"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.
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