's got that article.
Can't help it, my son, must tell you--de light-haired girl is de
person. Mebbe she's put it back, my son, I'll see."

Here he cut the cards carefully, and continued:

"There's trouble 'bout dat article, my son, can't help it, must
tell you--but you'll get the article, but you'll have disappointment.
Whenever you see dat card you may know there's disappointment
comin'--dat card is always disappointment--can't help it, my son,
must tell you." Here he exhibited the nine of spades, to the
malignant influence of which he attributed the future woes of his
hearer.

"When you go home look in your bed between the mattresses and see
if the article is there, for mebbe she'll put it back--if it aint
there you must go to her and 'cuse her of it, 'cause it's in the
house and she's got it--can't help it, my son, must tell you."

It is perhaps needless to say that the customer had met with no
loss of property, and that all this was entirely gratuitous on
the part of Mr. Grommer. Having, however, settled the matter to
his satisfaction, that gentleman turned his attention to other
things, and in the intervals of repeated shufflings and cuttings
of the cards he said:

"Dere is a journey for you soon--and dis journey is going to be
the best thing that ever happened to you--but dere is a little
disappointment first--can't help it, my son, must tell--here you
can see for yourself," and out came the malicious nine of spades
again. "You will get money from beyond sea, my son--lots of money,
lots of money, my son--here it is, you can see for yourself," and
he exhibited the cheerful faces of the eight, nine, and ten of
diamonds. "You will have disappointment before you get this
money," and up came the hateful visage of the nine of spades once
more. "You was born under a good star, my son--under a morning
star--you was born under the planet Jupiter, my son, at 28 minutes
past four in the morning--lucky star, my son, very lucky star. You
are going to make a great change in your business, my son, which
will be good; you will always be successful in business, but I
think there is a little disappointment first; can't help it, must
tell you." Here the listener looked for the nine of spades again,
but it didn't come. "After a little while you turns your back on
trouble; here, you can see for yourself--see, this is you."

The king of clubs was the Individual at that instant, and the
troubles upon which he turned his back ar