The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-06-09

Tremendously tirvsome. II left one
all up in the air
Ills tour ended az last In pause
I BY the roulette iahtr at the rear Of
Z the room Curious to watch the
game In being. he fingered there.
head cooked shrcwdly on one should.
I rr. a speculative pcnriSencsH inform.
sng his eycH. his interest plainly
aloof and imperwonai This despite
+ tha fact that his emotions OF intenti.
Z nal felicity were momcntariiy b~oom.
I ing more intenae---thc torchilght pro.
Z ccasion was IN fun swing. leaving an
E enduring rcfulgenoc wherever II
passed.
There were perhaps half a dozen
l players round the board-four on
ono wing. two on the other. or the
latter. one was that very young man
| who had been responsible for +. syb
arite's change of mind with regard
10 going home. with a bored air
this prodigal was friticring away
| fivc.dollar notes on the colors. tho
columns. and the dozens. his III sue
I cess Htupendous. his apparent .ndif-
I ference positively magnificent But
/ In the course OF tho little while that
T.. Sybaritc watched. he either grew
weary or sscceeded In emptying his
pockets and ccasing To play sat hack
with a Erunt OF impotence more
than Of disgust.
The ball ran Its course thrice be-
/ for. he moved. Then abruptly lift
ing his finger 10 the croupier. Five
on the red. Andy" said he.
Five on the rcd" repeated the
croupicr. and set aside chocolate
/ colorod chip In memorandum OF the
wager.
when the bali settled again to
rest. the announcement was monot-
onously recitcd: Mine. red. odd.
| first dozen" And the blase prodi-
gal was presented with the choco.
/ iate-colorcd token.
Carclcssly he tossed IL upon the
red diamond. Black won. Upper.
| turbcd. he made "a second oral bet
Z this time on black. and lost. in
/ creased his wager 20 ten dollars on
I black--and lost. made u twenty.
shifted to red. and lost: dropped back
1 20 five dollar bets for three turns OF
the wheel. and lost them all. Fifty
dollars In debt to the house. he rose.
nodded casually to the croupior. left
the room.
In mingled envy and Amusement
i. sybarite watched him so. Fancy
losing three weeks wages and
third Of another weeks without turn.
ing a hairl Fancy losing fifty dol.
lars without being required to pay
up
Looks easy" medltated =. Syb.
nritc with thrill OF dreadful yearn-
inE.
AZ precisely that instant the
torchlight procession penetrated n
territory heretofore unaffected.
which received 1t with open arms
and tumultuous rejoicing and even
went 40 far as 10 start up couple
of bonfires OF .ts own aud hang out
several strings OF Japanese lanterns,
In the midst OF a confusion OF soar.
| ing skyrockets and Roman candles
vomiting showers OF scintlllant gol.
/ den sparks. Z. Sybnrito was shocked
/ to hear his own voice
Five on the rod" it said distinct.
| ~, with an effect OF eXtravagant
/ apathy
\ thought later he caught the
/ croupiers eye and drove the wager
home with a nod His heart stopped
beating.
Five dollarsl All he had In the
| world,
! The whirr OF the deadly little hail
in It's ebony runway was like moth.
| ing less than the exultnnt shrek Of
u banshee. lnstantaneously tas II
an accident had happened In the
power house, every light In his body
went out and left Il cold and dark
and altogether dismayed.
The croupier began his chant:
Three, red
=. Sybarite failed to hear the rest
All the lights were on again full
blast The croupler tossed him a
chocolate token. He was conscious
| that he touched II with numb and
witlcss fingers, mechanically pushing
Il upon the red diamond