Pictures and the Picturegoer (April - September 1915)

r< i:\niNG Ai'Kii. 3, 1915 11 PICTURES AND THE PICTURZGOER 11 THE CONFESSION Adapted from the I lepworth F.'m by MILLICENT BRISTOWE. IT was after dinner o( .1 rece i gathering at the Almgtons house when Edward Clavering made public the fact that ipular middle-aged bachelor, was a card Bhari . . , , • • 1 • , Early in the evening Clavering invited Ganes (..join bim at cards ' The game was in progress for some time. Lraues continued to win all the time, and Edward became suspicious. Although he closely watched, however, he could detect no fraudulent means by which his opponent might be robbing bim, but, losing patience at last Edward jumped up, Bung down the cards, and faced his opponent. \ ou're cheating." he shouted, savagelj ; I mcertaua of it! The accused man winced a little at these hard wards, for be knew they were true. ... •Say that again, and, by heaven, 1 11 make you prove it, he answered, threateningly. "And that you could not do, be added, provokingly. , • Edward clenched his flst and raised it to strike, but consideration for the other guests, who were being attracted by the quarrel, checked him, and, feeling h little ashamed ol bunnil for making' a scene, Edward wandered from the smokingroom. , ., \ few moments later Rupert Hartley, another guest, sat down at the table for a game of cardswitb Ganes. Little did Rupert know when he laughingly faced his opponent what would be the outcome 6l the game. Clavering wasawfully wild, wasn't he? remarked Rupert. "Funny thing, too, for I have played with him many times before and he has lost every penny he had on him without Hocusing me of cheating." . Are yon ready ? " was all Ganes said as he finished slowly dealing out the cards. The Fatal Game. The first round left Rupert well in pocket, and all thoughts of the other man ever being a cheat had completely disappeared. 1111 j With the second Pound, htfwever, Ruperts luck changed, and he beganto doubt the man's honesty. The third round commenced. Slowly, but surely, the little pile of notes at Ganes's right hand grew in size, while that belonging to Rupert decreased. Rupert began to grow rest ind chewed savagely at the end of his cigar. by one the other guests had left the room. the majority Of them, like Edward, having gone in search of their ladypartners. But although Pauline Alington, his Jianr&, was more attentive than usual. Edward was unhappy. He could not throw off the feeling that Ganes had cheated him. In the smoking-room the two men now played on alone, and kite excitement of the game was becoming intense. The only sounds were the ticking of the old marble clock on the mantelpiece, the rhythmic falling of the cards, and an occasional corse from Bnpert as one by one his notes were gathered in ■by his opponent. At last the situation became unbearable, aiid Rupert, recalling what Edward had said, watched Ganes more closely. It was the beginning of the fifth round, and 011 dealing out the cards Rupert discovered, with an oath, that one card was missing. He rose from his seat, hurled over the table, and shouted ' D you: You are cheating. Clavering was 1 ight. after all. Do you think 1 am going to let you me as you've done that poor devil: You've got-wia to deal with now. I'm going to get to the bottom ol this." ganes made no reply, and Rupert, trembling with rage, crossed the room and was on the point of ringing the bell when Ganes Hew at his throat like a lion at his prey. "Ha! You were going to fetch assistance, were you? You've not g-ot grit enough to square me up alone." The words stung Rupert, and he lost control of his temper. A. fierce tight ensued, and Rupert felt that, unless he made >ne supreme effort, all would be over with him. He flungSaues from him and then caught up the first thing at hand, which was an old Irish shillalah. With all histrength he brought down tl is deadly weapon on the head of his opponent, and Canes fell to the ground like a stone. " Von cut-: "he gasped. "I'll teach you to cheat!"' But Ganes did i<"t stir. Rupert bent over and called to him ; then in a moment ol terror it flashed on bim that the man e r breathing. (Janes was I he, Rupert, WBS his murderer. Almost mad with fear, he i b I from the Scei f the tragedy and. with as much composure as he could muster rejoined the oth< r guests. Wrongly Accused. Meanwhile Edward, feeling irerj unsettled, wandered aimlessly into the empty smoking-room. Seeing the motionless form "li the floor, be stooped and looked at it.horrorstricken. Then be picked up the shillalah. and al thai moment the doctor (another of the guests) walked into the room. Hullo: What's up?" he* inquired, laughingly; "been hu\ inga scrap ? " ■ Come here, for In die, and tell me what this means ! ' Edward implored. The doctor approached, and, finding the man on the floor was dead, he turned to Edward and said gravely, " It mean-. Clavering. that you will be accused of this man's death whether you killed bim or not." " M\ <; .d :' exclaimed Edward. Likes man who had I u stunned, he could say no more, but common sense told him that by picking up the shillalah he had unconsciously brought the crime upon his own shoulders. That night Edward was arrested for the murder of Canes. A Guilty Conscience. Rupert went home, but he ♦ad no sleep. He died to find consolation in his library, but it was of no avail. Haunted by the thought of the tragedy, his mind seemed to be giving way lie rose from the chair where he had been sitting, staggered, ''It means man' Clavering, t li;» f yqn will be death, whether you killed him or tiro