North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-12-08
WHOLE No. 686.

to make Charleys Acquaintance. Havin!
said this in mechanical sort of way, h
continued the game. Captain johnson
was, saw, excessively annoyed, but o
course said nothing, and Mr.. Lawson il
his abstraction omitted to introduce us.
then crossed the room to Margery, ant
Charley and myself took seats by her side
and we three were soon engaged in ;
lively conversation. While appearing alb
sorbcd in their chat, watched what wa
going on at the ecarte table furtiveiy and
steadily. Mr.. Lawson was pale, and
could see his lips quiver little; but q
less careful observer, than myself would
have noticed nothing unusual ia his de
meanor. Captain Johnson played quiet
steady game, without undue haste or un
due deliberation, and without any appear
ance of unusual interest. I noticed him
at first glance round twice in orr direc
ton; but we were apparently so engaged
in our talk that he ceased to pay ans
attention to us. For half an hour could
detect nothing. Mr.. Lawson was winning:
then the game was four-all. 1t was his
opponents deal. watched intently. for
| knew that his game would be either to
turn up king or to deal it to himself |
was certain he had got the king at the
bottom of the pack, and just as he CON-
menced dealing saw slight motion OF
his hand, and felt, more than saw, that he
had slipped it up his sleeve. 1t was very
neatly done; and had it not been for my
own dexterity with cards, and from know
ing exactly where to look, 1 could not
have noticed it. am certain that no
unpractised observer could have done So.
did not see that he dealt himself card
short, but had no doubt of it. He allowed
Mr.. Lawson to take four fresh cards, and
took two himself; he then declared king,
and won.
'Go on talking" said to the others
IL have found out how he does it,"
The next game Mr.. Lawson won: the
next two games were scored by the Cap
tain-the first, as far as | could see, fairly;
the second, by turning up king. This
could not expose, and waited for him to
repeat the first trick. lie allowed Mr..
Lawson to win the next; and in the game
after, Mr.. Lawson dealt and headed him
and | was convinced that he would now
repeat his trick, as he would not like te
turn up king again. l got myself togeth
er for spring, and signed to Charley t.
| be ready. | saw the movement of the
finger under the pack, and knew the bot
tom card was up his sleeve. He turned
up Club. AS he put the pack dowr
upon the table, l leapt upon him. Will
one hand upon his neck l pinned him tt
the chair, and with the other held his arm
grasped by the wrist, over his head.
This man is swindler !" shouted
"Charley, come here: put your fingers
down the sleeve of this arm, and you will
find the King of Clubs hidden there. The
scoundrel has dealt himself card short"
For moment the man struggled but
from the sudden surprise, joined to The
position in which l held him, he was
powerless.
Mr.. Lawson had fallen back in his chair
at the first surprise of my movement, ant
now rose to bis feet, and gazed speechless
but with look Of painful excitement, ant
with red flush in his previous pale face
| Charley came up, and with the deliber-
alton which always characterised hi:
movements, put his fingers in at the wris
of the upheld arm, and at once pulled ou
the King of Clubs.
"There, Mr.. lawson" he said, as hi
threw it down upon the table "you hay,
been shamefully swindled, and you do no
owe this scoundrel farthing.'
Mr.. Lawson did not speak. He raised
his hands as if to grasp at something, and
then fell forward on the table in a fit
Margery gave scream, and was by his
side in an instant. Charley first rang the
bell, for once really rushing across the
room to do so, and then returning, assist
ed me to lift Mr.. Lawson, and together VIZ
we laid him on the sofa.
"Where does the nearest doctor live p
he asked the servant, who had responded
with unusual speed to the urgency with
which the bell had been rung.
!tNext door but two. sir.n
''Run in directly and say your maste,
has had a fit. Quick, manr'
During this time we had paid no atten-
ton to Captain Johnson, who was stand
ing as pale as death at the table. It wa.
now my time; and l had before thought
over what to say in the event pf my aetec-
ting him, so went up to him.
"Captain johnson, you are detected
swindler. l saw you cheat twice before
this evening. Don't try to bluster, sir
for l saw he was going to break Quito,
to threaten. We don't fight duels now
least of all with detected cheats. Now
sir, for MIR. Lawson's sake, | don't wan,
to make public scandal. My conditions
are these; tear every leaf out of thai
pocket-book in which you have entered
the sums won by you, and throw them
into the fire. They are useless to you
now; but prefer that they should bt
destroyed. Leave England at once, and
go on to the Continent, and remember, al
long as you keep away we are silent as to
the affair; but the day you return, all
En-. land knows Of it,
Without speaking word---though, i
looks could have killed anyone, should
have been dead man, and, indeed, had ]