The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-01-05

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muster, 1 replied
al have heard of Silas Cass, but really
can't believe the stories they tell about
him. Some people are born unlucky,
and it has been the misfortune of Cass
to be placed in suspicious circumstan-
ces but there has never been any proof
of his guilt, and therefore L prefer Civ
ing him the benefit of the doubt-in
fact, think he is more sinned against
than SHINING"
The monster threw himself back and
roared with laughter at what he
thought my credulity, and pushing the
whisky-bottle toward me, ordered me to
drink.
1 placed the bottle TO my. lips, and
pretended to take hearty draught, but
very little of the fiery liquid entered my
mouth.
oval, you air queer cuss," said the
ruffian. "Now, l shouldn't be sur
prised if those saddle-bags Of yours held
good amount of dollars"
"a few" replied "and there is
tale belonging to them"
,"Just, So" said Silas, pushing the
whisky-bottle toward me. "S'posing
you Jake dnOluer pun.
took hold of the bottle, and kept it
glued to my lips for such length of
time that Silas's eyes seemed ready to
start out of their sockets.
"Guess you're a tall drinker, stran-
ger" he said.
Yes" l replied, in as drunken n voice
as L could assume; "that's how 1 came
by those dollars"
"Bully for you" grinned Silas. i've
heard OF many boy drinking himself
ont of fortune, but ne'er one that
drunk himself rich"
"Oh," sighed 1, with drunken earnest
ness, al once was honest"
"Once% said he, opening his eyes.
Eyes" replied. "I held place in
the Broadway Bank as one of the chief
tellers; but took to gaming and drink
ing, and lost all my money"
oval, that didn't make you rich Z"
"No; but in a fit of desperation
emptied my till, and the dollars are
there"
"Whew" whistled Silas. II guess
you did it up pretty spry!"
You haven't any cards about you Z"
asked.
81 guess I have, though" he replied !;
"s'posing we have game of poker?"
My heart beat with delight as he drew
pack from his pocket and, grasping
the cards, l commenced dealing them
with the assumed eagerness of a regular
gamester.
saw the wretch cheat me every time.
l lost and lost; still, continued play
ing, only repenting my losses in maud
lin drunken way, that made my COM
panion roar with laughter. He COM
menced to thoroughly enjoy himself di-
rectly he saw my misery he lighted
his pipe, and began smoking. He did
not puff out the smoke as an ordinary
man would have done, but opened his
mouth and let the dense clouds roll
round his horrible tusks and long, thin
tongue. Each time he won, he seized the
bottle and drank heavily of the whisky.
When the bottle was finished, he pro-
duced another from small cupboard at
the back of the hut. This soon disap-
peared, and was replaced by another
but the more he took the better he
seemed. As he swept up my dollars he
roared with delight, finging his huge
legs about in the most grotesque man
ner. He began chanting bits of songs,
certainly not fit for respectable society.
To make the scene more horrible, the
storm without had become so violent
that the hut shook beneath the heavy
claps of thunder, and the blue lightning
flashed through the cracks between the
logs that composed the walls, perfectly
paling the red light of our fire, and
nearly binding me.
"Lost again" shouted Silas, as he
swept up my last few dollars. "Hear
how the boys are playing skittles up
above! l guess that bowling saloon
pays, they play pretty constant. What's
your next stake 7"
81 haven't cent" groaned.
"Tll play you five dollars against
your saddle-bags."
l knew they would be his anyway,
and therefore staked them. Need l say
l lost 7
AS Silas rose to procure some more
whisky, l took the opportunity of scrib-
bling few lines upon the back of an
envelope, which I slipped into slit in
my coat-lining.
He made me stake my horse, my coat
and waistcoat; in fact, everything l
possessed. l lost all, and then threw
myself back as if in despair, bewailing
my bad fortune and rashness in having
trusted to cards. Silas seemed highly
delighted with my melancholy, consoi-
ing me with the assurance that there
were plenty more banks in the world,
and l might regain my fortune. After
bearing his taunts for some time pre-
tended to cry myself asleep, but took
care to place my face in such position
that could see all that Silas did with
out appearing to watch him.
No sooner had my first snore sou nded
than Silas rose from the ground, and,
drawing his revolver, advanced toward
me.
"Of all the darned fools l ever did
meet, this one beats them all. He
thief Bah he is a disgrace to the
name. s'pose it's no use potting him
he can't bring anything against me ?
He lost all his money in play. Besides,
he won't care about kicking up noise
in case of the bank finding him. And
yet he would be safer"
AS he spoke, he leveled the pistol
straight at my head. 1 shall never for
get that terrible moment. l knew that
the slightest movement would be the
signal for my death, and so remained
perfectly motionless; but the strange,
horrid, cold calm that stole over me will
never pass from my memory.
"BahP he said, putting up the pistol,
4" let him live; I've got the other one to
attend to-" lfss