... . By KEITH AYLING. (BEING OUR SHORT STORY.)* GAMBLE? I should say 'e does! When the Colonel sits down to a game 'e means business, and not half. The speaker, a large man with a bowler hat which rivalled the dome of St. Paul's in contour, stuck his hands in the armholes of his waistcoat and eved the deck steward quizzically. The luxury liner was gracefully slipping its way homewards. And ...

... . By INEZ HOLDEN. Author of Born Old Died Young, Friend of (he Family, etc. (BEING OUR SHORT STORY.)* FRIDAY to Monday; that was two days and three nights in actual time, but Sybil did not care how long it was in actual time, because she knew that the experience would seem interminable. The dinner-party had been going on for a long time, and the end was not yet in sight. Sybil looked at ...

... By LESLIE T. BAMNAMO THE stout man with the florid face relapsed into the park seat and mopped his forehead with a huge handkerchief. not, isn t it ne said to tne otner occupant ot the seat. Hot The young man gave a smile that had no mirth, that twisted his mouth, but left his sombre eyes unchanged. You call this hot I guess you've never been abroad any where near the Lukala Kula Islands Now ...

... A MOUSE IN THE ROOM By CHRISTINE JOPE-SLADE A TEN MINUTE STORY OSTEOPATHS, surgeons, doctors, faith healers, masseurs, and psycho-analysts had all had a go at her. When they'd finished, she, one of ...

... A1 died- Brown 'By ffiiris Sew I HAD strayed a long way from the by no means beaten track which I had plotted out for myself. Even my inch-per-mile map had let me down. instead ot getting round to rou ...

... Bridqe Under the New Rules When Dummy is No Longer Dumb DO you realise, said Dummy, that I am no longer dumb? Were you ever? I asked wearily. Dummy is a voluble soul. Anu iurmermore, ao you realize mat Eastleigh has revoked No, did he? I was threatened with a defeated contract, and two tricks would turn it into a successful one. Yes; renounced on the king of spades and followed to the ...

... A FRIEND wrote a letter saying that he was in very bad health, and concluded: Is there anything worse than having toothache and earache at the same time? The other wrote back: Yes, rheumatism and Saint Vitus's dance! Claud I'm going to kiss you as you've never been kissed before. Maud Who said I hadn't If every young man could read his girl's thoughts there would be much less petrol ...

... PATRICIA, aged seven, while eating breakfast in an unusually pensive mood, suddenly announced: Hod is clever, mummie, isn't He, to be able to think of names for everything, like toast and butter Mummie Yes, darling. Patricia Can He speak French and German, too, mummie Mummie Yes, darling. Patricia after a short pause What will I do, mummie, when I go to heaven if God speaks to me in French? ...

... By JOHN COLLIER DOCTOR, said Major Sinclair, most certainly we must have you with us for Christmas. He shall be back, said Mrs. Carpenter. I promise you. It 's by no means certain, said Dr. Carpenter. I should love it, of course. After all, said Mr. Hewitt, these lectures are only for three months. Anything may happen, said Dr. Carpenter. Yes. It is quite true, said Mrs. Bates. ...

... THE young man had just proposed to the most beau tiful girl in the world. She had accepted him, and so now he stepped into a fashionable jewellery store to buy an engagement ring. He examined various rings, and finally picked up a beautiful diamond affair that suited his fancy. What 's the price of this he inquired. That, replied the assistant, is ^350. The young man's eyes popped. He ...

... So Ethel returned your en gagement ring? Yes, she posted it to me, and, what's more, she had the nerve to paste a label on the outside of the package, Glass. Handle with care.' Why so sad? I'm insolvent. How much have you made over to your wife? Nothing. How much money have you in vested abroad? Not a bean. Good heavens, man! You're not insolvent you're ruined! ...

... THE old type of public-house, we read, is gradually passing out. This is what used to happen to the old type of public-house customer. N/JORE dressing-room cattiness One of the chorus was explaining about her afternoon of shopping, and said, I jumped on to a 'bus in Kennington and got off at Piccadilly Circus An icy voice from the corner of the room cut in Yes, that's where your sort often get ...