Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-07-25
DONNA ANA's INHERITANCE.

The town seemed TO he growing more
dull each week. The cheap glitter Of
the saloons, and the tlnkling of the
guitar, seemed to be losing their old
time attractiveness. The monte dealer
sat with his back to the wall, and
yawned and whistled for want OF bust
ness. Beyond the struggling outskirts
lay the sandy valley, checkered by in
Vulnerable bitches, and green and yell
low with Iipening wheat. But the
June sun and cool starlight fell alike
upon utter idleness and stagnation.
1t was not that society had become ylr
tuous, or any unwonted reform had
been inaugurated. The group of
imericaHOs, who loitered dis 'ontent-
eddy upon corners and lounged in sa-
looms, were idle only from II scarcity of
victims, The market, which Is con-
trolled by ivory checks and reckless
ness, is hable to dullness and collapse
like any other And tins was the case
here, where once the attraction had
been SO great ms to gather IA small army
of such as live 10y nlmbeness Of fingers
and stolidity of countenance.
Mr. james Matkin was ne who, had
sucb position been created by stat
ute, would have been admirably
qualified individual for Principal
Sharper He had been in this locality
year, and during that time had been
frequently suspected of Il cunning par
ticlputjon in some of those border If
Irregularities in which mail sacks are
opened, the contents of money-draws
investigated, and sundry horses led
astray. Mr. Matkin was as quiet
man, who luttoned his black coat
around his gentlemanly person with
hahltlal neatness, whose hat was with
out wrinkle, and whose linen was
stainless. He was one of those whose
lives are decidedly good or quietly
desperate, uHd whose career is decided
by some freak OF youth or accident of
ancestry He coUid nave been
clergyman, and ir0S n professional
gambler shrewd imperturbable, des-
perate. There was never a sign of
disappointment upon his colorless and
closely shaved face; no tales in ms
cold green eye. He was ms rem >rseless
as fate, as impmcable rs death. lac
had cheated the rough men with whom
he associated until, in the want of
fresh victims for their own cruder skill,
the whole fraternity were dollurless
In all the lcgerlcmain of the card
table he was privately, but perfectly,
proficient; and no man understood bet
ter than ne the mighty secret which
victims are SO slow 10 leum-that IN u
gamblers success there is no such
thing as chance
Had Mr. Mutkiu been suspect, 4 OF
no other pursuit than the one which,
that country is considered not only
houorapDe. but emiueutly geEteel. all
would have been we'll But, ms iuu-
mated, such was not the case. Only
that morning, while making his gentle.
manly toilet, be had espied diugy en-
yelope lying mysterously upon has
pine table, winch contained the follow
ing suggestive communication
Dir. Jamos Maxim; sur:
va air ~ this cutormrd TINT You air moan Is hcc
party aEust thv peas aud safety % this community
and & yo0 U'lN,r cure personal comfort you vii
talk the t1r~t opportunity Us leay ant BE- ffaul 10
mGlt nc afF~sto Hg sou.
american citizen
sure rs he'll
The peculiarly of such friendly mis-
sivcs ON the frontier consists in the re-.
markahle pnnctuaitlN with when their
promises are performed. The gambler
knew this. such occurrences were not
out OF the range of his personal krowl
edge, and as he looked up and around
10 discover the means 10y winch the
document had been conveyed to him,
his cowardlv heart was sick with ap-
prehension. But he placed the paper
in his pocket and sauntered ont upon
the street. to watch and wait and think
For other reasons than those which
acuated the Principal Sharper, the
whole fraternity OF victlmltss sporting
men in the cd town desu,,i change
of residence, Gouui frontier gambier
has one unfnling resource against the
dizziness OF deciviug towns, He is as
migratory rs q gypsy and yon will