The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-04-09
NUMBER 10.

SIeaQlly upon nlIn. lie was a stranger 10
me, and was dressed in plain home-spun,
and his face was partially concealed by
broad brimmed sombrero which was
drawn down over it lie was a small but
powerfully made man, and in the decided
expression of his well-shaped head read
an unusual firmness and intensity of pur
pose.
care you Daniel Siurdivant, the gam
bier p he asked in a calm tone without
! rising.
Sturdivant flushed darkly, and gave the
stranger a dark glance.
't one pc sons call me so behind my
back" be said insolently, "6ut no one
would care to apply that term TO me before
my face
''Neverthlcss,' said the stranger, quiet
ly, 81 want an answer-yes or no."
''WeIl, then, am" said the gambler,
angrily, ''what of 1t 90
Simply this,' replied the stranger, 81
have heard it said that you claim to be the
best card player in the southwest. have
| come two hundred miles to prove you
! liar" Sturdiyant strode forward a step or
! two, and thrust his hand into his breast, as
! if to grasp a weapon.
''Stop," said the stranger eff you
shoot ne you will simply prove yourself
afraid Of me. Take your seat at the table
and will make my words good"
! There was something in the calm, stern
manner OF the stranger that seemed to
render the gambler powerless. He hesi-
tated ii moment, and then said, bnlyingly:
Il never play with a man whose face 1
cannot see.''
''Never mind my face" said the stran-
ger, 'If you are not afraid Of losing you
! shall see it when an done with YOU
''But how do know that you have
money for such sport ?" persisted Sturdi-
want. 'YOu look seedy enough, my fire
! fellow
''There,'' said the stranger, ''I have ten
thousand dollars there. If you can win it
you shall do 500
With an oath Stnrdivant placed himself
at the table and bade his challenger to do
J likewise. Those Of US who had listened
to this singular dialogue now gathered
around the table, expecting to see scene
Of more than ueual interest. The stranger
had not raised his hat brim, and none of
US had seen his face but we all felt from
his general air and manner that Daniel
| Sturdivant had at last met his match, 1t
did not take long to show US that the stran-
ger was an unusually good player. For
an hour or more the playing went on in
silence. The stakes were high and the
contest marked with rare skill Sturdi-
want exerteG himself as he had never done
before, but in spite of all his efforts he lost
steadily. BY the expiration of the time
indicated above he had lost over two thous-
and dollars. l noticed the flush upon his
face deepen and a strange light come into
his eyes. At last, with an exclamation of
triumph he drew towards him the heap of
notes.
F'That was well done,'' said the stran-
ger, ''yOu are an expert in cheating. But
60 on, L can beat you whether you play
openly OF dishonesty"
Sturdivant said nothing, but dealt tho
cards again. The hand played. ans
again, when the stranger laid down a card
and checked him.
The gambler uttered a sharp cry and
sat motionless with his eyes fixed on the
card worn and faded ''ace of hearts, +"
with dark stain across the face. Sturdi-
wants face worked cohvulsively as he gazed
at it, and the spectators gathered moro
closely around the two; wondering at the
strange scene.
''Look at me" said the stranger quietly.
AS if powerless to resist, SturdiVaAi
raised his eyes to the speaker.
The stranger had raised his hat aR1
sat looking at the trembling man with
eyes which fairly blazcd with fairy
Sturdivant Uttered groan and sank back
in his chair with his face white and rigid.
The stranger with one sweep gathered the
money from the table and thrust it in his
bosom.
'FThe ace of hearts Is an unIueky caro-
foryou, Daniel Ssnrdivant," he said eoeHy
"You played it once when you thought il
TO your advantage. Now, God help you
for that play is returned"
As he spoke he raised pistol VIII Seh MI
had not seen, and before we could stoE
him aimed it deliberately at the tremblin!
man and fired. The gambler fell heavily
, upon the table corpse and the brigh
blood streamed over it, hiding the fata
card from sight,
, "Gentlemen," said The stranger, risinI
e TO his feet as we stood paralyzed wit
: horror at the dreadful scene ''that MAJ
a ruined my wife and tried to murder me
| have been hunting him ten years"
He walked slowly by us down tn
stairway to the lower deck just then
as the steamer touched at landing, h
. sprang ashore and vanished in the dar
woods.
= never learned the history of the mys
o terious affair, for the dead gambler wa
beyond human questioning and neve
= saw the stranger again but / shall nc
r soon forget the impression made upon m
| iak fho