Evening star., 1932-08-21
Bargain at Twice the Price

was abrupt and in decided contrast. Instead
of the musty smell which pervaded the front
there was a faint, lingering aroma of some
thing pleasantly Oriental. Through the ante
room into the main salon Kent made his way.
The place was curiously and luxuriousy fur
nished, and 1t appealed to him. The bland Chi
nese dealers fitted by nature with perfect
poker faces the low murmurs from the crowd,
the general impression of things genteel, the
low whirr of the roulette wheel, all contributed
to the effect; an effect which keyed with the
mood of buoyancy which enveloped Kent.
That mood was undoubtedly a contributing
factor in the establishing of contact with that
altogether adorable young lady. Melissa.
Melissa, although Kent was not aware that
was her name, at the roulette wheel. She
seemed to be fancying the red and running her
finances into the same color on the budget
ledger 1t wasn't the fact that young lady
playing roulette that attracted Kent's at
tention; it was the fact that an angel
playing it. She was even dressed like one, re-
fected Kent, pausing spellbound to gape
White. With sable or something. She had
poisc. a profile charm, grace, and number of
other things which Kent couldn't for the mo-
ment define, being too greatly absorbed in
contemplating the first four
1T should be noted in passing that Kent
Nicholson was a normal young man in many
respects and rather superior young man in
other respects. He had adventured several times
in the past in the realm of what he
garded as puppy love, but unless that gallop-
ing heart was deceiving him, he knew that he
was due for something overwhelming. In that
respect he was a normal young man, for other
normal young men had felt just the same way
about Melissa Merrill.
Because she was bit aggressive he man
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get by her side. She appeared to have. oddly
enough, no escort There was no gentleman
showing her the attention that any escort
would have been glad to show
Kent was certain that roulette was going to
be merely incidental with him long as this
lovely creature was by his side. Without think
ing much about it, he risked third of his
capital. Fate, who gets the credit for all
things. caused the little ball to stop on young
Mr.. Nicholson's number His take was very
hefty.
Fate proving her connivance with intuition
remained staunchly by his side encouraging the
little ball when it hesitated before the wrong
stall It stopped in the Nicholson stall sur
prisingly often for great share of an hour.
She, on the contrary, lost steadily and i'm
perturbably, after the fashion of people who
can afford to lose bit with whirring wheels
and capricious balls. She paid no slightest heed
to that young man whom many ladies in the
past had investigated and found attractive;
even, at times, intriguing.
In such instances it behooveS young man to
take the initiative, to feint for an opening, to
prove himself of resource.
Resource. Ah there was the rub. What
excuse could he possibly invent for making him.
self favorably known.
He had contemplated two rash absurdities
speedily dismissed them as dangerous, and was
considering the effect of announcing to her
casually that he was some TOO potatoes ahead
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him suddenly and quite Unexpectedly.
The Introductory part of the solution con-
sisted in brusque and rather business-like
command from the doorway. The command
wasted no rhetoric in getting straight to the
meat Of the plot. The person at the door
wished the occupants to elevate their hands and
to remain put. Further, it would be unfortun-
ate for any one who objected.
The voice originated behind mask Above
the mask a hat was pulled down over the
gentlemans brow, and his coat was threadbare.
There was something about the coat that caused
Kent's glance to follow 1t to the floor. The
fellows shoes were long and f1appy.
1t was the man to whom he had extended the
80 cents earlier IN the evening.
The stick-up had forced the Chinese doorman
to precede him into the room. The doorman
and all his compatriots raised their hands.
meekly enough.
Kent expected things to happen before the
bandit got around to relieving the customers
of their valuables. An Oriental who was cap
able Of running place so efficiently as Wung1
was run was competent to take care Of single
bad man.
In that he was correct. The flotsam was just
starting to rake in the money from the draw
poker game when the lights went out
The hotsam was not man to be taken easily,
however and his gun roared twice toward the
ceiling and his voice rasped: stay where
you are!"
Kent, being a superior young man, realized
that in this instance brain was the thing.
Brawn was Of no avail against tough guys with
guns in darkened rooms. He had been close
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