THE CHEAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2769, 26 March 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CHEAT.

(By ARTHUR W. MARCIIMONT, Author of “By Right of Sword,” etc.) It would have been very difficult for me at one time to have explained my feelings for Mollie Wentworth. I Intel known her from a child ; for I had been her father’s junior partner before I had come into enough money to enable me to abandon business and devote myself to my books. There were, nine years between us ; and when her father died, leaving her a considerable fortune, she was fifteen and I was twenty-four; and the gap seemed a very wide one indeed. She went to live with her aunt, Mrs. Chasedale ; and as the latter was an old friend of mine, I saw a great deal of Mollie, who regarded mo as a sort of elder brother. 1 was quite contented with that confidential relationship until John Maidstone came to me and told me he was going to marry her. I awoke to the truth then, and realised' quite clearly the nature of my feelings. I loved her; and the news was to me like a sentence of loneliness for life. I had believed

that I was wedded to my books! My books! As I looked round tile crowded shelves after he had gone, every volume seemed to laugh at me in mockery of the emptv fiction in which I had deluded myself. Yet I .was not jealous. He was a handsome young fellow, seven or eight years younger tlian I, well-to-do, in the way to make, a career at the Bar, and enjoyed the good word of all who knew him. It was, in evei-y respect, an excellent ir'toll; and my congratulations wore pci .ectly sincere. I eared enough for Mollie to make her happiness the first consideration in m- thoughts. I remember that his way of telling me jarred me somewhat. He put it that he was going to marry her; and the insistence noon the persona] note was out of place and gave me a twinge of uneasiness. But then I am not a pushful person. I made another discoverv however—that he had been philandering with Clarice Cratten ; and the change to Mollie had been made very abruptly. Moreover, Mollie was rich, while Clarice had very little. But I put the suspicions aside as the distempered fancies of a bookworm; and when 1 sow that Mollie seemed proud of her handsome lover and very fond of him, I slipped easily enough into the position of genuine well-wisher to them both and thrust my own stillborn hones right down into the bottom of my heart. Clarice accepted the oosition, also, with smiling complacencv. and remained one of Mollie’s close friend So matters stood one night a few weeks after his engagement when I was at Mrs. Chasedale’s for the game of bridge, which had become a weekly custom with us four. Both girls were unusually excited; Mollie especially being in the highest spirits. She wa« more than Usually lucky that night, and to my surprise had suggested that our customary modest stakes should be consider a blv increased. Maidstone had a touch of the gambling fever in his blood, and readily jumped at the proposal; and as be and Mollie were, partners, they won so largeh- that, fearing Clarice would be troubled by her losses, I threw out more than one suggestion that we. should stop. Mollie, however, made some rather nasty remark about stopping if Clarice was afraid to go on ; and nettled by this, my partner declared that fehe would see the thing through. So on we went. I thought that Mollie acted with m’uch less consideration than usual, seeing that she had won so heavily, and it disturbed me. But as it turned out I did not understand the position .at all. I am not quick at detecting undercurrents.

The game went on for a band or two until it was Mollie’s deal; and she declared “no trumps.” She bold wonderful cards, and when she had made four or five tricks, Clarice, pushed back her chair and turned to her, her face..as white as the cards and her lips quivering with anger. “I see now why I have lost,” sho ex. claimed viciously. “Will you explain, or shall I?”

Mollie also changed color, and the two stared at one another defiantly “What is there to explain?” she asked, her voice hard and her words clipped short in anger. “We have, been playing against marked cards, Mr. Mellows,” said Clarice to me. ■

“Clarice!” “Miss Gratton!” cried Maidstone and I in the same breath, Literally aghast at the accusation. “‘lt is true,” declared Clarice, deliberately. “You can see for yourselves,” and she pointed to Mollie. who glanced quickly at us in turn, but did not speak.

