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* went out,' 'By ISABEL GORDON CURTIS, Author of * The Woman from Wolverton" a CHAPTER 1 Of course the game ended with 8 consolation pot, Merzy and Went- worth, each with' his last chip in the middle of the table, called for a show- down. ; All but, Singleton dropped out, and he, big Winner: (off the '¢ ening; |* took the pot. yj eptworth and Merry were broke. / The game had been played i in Went worth's library. Béfore its close the gray. light of' the' morning' began' to stea) past the, ctirtains; and: the' glow of each electric lamp' took on a murky haze. Enpch Wentworth, acting. as - banker; tashed "in" the 'chips 'of 'the winners. :: (Threé' of the:mieh put'ion their hats, said "Good morning; "Andrew Me sat he baize-covered table With herd i Filliog bg Slows. a «d ¢igar and: goth ' "asked. Wentworth. chilkin the 'ais éutdeors that will feel good: JI'wei swhllowed: 80 much smoke: my throat, feels Taw." ©, en 'every window in the room. it you Hike! old 'man. 'Tm going Home' "Hold+son -& mipute," cried Wénts - worth unexpectedly "F'1l go you. just one more hand. * stake' and then' swear off forever." 4B E811 ybu; Enoch; T haven't aéent. Hediyem knows. how I gan tide over these months until the season opens. It's' ¢dod thing 'I'm 'of a married man? © Merry laughed Toirthlessly. 'One; last! hans" pleaded : Wentl worth, "What do you want to play for?" 'Meriy" tarhed' up o coat 'sleeve and stared at his cuff buttons thoughtfully. "I have. nothing left but these. I don't think I'll put them up." "We've thrown away enough money ~'and collateral to-night," Wentworth replied.: Let's make this stake some- thing unique--sentimental, not finan- cial. Why not make it youd future against mine?" "That's a great stake! thro in my past!" 0, let each of us play for the other's future. 'Tt is a mere fancy of mine; but it appeals to me." "Are yon serious? What in God's name would you do with my future if you won it--what Should 1 do" with | yours?? "Ty tell wou; it's a mere fancy of mine "xi Heht Carry out' your fancy, if it amdses you. 'T ought to be willing to stake my life against yours on 'any hand, if you say so," "Do you mean that?" "Yes, if 'you 'want to call me." Andrew' Merry smiled and blew «a - flurry of smoke rings into the marble face of thé Shakesphere, while, he watdhed 'Wentworth's pen ' hurry S morons a! sheet) of paper. © The news- paper man handed iit to him with the ink til: wet " ere," he said, "we'll play for that'doeument; the Winner's name to be written' at the top, the loser . to write his name at the bottom." Andrew Merry read it aloud: I hereby pledge myself until death | ~--+to do your every bidding--to obey your every demand----to 'the extent of hysical and mental ability--you, to to tarnish me with support. you. nin if So en his =r od ? ne Let's play one; big: fhe: said, Shan't 1! - "Will:that hold good in law?" - "Just so long as, the loser. is a man, of honor--no longer. "Are you going to weaken?" | "Pll be damned i 1'dm. TI" Bit teen this bit of paper in my scraphooki™ i 'The man who wins, keeps that bit, of paper," Wentwort nswered 3th a whimsical smile. a hy the cards. With grave, deliberation. Merty lit' a fresh cigar and 'puffed it meditatively. +: Upofi' each' Hatless brain, began: ito dawn papi that this was a port than the ro oe Sh Kot i grown lighter' and lighte# til 'thé last 'ha Faia Fit green, back 'vanished. ficd «df fi Who'll, deal"; asked, Wentawg ell cut," Merry spoke, wc | "Low deals, sce low." . Enoch Wernitworth eut a tray, Merry seven spot. Wentworth shuffled the cards. agai his opponent, "Yes, one "eliand. ' diseard: draw, "Wentworth dealt with likleration. They kd up hands, "+ "HGive me four cadet: said, Moses {YT take three." Wentworth's face. was as solemn as his voice. For a homer each' man' sat' star. ing at his hand. - 'Then Merry dpoke.." "There's 10: use in; she: down," "I haven't even one little, pair." "Hold on," expostulated Wentworth, scarcely 'concealing: the : relief. high his friend's admission gave him, " only ace high. ' Does that beat Sout" Merry's: face also 'told its' story reaction. "Same here," he said; lay- ing the card on thetable; face up," and a jolly king to follow it." "King for me," too." "Wentworth's face flushed and His voice grew 'impa- tient. "What's your: next card 2". "A ten," Merry replied tranguilly, too tense to wonder why Enoch awaited his declaration. © "Ten here. My 'God! 