Jack and His Seven Foes — page 80: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ee, Se Ne Re ee ee ’ . < . t — outachange of face, and calmly took the ball out of the “pond” in the middle of the table. ‘“ Messieurs,” he said, “for to-night the game is ended.” ‘He has broken the bank,’ was whispered round, and many hungry, curious eyes were fixed upon him. And none were more hungry and curious than those of the thin sallow- faced man. “ He takes it well,” he said; “it is nothing to him. What would it have been to me ?”’ He was a fraudulent manager of a large house of business, and he had long been spending his employer’s money. He came that night to get it back, and lost more. “ Tll-gotten gains,’ thought Jack, as he crammed the notes and gold into his pockets, “‘to be spent for a good purpose.” He walked to a table in the centre of the room, on which stood a number of decanters, and filled a glass with sherry. He was about to raise it to his lps, when he caught the eye of the sallow- faced man fixed upon him. JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES, v6 ha “ Well, friend,” he said, “ what do you want ?”’ “Nothing, nothing,” replied the other, hurriedly ; ‘‘ you have been lucky, and I have not, and I was—was—” Jack drank his wine, and put down the glass. | “One word,” he said. people staring at me.” ‘Perhaps if I had won, you would have stared at me,” said the other. ‘Not I,” said Jack, contemptuously, and turned away. ‘‘T knew it,”’ groaned the sallow-faced man; ‘‘ the money is nothing to him, it is everything to me—death or life.” ‘For a moment he covered his face with his hands, then looked up, and saw that Jack was leaving the room. “Yes; [ll doit,” he muttered, and with a hurried hand filled a tumbler with brandy. “He is but a youth,” he muttered, as he hastened on Jack’s trail; “‘ what of that? Better to die ere your soul is black with sin. As for me, it is but one “T don’t like | more sin, and money to me is a matter of life and death. Aye, Ill do CA WAAL ALAA ALON a CHAPTER XXVIII. THE ATTEMPT ON JACK’S LIFE—A RECOGNITION—A GENEROUS FOE. Unconscious of being followed, Jack turned into the street again, and in a meditative mood walked slowly on. It was past midnight, and few people were about. And those who were abroad for the most part were homeless, or night prowlers in search of plunder, such as we find in all great cities. him to try a game of chance. He had been successful beyond his hopes, but the gambler’s spirit was not | in him, and could not be roused. trying that doubtful road to fortune again. But he knew that his faithful fol- | | had gone to the gambling saloon that nicht. On he went, thinking, but with no thought of the money in his pockets. Behind him came the sallow-faced man, thinking of money and murder. For the paltry coins and strips of paper currency he was ready to cut short a young and vigorous life. Fortune had favoured Jack, but he | eared not for the money for the money’s | sake. It was the need of it that tempted | He was as remorseless as death itself. Across the Broadway, and _ into another street they went, Jack and his _ would-be murderer. It was quiet there, and the sallow- faced man thought he could kill him _ safely. | It was a million to one against his | “The knife is the weapon here,” he _ muttered, and drew a formidable bowie lowers were on the verge of want, and | _ for their sakes, as much as his own, he trom its sheath. The bright blade glittered in the light of a lamp, as he moved on more quickly and drew nearer to Jack. CORNIELIOC (C cS (E(©)