Maidstone’s face was a study. He had looked for an indignant repudiatioi of the charge from Mollie, and when it did. not come, a heavy frown gathered on bis face, his features were set and stem, and his hands clenched almost fiercely. ‘ Molly,” he appealed, in a low husky ton?. She met his look for a moment steadily. and! then shrugged her shoulder*., “You don’t believe me capable of such a filing?” she asked. Her voice was .steadv. but her eves full of concern and trouble. “You can see the marks ou the cards,” interposed Clarice, before he had time to renly, and she turned some of them over. “This snot in the' righthand corner is for hearts, tho two spots for diamonds, and so on,” she added, •holding up the cards as she spoke. The marks were therefright enough. “You will understand now how it was easy to make the right declarations, and can appreciate her wonderful run of—luck.” The pause before the last word and the scorn with which .she uttered it were eloquent of malice.l Maidstone examined the marks critioot- a.'faw moments, and then tossed the cards on the table with a sigh, and sat back in Iris chair, the frown deeper, tlian ever.

“You have, not answered my question?” said Mollie to him. “The cards are certainly marked,” lie reelied. “Anyone can see that. You can see it, can’t you. Mellows?” “Certainly I can,” I said. Mollie flashed lier eyes on me then. “You have known mo all my life Mr. Mellows • do you believe I could do this ?”

I smiled. “No. Mollie. not if you told me so voursolf.” The mere thought of such' a thing was prenosterous. Maidstone looked round at m© quickly. “What does it mean, then?” Again- Clarice intervened. “That is not all. If you will look under the table you will find two or three other nicks of cards there. Each has been . "-v'-nred, K o that all the good cards shall be dealt into certain hands.” Maidstone, with a lawyer’s anpetite for evidence, pushed back his chair, and brought out a couple of packs. It was a small folding table with a shelf for books or papers, and he had found the cards on this. He immediately dealt out one of the ’mcks, face upwards, and

the result was that nearly all the honor cards fell to Mollie and himself. “The other has already been used,” said Clarice, "it was that which raised my suspicions. When she. was going to deal just now and the cards had been cut she dropped her handkerchief, and in stooping to pick it up she exchanged the cards. That was the hand when you scored a little slam in no trumps. I myself then expected an indignant denial from Mollie. But none came. “I did not think you wore so observant,” she said very quietly, and even smilingly. “Mollie!” cried Maidstone, utterly bewildered. “Don’t be too' tragic, Jack. It’s a very small matter. Of course, the money we. won need not be - aid,” she replied lightly, and she shrugged her shoulder® again, and got up from the table. “I suppose we shan't play any more now.” ' “Mollie! Do you moan that you admit all this?” cried Maidstone, greatly agitated now. It’s—it’s cheating.” “Tt is any use for me to deny it? Will you believe me if I do?” I “But you’ve impliedly admitted it. I You can’t really treat it in this ofl- ! hand way; really you can’t.” “I don’t take the same view of it a® you, Jack. The question is what you believe. If you don’t believe me capable of such a thing, nothing else matters—at least to me. If you think I’m a cheat, well —” and she threw up'her hands and left the. sentence unfinished. “I—l don’t know what to think,” he murmured, with a sigh of perplexity. “You don’t even deny it.” This appeared to anger her. “Is it necessary that I should?” she retorted with a good deal of asperity. “The thing can’t rest where it is,” he muttered uneasily, half under his breath. . <> “What do you say, Mr. Mellows?” I She asked turning again to mo. “I know you to, be absolutely incapable of such a thing, Mollie; but if you know the explanation I think you should tell us.” Maidstone turned on me at this, apparently glacl to be able to avoid speak, ing directly to her. “Someone has been cheating. Mellows. You’ll admit that, at any rate,” lie said in his most lawyer-like tones. "I don’t even admit that, Maidstone. The marks may, or may not, mean anything, and as far as —” “But the pack of cards I dealt out,” he interposed, sharply. You’re not going to argue that the arrangement was merely accidental.” “I don’t mean to argue the ease at all. 1 don’t understand the thing; but I say that if you believe Mollie could even think of such a thing as tins, you’re making a fool of yourself.” Whether my warmth in replying angered him, or whether he had made up his mind already to believe the evidence, I can’t saj - ; but he answered me, hotly, and left no doubt in my mind that he did believe Mollie had done it. And none in hers either. “Wait a moment. Jack,, please,” she said, intervening presently. “It’s a question in your mind whether you trust your faith in me or in what you keep calling the evidence. Which is it? If you think I’m a cheat, do at least have the courage to sav so,” and her eyes sparkled with indignation. He paused, avoiding her gaze, and staring heavily in front of him. “I don’t wish to while this goes on,” said Clarice, speaking for the time for many minutes. Mollie took no notice of her. “Now, Jack?” she said, insistently. “I don’t know what to think. You offer no sort of explanation.” “Don’t lie a fool Maidstone,” I interjected quickly; but Mollie flashed round on me. ' “This is between us two, Mr. Mellows, if you please. Y'ou can’t disbelieve the evidence then, Jack, without

