The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-11-29

boy?' -
growled his mate. -
candles, with long wicks. lit up as great
variety Of savage faces as ever | saw in the
worst faro hell" in California. From the
dark halt breed, and insolentr locking mu-
latto, to. the yellow haired Spaniard of
blood unmixed, every variety OF color wa
represented in the crowd of gamblers. Thu
"gandln was there, uncoulfortabiy grand
in chimney pot hat and coat of broad
cloth; the trader, in fringed Guatamalan
jacket; the stalwars ''peon,' with broad
Panama hat, and loose drawers rolled above
the knee All -passefs- by had been mag
neticalv drawn into that little sned, ami
some, found, had passed the day there
Such wrctehed furniture as the ACE coula
boast had been carried away, except one
table and one stool. The padrone and his
wife sat cross. legged on the c3unter, keep
ing within their reach the square bottles OF
"Ginevra," aud the long neckei TASKS of
''aguardiente Beside them dozed boy,
wearied out with long attendance and ex
posture to the sun thraugh the open front.
The air was thick and hazy with smoke and
liquor tunes, which rolled out into the
black hight in volumes. Floor, there was
none, but the ground was strewn with
empty bottles and fragments of cigars.
| The heat was terrible. But all faces were
drawn and fixed and feveri>h the curses
| rolled up to heaven In an unbroken stream.
! Comono? These Costa Rlcans were en-
joylng the national game In national man
ner. - f# iltflss
At the table, to which ,Jem rudely
crushed his way, an old man sat, supported
on either side by rutfianly fellow armed
with machete and knife-as, indeed, were
| fve-sixths of the company. Upon the
board lay four cards, surrounded by little
piles of gold and silver. He was not i'll
looking, that old man, though the large
I spectaces, cased in tortoise shell, did not
well set off his eyes; .siow-movlng and ST.
lent was he, like most gamblers of profes-
sion. He glanced up sharply as Jem
pushed forward, and his eyes fixed them
selves upon me curiously, but he recog-
nlzed in an instant the digger down or his
luck, and bowling slightly, bent over the
cards again. The bank was in golden
vein; when the stakes were high the old
man always turned a winning card when
low, he lost. From. the passionate cries OF.
every side, found that the play had been
so running all day many of the poems
were utterly broken, but not the less did
they continue.to take an interest in the
game. Jem Whately-and his friends, who
were also 'sportsmcn, or professional
gamblers, had lost heavily, and savage
look was gathering in the face of either.
Look at those Yankee mules, whispered
Costa Rican beside me there will be
mischief soon and murder likely enough.
| ] j
the wisest, and yet stayed, held by that
fascination of coming danger which had
ever been powerful to me. And the mad
ed AIR; the threatening glare in the sports
men eyes grew more eager; and still the
battles OF aguardiente were passed round
at the banker expense.
A little wlzened man, who had lost very
heavily, attracted my eye by his peering,
excited movements. Placing three ounces
OF gold upon the table, he leaned forward
with intense eagerness to mark the turning
OF the cards DO you watch the hatch of
your chickens as close, senior p asked one
OF the grim guardians of the banks, with
an unpleasant smile. The old man calmly
turned the card, and the three ounces were
lost. A ghast sort of chuckle escaped
the dwarf lips. Then his feverish eyes
peered round the table. They rested upon
me tor moment, then upon Whateiy and
his mate. The little mis- shapen wretch
began edglng through the crowd toward u.s.
That the last cent that We own Ia this
world, muttered Jem to himself. Great
thunder What run of luck Seerus to
have struck considerable lie to night that
old cuss We must take to 'huaca crack
Ing with J. here, Sim That will be
our game for the next month or So I'd
like to have muss' for the dollars before
We go, an d not be dang roualy surprls ed
II that little even was TO come of right
slick quick time En-? Wnat?' The las,
words were addressed savagey to the wiz
zened little man, who could scarce reach
Jen S elbow.
Barely ten words were exchanged Quick
as thought the Texan stretched his long
arm over the table, and seized the cards in
the banker hand There was roar and
a swift surge in the Gre wd Lake liz 1t
mug the old man drew pistol and fired
but Jem 5 mate dashed the table against
his body, and the ball struck priest ST and
Ing beside. The candles were stamped oul
la an instant. and "A rush for the door en-
sued. There Was Il farce clash OF steel AZ
every man drew his machete against an
unkhoWn Zoe. lhree pistol shots were bred
almost simultaneously; and by the flashes
L could mark the course OF the fight Two
bodies were already on the ground; the
banker was poweresS in Jem arms, while
his protectors were at bay before the other
Yankee, who stood, revolver IN hand, pro
tecting his friend. High over the din OF
changing steel. and shouts, and frightened
cries, the Texau's voice rang out shrlll:
'Cl ar the door Thereof ar the door
The cards are waxed Let me out with
him into the openl By the eternal Ill
crush his ribs in If you don't cl ar away !
The whole row did not occupy ten sec
onds. | vaulted over the counter behind
me, and aighted in the road with a crash
OF bottles swept of. Though determined
TO protect my acqualutances, L could do
them no service In the shanty, where they
were quite capable of defending themselves;
but with pistols cooked l awaited their ap-
pearance in the open. There, | knew,
would be the real fight. Another stot-a
ye.l of pain, and they dashed through the
! door.
j! j! Where are yer? Sims
down on the Intel! Thunder and light
nln Range off, you yellow cusses I" -.