Half A Chance

of one ill-pleased with fortune's late attitude toward him. Plans that he had long cherished seemed to be in some jeopardy; he had begun to flatter him

averse to his company; when she willed, and she willed often, she summoned him to her aide. Nor did he now appear reluctant to come at her bidding; self-assertive though he had shown himself to be he obeyed, sans demur, the wave of my lady's lit

piano playing for him, her slim fingers moving over the keys to the tune of one of Chopin's nocturnes. He had surprised a steady, eloquent look in the fellow's eye turned on her when she was unconscious of his gaze, a glance the ardency of which there was no mistaking. It had altered at my lord's rather quiet and abrupt appearance,

, by his general manner and attitude, had long shown he would put no obstacle in the way of the nobleman's suit for the hand of his fair niece. As for Lady Wray, Lord Ronsdale knew that he had in that practical and worldly person a stanch ally of his wishes; these had not become less ardent since he had witnessed the unqualified success of t

id he come from? Who are h

a square, imposing edifice, when a voice out

n't 'is l

e nobleman looked down; gave a slight start; t

at do you want?"

ventured to accost the nobleman fell;

ed, with a slight sneer. "Only your lordshi

igure of a policeman might be dimly discerned; then, with obvious intention, he star

d on the man; a white, shapely hand began to reach

," he said quickly, but with a ring of suppressed venom in his voice. "I'll be off. Your lordship has it all your own way since the Lord Nelson went down."

rd Ronsdale looke

rook and welsher and every swell magsman, and all their haunts and habits. And he knows me--blame--" he made use of another expression more forcible--"if he don't

s this

and he took a step forward. "Your lordship remembers the 'Frisco Pet? Y

prize-fighter of that n

im only," with an accent, "as a patron of sport. Tossed a quid on him"--with a look of full meaning--"as your lordship would a bone to a d

cise; it cut like a lash; it robbed the man o

od," he

walked on. The other, his eyes resentfully bright, looke

rennial telegram concerning a threatened invasion of England did not awaken momentary interest. He passed it over as casually as he did the markets, or a grudging, conservative item from the police courts, all that the blue pencil had left of the hopeful effor

ming glass of hot beverage at his elbow. "What do you

ink anyth

John Bull ceases to stamp around, master of his own shores, or Britannia no longer rules the deep. But ho

l, I imagine,

he takes kindly to the

indly,"

th his glass, stirred the contents and sipped. "By the way, didn

ossible,

ce his fist? It might belong to a prize-fighter, except that the hands are perfectly kept! You'd kn

ed steadily. "You, as a magist

urn chap, don't you know! I don't

ted the other, crossin

nly that he

quickly. "No

nies--Tasmania, and so on. Bu

And practising a

and his earnestness and ability in that line procured for him the privilege he sought. As member of the incorporated society that passes upon the qualification

rsue a certain line?" said L

y works more to gratify that predilection than for any reward in pounds and pence. Must have private me

t down in Tasmania? Od

ps what our Teutonic friends would call the Wander-lust took him

of the bright disks, as the vagaries of chance sent them this way or that, seemed to move him in no great degree,--perhaps because the winning or losing of a few hundred pounds, more or less, would have small effect on his fortunes or misfortunes. At a late, or rather, early, hour he pushed back his chair, richer

. Then the divers clusters of points, glowing, insistent, swam around, and he fell into a half doze, from which he was awakened by the abrupt stopping of the cab. Having paid the man he w

the park to-morrow morn

and to the point; Lo

ore on a morning, the girl's fair face and dancing eyes had

f his decision he little realized. Could he have foreseen all that was involved by his going, or staying away, he would not so care