The Argosy, December 1905 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

68 the young man. “I won’t have to pawn my watch, I assure you.” But when he had left her and was on his way to his boarding-house he said to himself: “ I wonder how much that ring is going to cost! Two hundred dollars represents every cent I have in the world. By pawning my watch, I might be able to realize fifty bones more, but that ring costs every cent of four hundred dollars, if not more. Well, Rosa has got to have it, and that’s all there is to it. God bless her! She deserves the finest ring that money can buy.” From this soliloquy it may be ob- served that reckless extravagance was one of Arthur Ladd’s besetting sins. He was generous to a fault, and in the opin- ion of his friends as honest a fellow as ever lived, but his hardest job was not to spend more money than he had. This may sound paradoxical; but by it is meant that Arthur was continually taking upon himself financial obliga- tions that there was no immediate pros- pects of his being able to meet. “ Trust to luck” was his motto. Up to the present, luck had compen- sated him for his faith by leading him out of all sorts of apparently hopeless difficulties. Thus, when he had turned the corner from the house of his affianced, and was walking along swinging his cane and trying to puzzle out how he was going to “raise the dough” (as he termed it) to buy that ring, whom should he come across but Pete Murray, a jockey friend of his. “ Hello, Pete!” cried Arthur heartily. “ What’s doing? ” “Going to the races to-morrow?” asked the jockey. “ Nope,” said the other, remembering his recent interview with Rosa’s father. “ve got a good thing,” suggested the jockey carelessly. “T’ve quit playing the races, Pete,” ’ said Arthur. “Pm going to get mar- ried to the finest girl in the world; so I’ve got to cut out the ponies.” “Better take this tip though, Artie. It’s a good one. I’m playing it myself for all I’m worth. I got the tip direct from the owner. A ten-to-one shot, at least.” “A ten-to-one shot!” gasped the THE ARGOSY. other, his interest aroused despite him- seit...“ What 28 it, Pete “ Alexis in the handicap to-morrow. It’s a fixed race, and he’s bound to win. I’ve got a thousand on him. You shouldn’t miss it, Artie.” “Are you sure it’s a cinch? ” “Positive. I tell you I got the tip from the owner himself. Don’t be a fool. Remember the odds will be at least ten-to-one.” “Two hundred dollars at ten-to-one would bring me in two thousand dollars. That would buy that ring several times over and give me a little capital be- sides,” mused Arthur. “I need some money. I need new clothes and things, and I’ve got to take Rosa out a whole lot now we’re formally engaged. Pete says it’s a sure thing, and he has never failed me before. It’s too tempting an opportunity to let go by. This shall be the last time though. Nobody will ever know it. By gad, Dll do it!” CHAPTER II. A WAY OUT. By the time Ladd reached his room in Mrs. Jarvis’ select boarding-house, his mind was fully made up. “T promised Rosa that I would never go to the track again,” he said to him- self, “and I won’t; Pll keep that prom- ise even if it hurts: DP go to a pool- room to-morrow and lay that two hun- dred on Alexis. I don’t think we said anything about pool-rooms. “'True enough, I promised her old man that I’d cut out gambling alto- gether; but then this won’t be gambling, it'll be collecting money. I can’t lose if it’s a fixed race, and Pete Murray has always been absolutely reliable. After to-morrow, though, Pll cut out pool- rooms and all sorts of gambling. I posi- tively will. Ev: the surest tip sha’n’t tempt me again. I’ll settle down to a hfe of sober, hard work. Rosa is wel} worth it.” With these reflections he went com, fortably to sleep and slumbered that night as sound as a bell. Next morning when he left the board. ing-house to go down to the office: of GomiGdooks (C@