Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-01-13
gaped & alivek conversation. while sp.


what was going on at the ecarte table fur
lively and steadily. Mr.. Lawsonvas pale,
and | could see his lips culver little; but
a less careful observer than myself would
have noticed nothing unusual in his
demeanor Captain johnson played a /.
quiet, steady game, without undue
haste or undue deiberation, and with
out any appearance of unusual interest |
noticed him at first glance round twice in
our direction ,but we were apparently so
engaged IN our talk that he ceased to pay
any attention to us. For half an hour
could detect nothing, Mr. Lawson was
winning then the game was four all IL
was his opponents deal, watched in
tently, for knew that his game would be
either to turn up king or to deal 1t to HIM
self Twas certain he had got the king at
the bottom of the pack, and Just as he COM
menced dealing saw "A 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 dexteri,y with cards, and from know
ing exactly where to look, | could not
have noticed it. Lam certain that no un-
practiced observer could have done So /
did not see that he dealt himsclfa card
short, but had no doubt oft Heallowed
Mr.. Lawson to take four fresh cards, and
took two himself; he then declared king,
and won.
$50 on talking,'I said to the others
81 have found out how he does it,
The next game Mr.. Lawson won; the next
two games were scored by the Captain
the first, as far as I could see, fairly the
second, by turning up king. This could
not expose, and waited for him to repeat
the first trick, He 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 to turn up
king again. got myself together for a
spring, and signed to Charley to be ready.
! saw the movement of the finger under
the pack, and knew the bottom card was
up his sleeve. He turned up club. AS
he put the pack down upon the table,
lcapt upon him. With one hand upon his
neck pinned him to the chair, and with
the other held his arm, grasped by the
wrist, over his head. .,'as.
"Ths man is a 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 a moment the man struggled but,
from the sudden surprise, joined 10 the
position in which | held him, he was pow
erless.
Mr.. Lawson had fallen back in his chair
at the first surprise of my movement, and
now rose to his feet and gazed speeches.,
but with look of painful excitement, and
with red flush in his previously pale face.
Charley came up, and with the delbera-
ton which always characterized his move
ments, put his fingers in at the wrist of tho
upheld arm, and at once pulled out the
king of clubs
"There, Mr.. Lawson" he said, as he
threw it down upon the table; "you have
been shamefully swindled, and you do not
owe this scoundrel a farthing."
Mr.. Lawson did not speak. He raised
his hands as if to grasp at something, and
then fell forward on the table in 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 dc so, and then returning, assisted
me to lift Mr.. Lawson, and together we
laid him on the sofa.
"Where does the nearest doctor live ?"
he asked the servant, who had responded
with unusual speed to the urgency with
which the bell had been rung
"Next door but tws, sir"
" Run in directly and say your master
has had fit. Quick, mani"
During this time we had paid no atten-
ton to Captain johnson, who was stand
ing as pale as death at the table. 1t was
now my time and | had before thought
over what to say in the event OF my de-
Itactlng him |; so | went up to him;
captain Johnson, you are a detected
swindler. | saw you cheat twice before
this evening. Don't try to buster, sir
for | saw he was going to break out--"or
to threaten. We don't fight duels now;
least Of all with detected cheats, Now,
sir, for Mr. Lawson's sake don't want to
make public scandal My conditionsare
these tear every leaf out OF that 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 be destroyed Leave
England at once, and 60 to the Continent,
and remember, as long as you keep away
We are silent as to the affair but the day
you return all England knows of it,"
Without speaking a wOrd--though if
looks could have killed any one, should
have been dead man, and, indeed, had |
not been much stronger afaheayier man
thar himself believe he, would have
flown at my throat In his fury-the cap
tain dropped his pocket book into the fire,
and went out without one single word hay
ing passed his lips during the whole scene,
except a deep execration when he found
his first struggles to free himself from my
grasp were unavailing AS he left the
room the doctor hurried in, and In another
hour we bad the satisfaction of seeing Mr..
Lawson in bed, conscious, but Of course
very quiet. He had only spoken few
words. He had looked round anxiously
when the first rush Of recollection came
upon him, and had said, at is all right,
Mr.. Lawson. He has gone away; YOU