'ate they all alike?" "Seven next." "And 'mine's 8 'seven!" Both men paused, each with: his eyes on the other's card. #And a four," Cri " Wentworth irritably. = He passed his Hand across ; frsight-forward, «gazm of Ber, gray, He tossed: the unsigned bond into} es the center, of, the;table and shiffled |. RUCSS LL she Yee years: He. felt. Tike: an' acsid; ent," sin-battered,' soiled, 1 city-worn: 'hulk: of humanity as he returned ithe, x| cleaglines Sa of hich 'across on A it" ing dramatics on it ion. He a What! muck Yor A hicad to ey rok : ted, and loved the stuck; fo the. Ip. for, Ad cause he was all his a she worshi Tle oe fid 2 i #4Ca ¢ on to New York, of later; kind be 'yandeville gested #7 'gave | morning inten e wrote i's Vistetal lettetl see him' 'again' until' two' when 'I came to his name in 'company on' B preny, far down: | was unusual. Merry ey. pe. pment fresh ina while there's a touch of whim- | source, sical; tearful pathos in: his antics that 'ed and ; makes 2 man--wink." {ges of oo "Take me to see him," cried the girl eagerly. "Well go to-morrow. 1s his clos ing night in 'The King at Large.' He's a bigger favorite, than several of the | hig forehead; it: was mpist nd! cold, "You wind When. Merry. tossed down his hand a, tray turned over--it was the same tray Which gave 'W. worth the deal. 5 Wentworth had drawn to an ace and ten, Merry held up a ing. The younger man, lifted ped it in the ink, and' scrawl oo ait) worth across the slip a paper, ----- the bottom he wrote with grave delib- | eration, Andrew Merry, and handed the paper to Wentworth. The news- paper man stared at it for a' moment,' the cu et into 't Or the winter. trying to cheer him. gave me the dumps." hen dropped it on the table, laid His | cheek on' the palm' of 'his hand, dnd, looking straight "in thé 'face of the actor, asked: "Merty, gor you yonlive what this means?" He earns lots of uioney, but away from {"Not: yet, perhaps; still 1 wish. you 1 more luck of my. life than I've. had. Now, since I'm to dook to you: for support, could you, scare I've got to ride home, Before Wentworth could reply, the curtains parted, pnd aghl's of a dairy fatm, for the su ye 'thorough; . sanitation iy. Ale the great: help: rcomine ile ithe "heifers from or '| age is raised by 1,000 pounds of milk hare 11 4 hereby and a Dass: 8 a Ll BE fersili ; has been king Sh purchased for the : ty low-testing herds are in 'the maj= | fo ho Si ie PAE BA 70 "t weuld have ben universally adopted With barnyard d Jong lago, and there would have been yard manure and an oc- {0 'need Intiom-in-erder«that | Sas} of clover, the land justice "might be meted out to all pats} Fen y of factories. new Act, is in the interests of i indastry, and instead of | § being only 8 a few Jigh-testing tr p sell wheat, corm, or dats, and get one dollar, we 'sell about 80 cents worth of ie yd AE Lo the st of him present' in ot be | thé e , but by using a bull from high- | 0b been kind to a m; op 4 they patches. We ehoutd 2 if ncesto the atlpy 8 a 'bedauxb; theve! is! firbsent y easiest and most satisfactory way: Hi fox the fu Jai rpg | of dbtaining a high- -testing, high-pro- etcher, in airy Wasn't Calling Her Dear. Jukige h herd is to weigh and test the {i ¢'} 173¢ Desirous of buying a camera, a cer- m each cow regularly, them tai g woman inspected the os of ron opk "Is that a Loh one?" 'she asked, as she picked up a dainty little mach: ine. "What is it called?" "That's the Belvedere," said the andsome young shopman polite There was a chilly silence! Then the young woman drew herself coldly erect, xe him with an icy stare, Sm if id Sebdmend the ALLOY 1 you imagine the world can't gel on bb ma iki you a are Ae only e best. ~ At- tention must be paid to the bedding y | of the herd sire. He is considered to ¢ cat: | the herd, and if his ancestors (were only average the offspring can- oy - | nat 'be much better, al paying at- inti 18 breeding, the average yield uality of milk per cow will be much! a highar ten years from now than' it is at the present time. If the aver- 'per cow per year, i i by at least te butter-fat yield can be increase, ! Fo ve oman ld wo 4d ge ge: che, EE tonic] ca yo [2 Sure' cure al preventive, no matter: how age are affiic Any 2s fed or posed. d,