
Danish it David re-read the copy OF
the very satisfactory recommen-
dation that James Carey had sent
TO Samuel Leighton.
That same evening Samuel Leigh
ton read this same epistle aloud TO
his daughter and sister.
II am glad" he commented, that
let Smith order his livery without
waiting for this letter. You see,
it is quite what it should be. Carey
says he would not hesitate to en-
clay the fellow himself
His manner and speech seem
above those Of the average chauf
feur," Mrs. DUffieId observed.
Her brother smiled. That Is
putting it conserXatively. Sylvia.
Sometimes Smith puzzles me a bit
by his good English"
Il don't see why" was the COM
Portable rejoindeT. You forget,
Samuel, that in these days Of free
schools the poor have wonderful
opportunities. This young chap
very likely had sense enough TO
make the best OF such oportuni-
ties offered even the lower classes.
Desiree Leighton said nothing.