Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-26

four in there now are only boys. After
all. you are not unaware of tie repu.
tution YOU hold"
You are not. Of course. insinuating
that l do not play straightI' There
was n quiet menace in Harkntss voice
which chilled Constance despite her cx
pcricnce Of the world.
You would not be n member of the
Eros II you played crooked" she said
know It. 1t is merely that your pisy
il too much for the ordinary player.
Your stakes are too high. :Suppo!.s
| you went In there and w0n---heaviiy.
fnir."
II know. But If you won n lhrs,
sum. one Of those Others. or two. or
even all Of them would lose IL. They
would be in dcbt--thcy are only boys
..---nnd there might be trouble The
Eros could not countennncc the posi-.
bil;ty Of such trouble. After all. |
want 1t shut up
why do you say all this to me
do you rca lie that you nre prrilousiy
sharp?''
II am doing nothing Of the kind.
But | remember young Kilfanc. You
won money from him which did not be.
long to him. Thank heaven. 1t wasn't
here that you did It -
Hardness interrupted her. "Was I to
know that Kilfane was a potential
thief? At any rate. Kilfanc escape!
the consequences Of what he thoroughly
deserved
'Only because somebody saw him
| through. Who was It! DO you know"
y neither know nor care answered
Hardness shortly. Excuse me. won't
you: m going through to the room."
lie left her. and. with n feeling OF
utter hclplcssncss. she saw his tall. 1.-THE
figure. vanish through the forbidden
door,"
The four men at the table looked up
from their game - 1t was poker ns
Hardness closed the door behind him,
and nodded.
Hello. Tommy darkness ad.
dressed a youngster with almost color.
less hair. who fingered his cards nerv.
ouSly. and whose eyes were slightly
strained. Aren't you doing wrll?'
Dropped couple or hundred.
Would you care to sit in my plarc?'
No hurry. old son. When you're
ready. il the others are agreeable.
The four mon played on and Hardness
watched them. lie knew their game
and their methods to II nicely, and he
could almost tell. by their betting.
the exact strength Of each Of their
hands. At last the fair boy got to his
feet.
.l'm through for tonight" he said
You fellows have cleaned me- out. -
To Hardness he added "I'm the only
loser. These three beggars have split
my cash between them: II you want
to play. take my scat"
Hardness sat down and fresh pack
of cards was produced. The fair boy
left the room. Constance stopped him
as he made his way across the bril-.
liantly lighted outer chamber.
rs Harkncss playing?' she asked
quietly.
Ives. I've given him my place"
Are they playing high:'
Parrish. But as came out heard
Hardness suggesting no limit. More
| ton are in luck tonight. They'll clean
out darkness just as Dippy Jones
cleaned him out at Epson. If he's not
careful"
Constance considered for a moment.
"Ill give them a. little while by them
selves. and then I'll go inside. Must
YOU 60 now. Tommy
The boy nodded. ~ must. I'm a
rotten gambler. Never have any luck ("
For a moment Constance felt an i'm
pulse to tell him not to come again.
but she restrained it. and beat down
the sympathy which threatened to over.
come the cold reason born of her years
of experience in running the Eros.
After all. she had to live. and this boy
bore a great name. II name which was
h. Al
elusive stratum of humanity called $50.
ciety." Besides. he was safe. There
could never be any danger where he was
| concerned.
4 Wild Piunger
| But lIarknrsS. The very name of tho
man was accepted as being Synonymous
with ih" widest plunging. the most
reckless actions. Any place of which
! he was an hnbituc must be open to sus.
picion.
Meanwhile in room with the ante
raised to high figure. and Hardness
rather appalled, his young opponents.
play was going forward briskly. Hark.
ness won. hand after hand.
. Except for the curt utteranccs which
notified the raising of his stake he al
ways gamblcd in silence: cold. keen.
with swift, supple hands and unread
able eyes. They tried to read his
thoughts and failed. lie bluffcd them
to surrender on useless hands. and
when they attempted to call his bluff
they found him holding powerful con,-
, binatiOns.
Constance came into the room after Il
couple OF hours play. and for some
time she stood watching tho quartet
with eyes in which her anxiety showed
clearly.
At last Cartcrct got to his feet. His
face was very white and his tongue
licked nevrously at his lips. 'I'm
through" he said, with an obvious cf-
fort. i've lost-hcavily."
Hard luck" Hardness might have
becn commenting on the result of a
cricket match. DO you fellows wish
to play on:'
Dcvcnish eyed I'rlton. and the latter
shook his head. i've had about
enough" he confessed.
Hardness looked round AZ them. and
Constance tried to read tho expression
in his eyes. Then he stood up.
"!All right. I'm sorry the mrk wen,
all my way. I'll give YOU fellows your
revenge next time We meet. Good
night
lie left them abruptly. and as he
went Pclton turned to Constance and
said: "Do you know that Hardness has
won over two thousand pounds?'
"Over two thousand pounds ~ Con =
stance echoed the sum. "Who has lost
it all:'
Devcnish glanced at Pclton nsa,n,
and Carterct said: "I'vc lost nearly
eight hundred. And--(iod h"!p me"
Tho exclamation was more illuminar-
;nr tbon any words ('Onstancc ron Il