some explanation from me? Your legal mind prefers' evidence to trust. Is that it ?”' There was no doubt about her indignation now. Clarice got up then. “Good-night, Mr. Mellows,” she sakl. holding out her hand to me. But I t-ook my cue from Mollie and affected not- to hear her. “Jack?” cried' Mollie, quickly. He was silent and shook his head and tossed up his hands with another heavy sigh. “Then only one thing remains,” said Mollie. She drew off her engagement ring and laid it on the table. “You would not marry a girl you believed to be a cheat, nor I a man who could' believe me one. Mr. Maidstone will see you home,” she added turning te Clarice. ' v..-v

. “Mollie! You don’t mean this. • 1 wouldn’t ” He stopped abruptly as he met the look in her eyes. At that moment Clarice moved towards the door; but Mollie was first to reach it and set her back against it. “Let me go at once. I do not care to be in such company as yours,” sneer, ed Clarice, angrily. “You will not be in it long,” replied Molly, with quiet contempt. “I have already said that you and' Mr. Maidstone. shall leave together. But before you go, give me back my own pack of card's.” and! she held out her hand for them.

•1/ understood then, and so, I think, did Maidstone, for lie winced and raised his a hands like a man who had been struck- aiid stared at the two girls in amazement. Mollie- did-not even look at him. “I don’t pretent to understand you,” said Clarice, with a sneer and a shrug. “The pretence has been mine, ■ not yours,” was Mollie’s retort. “Will you give them up quietly or compel me to charge you with stealing them. We must have the truth now. Mr. Mellows, you are with me in this. I know. And you can sec the trick which has been played on me under the garb of friendship.” “Plow dare you say such a thing!” cried Clarice, still full of fight. “I was at your house to-day, as you know • but, as you do not know, I saw there tlie cards which vou had begun to mark. I was struck by the fact that they were all of tlie same pattern as mine, and I half guessed) what you intended. to do. 1 decided to let you make the attempt. I understood your motive ; to try and take Mr. Maidstone from me by branding me as a cheat. I let the attempt go on because I' thou gilt it would prove a valuable test of tlie sincerity of liis faith in mo. It has,” slie said, with, a swift "lance at him. ‘M‘ollic!” lie exclaimed, but the appeal was unnoticed, and lie dropped into a chair with a groan of futile regret, as Mollie continued: “But I do not intend that you shall succeed in your other effort—to make me the common cheat which you arc. You brought the cards with you ; I took good care to see them before we began to play: and I was careful to see that you had to make the necessary exchange. But I have not let you leave the room to 1 get rid of those which you took. Now, lvill you give them up?” “It is a lie,” cried Clarice, as pale as death. “Mr, Maidstone, you won’t hear me slandered in this way .Mr. Mellows, I a-'-eal to you.” “This is very "ainful, but I cannot intervene, ” I said.

Mollic rang the bell. “That is for a constable to be fetched,” she said ; and her face was as hard as steel. Clarice held out until the servant came and Mollie told her to fetch the. police. “There is no need. I own up. I have the cards.” And she took a small bag from under her dress and tosrsod it toward Mollie, who took out the cards and showed them to us, and then placed the marked ones in it ana returned it to her.

