The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-11-16


He decorated her tawny brow with shells; = -
Then, proud, runs up to kiss her." =:
THR1L11sa CALIFORNIA INCIDENT
.sf'} IN 1s40.! = - -
From the Overland Aonthly.s Z: .4:.>s. :,... =.
Spindle vas a new arrival. The
camp, with customary propriety, had
dubbed him thus, because he was 50
slim. o. the same principle, his awk.
wardness soon gave him uotoriety. Nor
this only like. .One.eyed Tom, Spindle
had made ons of the happiest hits of
the day. Young, passionate, elated
beyond degree with the splendor of his
prospects, it: was no surprise that he
should court the favor Of the pale.faced
gamblers, who were the aristocrats Of
the camp 1t vas no wonder that they
should discover lis weakness and de.
termine to ''salt" him. ,,PlayY No, 10 !;
Spindle did not play! !; he only came In
to watch the game; it was tircsome,
sitting there 10 the tent, alono. "Try
it /; double your stake on sthrees,' triple
it on a full said a plcasant-faced fel-
low, who was just raking in hundred
slugs:o or more. Spindle was.inclined to
listen: "Tell you what you do" said
the:gambler, continuing; Ego me halves
for an hour, and, see how you come
out" Spindle did SO. At the end Of
the hour be had won a "stake" ofseveear-
al thousand dollars, Spindle was fas.
cinated. 81 will double this tomorrow
night" said he, mentally, as he left The
gamblers tent. He doubled it,. "This
must be tfipled," said Spindle, as he
sought the tent again, two nights after.
ward. It was tripled. "SpindIo means
To- break, q b. broken" said the BY
s1andsss, one nigh .1out,a week alssr
h original venture: "Look 1t 80 dust
he's bett,ng."' He is, indeed, betting
heavily. The rattlesnake has charmed
him. Bet after bet, till the winnings Of
the weekhave left him bet after bet, till
its earnings are also gone-till::the last
"slug" is up, and he has but a simple
"sight" for it. Woe to him, for he
wins The tide is flooding again, and
Spindle IS even. "Safe, safe," he re-
marks, betting a hundred "slugs" as a
"blind," on the strength Of his conf
dence. One by one the card, go round
to the players. Spindle does not look
at his, bat gathers them un der his hand
on the table. 81 see your blind and
go you a hundred better" 1t was
"Eagle-nose" who spoke-"Eagle-nose,
the lucky" Spindle looks at his cards:
He has 41ffst:.o1ass hadd- -9aah, -49a4 AiasyAAAe AiatssyAAA
aud a king four aces ' only viii Scat
him. Esgle;nese,ean have: ;bot tjtlre
Of these, for he saw one of them on the
bottom Of the pack, as the gambler laid
the cards on the table; the gambler
meant that he should see it. RI see
your bet, and raise you a hundred bot
ter" responded Spindle. Eagle:nose
Is. uncertain. He looks wistfally at the
gold; fartively at his antagonist, and
very, carefully at the cards in his hand,
"He waits, he weakens," says Spindle
to himself: II thought he was .bluf:
fDg.'"- Spindle does not see the smile
on the face Of the. by-stander.. back Of
the gambler, or he would think differ.
entity. Rising from the rough stool
on which he sits, Eagle.nose steps back
in the tent, and opens . strong wooder
chest. Two, bags Of dust are taken from
it, and the gambler staggers under tbs
heavy load, as he, brings it toward The
table. Spindle sees $4,000 mari
on. each. Of them. iss.Bet you. them ,er'
things" says Eagle-nose, as he lays tn
two bags with the other gold. i. It i
now Spindle's turn to hesitate. '%Can i
be,,that be has the other ace 2. No, h,
will NOT" thihkit:; but What shall Rlee dao dat'
He has4not money enough on , hand te
"c.l1" HIM: BE does not wish to d,
this; lit: would be- oovardly: III. y
says spindle;"1 have i nov: viii be
my claim, and a few rthousaud . / q hav
tleft, agafnst big PILE; if'it: ahN be laig
enough This to, himself Then, t
"Eagle-nose," :'What's your pile p
"There are i've more bag. in the chest, :
said the gambler, quietly - s1hat d
you DO p, "Bet my claim against you
pill" "saia spiodle, intensely excited
TIE Ut was taken. Spindle threw hi
os3eo As,t ,tabls, with = ;half.pllalyse'
0odtioi, ahd . face whitsr than III,
tent above him-tour queens and >
king. Eaglc-nose filed his off, one b
one-three aces, a king, and an &C.
Not a word was said by either: Spin
die could not have spoken aud Eagle
nose had no reason tor so doing.
few minutes afterward, the rune
miner staggered bIindly to the door
the tent, passed out into the moonligh
and the game went on as ever.
Half an hour later, Spindle sat in b
tent alone. Before him was the pictu1
Of . fair, sweet face, that had won b
love but : lew years back. Nobody Sc
him weep, while he watches the pl,y
a . :