The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-08-20

dignantly. "WouLd you not have taken it,
if had lost it 2"
"To be sure he weuld. OF course -
Would he take ita Ah, all they can get,
they take-and little more !" exclaimed .
number Of voices. "Hs must pay-theIs
is no help for itn'
Gentlemen" protested the gambler, in
the vain hope Of obtaining vote in his ia
vor-" the gentleman has staked-"
"And every time lost" interrupted one
Of his hearers. 81 have been present seve-
raj times, and heard it from others, also
and be has never made the least objection to
paying" 80.
But that was only twenty. eight dol
lIrs." .r
"And il it were az many thoasands."
"Only let me speak, demonstrated tho
gambler, who had turned deadly pale, and
trembled all over. 1t was but eight and
twenty dollars that be shook out upon tho
table and the papers bs held back. Three
times already have won the same sum from
him.
'' Prove that had q cent more than the
eight and twenty dollars in the bag" said
the stranger, eontemptuously. "Such e1cu-
ses as that wont serve your turn e-
"Why didy not keep the bag, con,pan-
sro 2" laughed Spaniard, who stsod by,
Eve keep all that is set on the card"
elf he had lost again nothing more would
have come out of that coufoundsd linen
bag, than trumpery dollars" said the other,
savngely.
"That's possible but you cannot provo
it," returned the lookers-on. "You must
pay" 49,,
"rll be hanged if do" said the gambler,
furiously striking his clenched 6st on the
table. ''It is q new sort Of rascally trick
that they want to come over me with Dus
they have got hold of the wrong man! !
wont pay9
"You have won hundred dollars from
me in the last half hour" exclaimed tall
Ksnsuckian. pressing forward over tho
shoulders of the others, Sand had to pay
up to the last cent if you refuse to pay him,
you must fork that out again."
"And mine, too! And mine! And
mine" cried many voices together. 81 too.
have lost 81 lost ten dollars Il lost hf-
ty.' Il lost FIVE and twenty q pound
Of gold! So, out with it, it you won's
payr'
A brother gambler now came up from
neighboring table, and spoke in whisper
to his unlucky comrade, whilst the tumuls
was increasing around them. The other
contended earnestly in the same tone for
some minutes. but yielded ut length to hia
persuasions, and they both took the money
10 count over again; carefully examining
the bank notes, as well as the bill which was
drawn On one Of the first banking houses in
the city.
There was nothing to be said against eth
er the one or the other; and whilst the stran-
ger, who had quite recovered his equinimi-
ty, sat quietly looking on, rs il the hubbub
was no concern of his, the gamblers, count
ed out the money he had won, almost strip
ping the table of the heaps so ostentatious-
ly piled up. Part of the payment consisted
Of several packets of gold dust, which
the stranger before accepting, cat open, sx-
amned carefully, and then weighed at tho
counter just opposite, where he also TOOK
glass of brandy. He found all correct ard
disposing of the gold in his various pockets,
he shook what remained into the mysterious
linen bag, put the papers and bank notes
into his breast pocket, and courteously
thanking his jealous supporters, who re-
turned his greeting with laundering cheer,
he left the saloon.
His quondam friends laughed and talked
over the occurrence for a while. OF all
present, there was scarcely one, probably,
who did not feel pretty sure that he had
played false, that he had his bank notes and
and bill in the bag on each preceding eve
ming but this they did not call dishonest
it was a clever trick. The gamblers them
selves seized upon every advantage, fair or
unfair, that came in their way; and every
one who had his wits about him would look
ont for hiuself