“You are satisfied now, perhaps,” she said, contemptously to Maidstone, and threw open the door. Chirico hurried out at once; and Maidstone rose and paused, looking appealingly at Mollie. “Can’t you—forgive me?”' “Mollic ” 1 interjected, to stay trie hot reply I could see was hovering on her lips. “Think before you answer. It all appeared ” “Appeared!” she broke in. her lip curling as she glanced at him. “Do you think 1 would have believed it of him had the appoaranees been a thousand- times as black? That is not how I trust or will be trusted. Good-night, Mr. Maidstone,” and she would not oven touch his extended hand. With a last despairing toss of the hands he went out. When they had gone she went to the fireplace, leaning her elbow on the mantl, while I paced the room in genuine distress. “I am so sorry,” I said presently, stopping near her. To my surprise she was smiling as she turned to me.

“I am not. I am glad, positively glad,” she replied. “Would you marry a woman who believed you could he a cheat?”

“But without your explanation—” “Would- you?” she asked again, with an insistent stamp of the little foot on the fender rail. “You should have made allowance for—” “Come here;” and she held the lapels of my coat—a rather favorite trick of hers —and looked int-o my eyes. “You did not need allowance to be made. You knew it was impossible. No, don’t say anything yet. and don’t try to wriggle away. I’m going to talk first. I give you- my word of honor that I am infinitely more pleased that he couldn’t trust me than I should have been if lie had. We had been engaged three weeks, and in that time I had got to know him through and through. I thought he loved me, and that I loved him. But he has very little room to spare for anyone but himself. He is that kind of man ; a hundred little things showed me that in the three weeks- and he thought a- great deal more about my nionc-v than about me, I wished to break it off. and when I saw

what that false little cat meant to do to-night I let her do it purposely. I meant to test him, I knew if he believed me a cheat he wouldn’t want t-o marry me. It would have been too great a drawback, even in a rich girl. Of course, if I had really cared for him I couldn’t have done it; but as it is, my heart is as joyous as the sunlight to he free from him. Now, do you understand?” and her smile was positively radiant. “Yes, in that case. I can understand. I think,” I said slowly. Her smile gave place to a wistful look. “I wonder if you do,” she murmured. keeping her eves fixed on me; “'and if you can ever forgive?” “Forgive? Whom? And for what?” “Me, of course,” she said, a light of mischief in her eyes. I shook my head. “I don’t understand.” “But- you said -on did. And to-night you showed that you did. And you trusted me as 1 would have trusted you.” “Ah, that was nothing. I couldn’t distrust you. if I tried.” “I know that. I was perfectly sure of you.” and her manner was so caressing that had I been five years younger I should have found it hard indeed to have held back the Jove which filled my heart for her. As it was, it was difficult enough. “You can always be sure of me,” 1 said, after a pause. “I don’t know. Do you forgive me?” she asked, putting her face so close to mine that her hair swept my forehead. “I could forgive you anything,” I said earnestly. She looked at me intently in silence for a few seconds, and then sighed. “Can’t you understand that when 1 found out one thing I found out another?” she asked. Then she dropped her eyes, the color flushed in her chocks, she laughed hapnily, and releasing me with a slight push, turned away to the fire again, and hid her face in her hands. I was still at sea. “What have Ito forgive?” I murmured helplessly. She replied without raising her face. “That I ever promised t-o marry—himand her voice was broken and hesitating and all unsteady. “Mollie! Mollie! Do you really mean it?” I cried, catching my breath as I seized her hand, and pressed my lips to it. She looked up then, her face aflame and her eyes shining like twin stars as she half shrank before the new light in mine. “Do ton think you understand now?” she flashed with a bright half-mischievous but all loving smile as she yielded to me and let me kiss her, and draw her into my eager arms. “How dense you were, Dick,” site whispered presently. “Why did you force me to cheat vou into this after all.” My answer—well, it is an easy guess.