Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-12-14

by-standers, one night, about q week
after his original venture. Look at the
dust he is betting" BE is. indeed, bet
ting heavily. The rattlesnake has
charmed him. Bet after bet, till the win
nings Of the week have left him; bet
after bet, till his earnings are also gone
till the last slug" is up, and he has
but single sight for it. Woe to him,
for he winsl The tide is floating again,
and Spindle is even. Safe, safe, he
remarks, betting hundred "slugs as
blind, on the strength of his confidence.
One by one the cards go round TO the
players. Spindle does not look at his,
but gathers them under his hand on the
table. "I see your blind and go o
hundred better" 1t was Eagle-eye
who spoke - Eagle eye, the lucky"
Spindle looks at his hand. He has
first.class hand-four queens and king;
four aces only will beat him. Eagle-eye
can have but three of those, for he saw
one on, the bottom of the pack, as the
gambler laid the cards on the table; the
gambler meant that he should see it. II
see your bet and raise you hundred
better" replied Spindle. Eagle-eye is
uncertain. He looks wistfully at the
gold, furtively at his antagonist, and very
carefully at the cards in his hand. He
waits, he weakens," said Spindle to him
self. II thought he was bluffing.
Spindle does not see the smile on
the face Of the bystander at the
back. of the gambler, or he would
think differently. Rising from the
rough stool on which he sits, Eagle
eye steps back in the tent and opens
strong wooden chest Two bags Of dust
are taken from it, and the gambler stag
gers under the heavy load as he brings
il toward the table. Spindle sees a
$1,000 mark on each of them. SBet
yon them ere things" says Eagle-eye,
as he lays the two bags with the other
gold. 1t is now Spindle's turn to hesl-
tate Can it be that he has the other
ace2" No, he will not think it; but
what shall he do2 He has not money
enough to "cah him He does not
wish to do this; it would be cowardly.
"Hal" says Spindle, " l have it now l
will bet my claim and the few thousands
| have left against his pile, if it only be
large enough" This to himself. Then
10 EhRie-eye, Wnhts yOur Phci =,
There are five more bags in the chest,
said the gambler, quietly what do you
do7" "Bet my claim against your
pile" said Spindle, intensely excited.
The bet was taken. Spindle threw his
cards upon the table with half-para-
lyzed motion, and face whittier than the
tent above him--four queens and king.
Eagle-eye filed his off, one by one
three aces, king and an ace. Not a
word was spoken by either. Spindle
could not have spoken, and Eagle-eye
had no reason for SO doing. A few
moments afterward the ruined miner
staggered to the door of the tent, passed
out into the moonlight, and the game
| goes on as ever.
Half an hour later Spindle sat in his
tent alone. Before him was the picture
of fair, sweet face, that had won his
love but few years back. Nobody sees
him weep while he watches the play Of
light in its eloquent eyes. You could
step in, and step heavily, too, without
startling him. He is lost in reproachful
thought, leading down to despair. All
that he had hoped to do has vanished.
Last night, rich in gold; tonight, bank
rupt. Why should he live. He can hear
the roar Of the Yuba as it tumbles over
the cliff only a mile above him. He
steps out into the open air; the cataract
glimmers in the distance and the sound
soothes and fascinates him. Nobody
will miss him; why should he hesitateHi
He moves toward it with eager bound
and determined purpose. Up the rocky
hill-up, up, up, till he stands on the
edge Of the precipice, far above the fall,
He looks at the white tents in the dis,
tance; hate is blazoned on every one Of
them. He looks at the spray; far, faI
below him, hundred phantoms beseech
him to come to them. A pause-for an
instant only; whispered something
was it prayer2 A quick, terrible LEAP
then the same soft moonlight as before
on the Aower-clad hills around, on the
white tents of the sleeping camp, and on
the whittier face of the cataract.