The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-08-28
CHAPTER XII-continued.


/ turned back and followed the cor
ridor to the right and came to a little
hall toward the rear of the building.
BEYOND me was an open door, and be-
hind it 1 saw the duh glow of a stove
and felt it's heat.
l approached cautiously and looked
In.
Facing me. above a cracked and an
Gent mirror. were two rusty broad
swords. and in the mirror I saw q
large Oaken table reflected. Seated at
it, clothed in threadbare coat of very
ancient fashion, was an old man with
long, snOw-white hair and a white,
fOrked beard. He was busily transfer
ring a stack of gold pieces from his
right to his left side; and then he be
gan Scribbling on a sheet of paper. He
paid me not the smallest attention as
I entered.
perceived that the top of the table
was very euriOusIy designed 1t was
marked off with squares and columns,
and in each square were figures in
black and red. Upon one end of the
table at which the old man sat was a
;cup-shaped, circular affair of very dark
iwOOd-teak, it resemb1ed-Once deli
cately iniaid with pearl. But now
most of the inlay had disappeared,
leaving unsightiy holes.
AT the bottom of the cup were a
number of metallic compartments, and
the whole interior portion was revolv-
ing slowly at turn of the old mans
fingers.
The ball stopped and settled in one
of the comparing nts, and the old man
took q gOldpieCe from one of the
squares on the table, transferred Il
little pile of gold from his right side
to his left, and jOtted down some fig
ures upon his paper.
And suddenly I was aware of an
abysmal rage that filled me. 1t seemed
like an abOminable dream. 1 had en-
dured so much for JacQueline, to find
myself immeshed in such things in the
end. I stepped forward and swept
the entire heap of gold into the center
of the table.
IN. Duchaine!" I shouted "Why
are you playing the fool here when
your daughter is suffering persecu-
tiOn?"
The old man seemed to be aware of
my presence for the first time. He
looked up at me out of his mild old
eyes and shook his head in apparent
perplexity.
you are welcome, monsieur" he
sad. half rising with a courtIy air. do
you wish to stake few pieces in a
game with me9'
Of tho
coins and pushed them toward me-
"You see, monsieur, l have a sys-
tem-at least 1 nearly have a SYSTEM
he went on eagerly. But it may not
be SO good as yours. Come. You
shall be the banker and see if you can
win my money from me. But we shall
return the stakes afterward."
M. Duchaine !" shouted in his ear.
"Where is your daughter?"
MY daughter?" he repeated in mild
surprise "Ah, yes; she has gone to
New York to make our fortune with
the system. But make your play, mon
sieur."
In desperation 1 thrust a, goIdpiece
upon one of the numbers at the head
OF a column. The wheel stopped, and
the ball rolled into one of its com
partIn~nts. The old man thrust sew
eraI guild pieces toward me.
staked again and again and won
every time. Within five minutes the
whole heap of gold pieces IaySat my
side.
The dotard looked at me with an ex.
preston of imbecile terror.
''You will give them back to me?'
he pleaded.
1 thrust the heap of coins toward
him. Now, NJ Duchaine." said sir
return for these you will conduct me
to Mile. Jacqueline."
81 am here. monsieur" answered {
voice at the door. and whirled. to ses
Jacqueline confronting me.
CHAPTER Kill.