tand pat, Condy."

"The deuce you say," he answered, with a stare. "I'll take three."

"I'll pass it up to you," continued Blix gravely.

"Well--well, I'll bet you five chips."

"Raise you twenty."

Condy studied his hand, laid down the cards, picked them up again,
scratched his head, and moved uneasily in his place. Then he threw
down two high pairs.

"No," he said; "I won't see you. What did you have? Let's see, just
for the fun of it."

Blix spread her cards on the table.

"Not a blessed thing!" exclaimed Condy. "I might have known it.
There's my last dollar gone, too. Lend me fifty cents, Blix."

Blix shook her head.

"Why, what a little niggard!" he exclaimed aggrievedly. "I'll pay them
all back to you."

"Now, why should I lend you money to play against me? I'll not give you
a chip; and, besides, I don't want to play any more. Let's stop."

"I've a mind to stop for good; stop playing even with you."

Blix gave a little cry of joy.

"Oh, Condy, will you, could you? and never, never touch a card again?
never play for money? I'd be so happy--but don't unless you know you
would keep your promise. I would much rather have you play every
night, down there at your club, than break your promise."

Condy fell silent, biting thoughtfully at the knuckle of a forefinger.

"Think twice about it, Condy," urged Blix; "because this would be for
always."

Condy hesitated; then, abstractedly and as though speaking to himself:

"It's different now. Before we took that--three months ago, I don't
say. It was harder for me to quit then, but now--well, everything is
different now; and it would please you, Blixy!"

"More than anything else I can think of, Condy."

He gave her his hand.

"That settles it," he said quietly. "I'll never gamble again, Blix."

Blix gripped his hand hard, then jumped up, and, with a quick breath of
satisfaction, gathered up the cards and chips and flung them into the
fireplace.

"Oh, I'm so glad that's over with," she exclaimed, her little eyes
dancing. "I've pretended to like it, but I've hated it all the time.
You don't know HOW I've hated it! What men can see in it to make them
sit up all night long is beyond me. And you truly mean, Condy, that
you never will gamble again? Yes, I know you mean it this time. Oh,
I'm so happy I could sing!"

"Good Heavens, don't do that!" he cried quickly. "You're a nice,
amiable girl, Blix, even if you're not pretty, and you--"