Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-05-15
When They Cut
the Cards
BY H. IRVING KING

TcSky are AhSulOudDiG uhIicS uOW, JuSI
as they were in the days Of your great
grandmother. Everybody expected
Nancy Blodgett and Bert Chalmers to
marry each other. Nancy and Bert
had expected the same thing-for q
while-and then. to both of them, had
come feeling that these expectations
were not as rosy as they had been at
frst. They had been much thrown to-
gether in society. and had "sort Of"
drifted into the position in which they
found themselves. They liked each
other well enough, as far as that went,
but! The fact was that each had
met the "other one" the "only one"
How to get out Of the situation grace
fully was the question. Nancy did not
want people going around saying that
she had heartlessly Tilted Bert, and
Bert did not want all the gossips de-
claring' that his conduct in throwing
over Nancy was shameful"
There is a game played by children
If 1t can be called a game-known
as "letting the old cat die" A child
In q swing ceases motivating the o.
cillati0n Of the said swing until It
slowly comes to a dead stop. If Nancy
and Bert had been endowed with suf-
dclent courage and frankness they
might have "fessed up" to each other
and contrived some quiet and unosten-
tatious way Of letting the old cat die
with regard to their personal relations.
But they did not have such courage
and franknesS-and the situation,
after all, really was an awkward one.
Who Bert's other and only one was
Nancy could only guess. She rather
suspected that It was that slangy,
sporty Betty Harrington. Betty was
what the knowing called a dead game
sport" She could do the most daring
and unconventional things and get
away with it. Bert was well assured
who Nancy's other one was. The way
Tom Leonard looked at Nancy, and
the cold manner in which he treated
Bert betrayed the secret. Several
times Nancy was on the point Of speak
ing to Bert regarding the situation,
but 1t was such difficult subject to in
troduce. And Bert felt just that way
about speaking to Nancy.
Nancy went so far at last as to con-
f1de In Alice Wonderleigh-everybody
confided In Alice sooner Of later; she
was such a sweet, mild, quiet little
thing, she simply compelled confidence.
"Now what would you dor" asked
Nancy.
"Oh. dear, don't know" replied
Alice, in distressed manner. II think
Il think SHOULD tell him. But per-
haps-oh, dear, really can't advise
you, only"
"Only the situation has got to be
cleared up some way" put in Nancy.
yes" faltered Alice.
The next day there was q bridge at
the Brownsons'. Everybody" was
there. They had paused in their
bridge playing for brief interval of
eating and talking, when Betty Har-
rington came rOmping up to Nancy
with, Hello. Nance! Got your nerve
with YOU today?"
"a moderate amount" replied Nan
cy, curious as to what was coming.
'Then Wen gamble" said Betty.
"Don't look so shocked. I know you
are dead set against gambling, which,
as you old grannies say, Is injecting
society," But this amt serious. Wen
gamble for nothing we can't afford to
lose. What do you say? See this
bracelet? won 1t on a bet from
Tom Leonard, and I'll stake 1t against
Bert Chalmers. don't want the
bracel"t-and you don't want Bert. So
come rn--where's your sporting bloodl
Well cut cards-best two out of
three.
$50" 'i,"ught Nancy. my suspicious
were 80 rect--it is Betty Bert wants"
She glanced at the bracelet which
glimmared on Betty's muscular but
shapely wrist. That ha, come from
Tom Leonard, had it? Possessed by
sudden impulse, Nancy leaned over
and cut pack of cards which was
lying ON a table beside the two girls.
"'Ace- cried Betty. Beginners luck"
Then Betty cut, and cut a ten-spot.
Nancy cut and showed five-spot,
while Betty's luck gave her a king.
The third cut resulted In Betty cutting
a seven-spot and Nancy a two-spot.
1--WE won," cried Betty, and called
across the room: Bert, come herel"
"Oh. I was only joking: please,
please" pleaded Nancy.
"Joking nothingp retorted Betty,
and as Bert came up Nancy, as she
said afterwards, feeling as If she
should sink through the fioor," the
hoyden went on. Here, Bert" I've
just won you from Nancy. You are
mine now, and I'm going to give you
away"
Bert frowned and looked around
anxiously to see If anyone was watch
Ing this mad prank of Betty's. But
she, the irrepressib seized his hand
and leading him to where Alice Won
derlei; h sat alone, silent and pensive,