The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-17
RUTLAND, VERMONT. FRIDAY

ran,, you oosarIly eui-Ihroai. wa. the
reply
And II you can't, I'm the chap thai
willr exclaimed Gcorge, throwing oa ,
his coat and hat
stop my friend. this Is my quarrel, I
aud I'll allow no one 10 take my place |
in hr
Good my young Dayy but ilRI
felios Is big enough to swallow you.
Yes. but may be h. can't iigcs, me
1t wouldn't be fair fight, in,crpos-
ed several bysanders.
Well, there is something that nulli-
fies brute force, and places all on an
equal footing.
That's the talk, Davy You're my
man. exclaimed George, slapping the
stranger on the back.
He's right y said one Of the bystand.
ers, a man about forty years old, step
ping forward
The young man is right, and I'm his
friend in The matter. It's as clear as
day, and the affair can soon be settled
This speaker had been Major in the
Texas Revolution, and he led the siran-
ger down the cabin towards his state.
room, telling the gambler to have mat.
ters arranged within fifteen minutes
When they reached the siate-room. The
Major said
How is il that person Of your aye
understands so much about card. as 10
beat these old gamblers ?
Curiosity led me to study them; bu;
| Inever play but for amusement Most,
if not all of the tricks, ! learned oil a
fellow boarder, who had merely spent
great part Of his time at the gaming
table. | noticed that these houest coun-
trymen had been swindled, and thought
il would be an act of charity 10 beat
gamblers with their own weapons, aud
recover the money for my partner and
his friend Every time noticed the
gamblers secreted cards called for an-
other pack Of cards of different color;
and watched them too closely to give
them chance to cheat me in deal
They did not suspect until near the fin.
ish of our play. You know the rest
Pretty good but do you think that
you could face that fellow fire he )
an old hand at the business
But he's a coward, or be would not
have drawn knife on me. Yet it il
can be avoided, ! would rather no, meet
him. would not like to have him
meet his death at my hands, nor would
l i'ho to sacrifice my life for SO uuwor.
thy purpose.
1T is too late 10 back out now
Can II be settled 7
No! ifyou refuse TO meet him, ever,
one will pronounce you a coward.
'Well, il it must be suppose it must
but have no weapons
Never mind that; ] have pair o
duelling pistols, and SO If you have an,
arrangements to make, be about il, 10
the time is short, and the affair shoul
be settled before il gets noised abou
ihs boat. III see to other matters
Stay make the distance short
Only the breadth Of the boat.
So saying, the young man went 10 hi
own state-room, but soon returned an
seated himself by table in the cabi
and commenced writing. His face ",
pale---deadly pale-but there was
iixedness of features which at once tol
that his mind was made up. A lea
coursed down his cheek as he wrote
but probably that tear was for those Ii
away, yet still to memory dear sirang
thoughts fitted through ns mind
young and yet to stand on the brink
death--to make one fearful plunge in
that dark, unknown river, and 10
carried by its current out into Iie oce'
OF eternity. to return no more. \ ID
Time passed in review IL moment.
Ye, the genii said, Go on --ioo LAT,
= To die or kill---eilber WAS dreadful
fieciion. Yet the proud passions
youth would not submit to reflection.
II must be done, and the sooner IT
over the better--so reasoned pasal,
and passion triumphed. When be b
: finished his writing, he gave II to
.. Major, requesting him to follaw the
reciions which be would find ~ a M
~ addressed to himself, in case h shot
" fall. Also to give his winnings
- George 10 make up for the ioss be
sustained.
= Then they went upon the upper de
y Of the boat. Il Was q calm si,li nil
=" the moon shone forth in all its p
splendor As far As the eye co
- - reach, nothing bat forests aud va
met the gaze. The boat had jus1 rou
=, ed 10 for the purpose Of Sooding
: ~h-n she was again under way
young stranger, his second, ond d
other persou.. anI.ou,ly awaited the
Il proach Of the gambler. Scarc'll
tp- word was spoken--none felt d''P'
10 disturb the silence that reignee
ere Half an hour passed, the gambler e
tue not. Il was nos suggested that .
one should go in search Of him.
bed messenger sooa returned and rePo
&C. thsi both gamblers had len the 's'a
The tho wood yard. When the young
heard this, frrveni Thank God -
ed hiss lips. and ,he parry retired TO
'"' repo-e in sleep.