The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-07-23
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houi,i r"r Iiclssburg Were II Groreial
und iri- ,s,.,.. Who have r-lai;y-~ in Mi,
si,>ippi.
lie was II iarg.-siz-i handsome loollin;
man, ;tnd She was IA Pheasant looking lit
tie woman, with blue eyes and shor
chestnut curls. One would have saiC
that she would have screamed at til
Of the boat.
He sat smoking with other gentlemen
after she had retired to her staferoom
and the cabin was entirely clear Of ladies,
when some one proposed game OF card,
In ten minutes after half dozen men
were shuiiiing cards OveT cabin tables,
aud the Georgian was matched against
a stranger to all on board. lie was a
| quiet, courteous. well-dressed man, and
had been taken for traveller i'll search
| Of health. He was lucky at cards, but he
did not propose playing for stakes. 1t
was the netTled Georgian who proposed
it. He called himself a champion hand
at poker, and when lie found that he
had met his equal, he determined to test
the strangers financial metal.
They had fifty dollars Oh the table
when the Captain looked into the cabin.
He caught the Georgian's eye and gave
him to understand that his opponent
was river black leg, bat the other gen
tleInen had dropped their cards and
crowded around, money was up, and the
information had come too late Besides.
tile Georgian was doing well enough,
and he fiattered himself that he could
teach the courteous blaekleg Il dear les.
soD.
1t was Il very quiet gronp around the
table, and after the play had continued
forlifteen minute; the gentlemen spoke
in whispers, and some of them were re
minded of old times on the Mississippi,
When gamblers had the full run Of every
boat.
The Georgian had luck with him from
tiie start, and while he looked smiling
and confident, the gambler appeared to
grow excited and uneasy. His money
was raked across the table until the
Georgian had $500 in grernbacks before
him. The stakes had been light up to
this time, 10th men seeming to fear each
others skill. The Georgian proposed to
increase them, and the gambler agreed.
la ten minutes the latter had Ills $500
back. Lack had turned The GeOrgi-
IA. lost SEQ; then $50; then $50; then
800.
The gamblers face wore quiet smile,
as the Georgian became nervous. His
hands trembled as heldup the cards, and
his face was wet with moisture.
Come. gentlemen" said one of the
group, lets have general hand for
amusement, and then turn in"
The Georgin looked up with fixed
glance, and replied:
81 have lost Si00; he must give rue
fair showi"
The play went on The heap OF green
backs at the gamblers right hand grew
larger Once III II while the Georgian
won, but Iie lost $40 for every one he
gained. He finally laid down his cards,
pulled roll of bills from a breast pock-
ct, and counted out $500. This was
his pile. In less than ten minutes every
dollar of it had been added TO the ga,a-
bler's heap.
"Gen4l9.pan, viii You smoke p asked
the gambler, as he turned around and
drew his cigar case.
They knew his true character in spite
of his disguise, and they refused.
II am sorry formy friend, " he contin-
ued, biting at the end OF cisaE, ''bnt
you viii agree tLlt .i.e play was fair"
The Georgian had passed out on the
promenade deck The gambler turned
to his stack Of bills and was counting
them When ts.qse wi,s &. sharp exelama
t.uh, the sounds OF II brief struggle, and
the little woman with blue eyes and
chestnut curls entered the cabin. She
was half undressed, asilawi thrown over
her shoulders, and she had revolver in
her hand
No one had seen her leave hsr state
room and 0Foss Ihe CABIN. no one knew
tl.at her husband had the revolver in his
hand as she softly came upon him. 600
backr' he wbispered-'.i anl coming in
Il momen.w
WttG swat motion she seized the weap-
on, wrenched it from his grasp aud rs
she came down the eabip 10 tho sabie at
WHICH thR gambler sar aud around which
haif dozen men yet fingered, her blue
eyes were full Of fire.
The gambler looked Up.
The haIaIger Qs ti.e revolver came up
with IA double click
\ white arm stretched out, and the
muzZle Of the revolver looked straight
into the gamblers face
He turned pale the hen Tell back.
For half a minute the deep silence was
broken only by the faint splash of the
paddlewheeIs.
"Gow she said.
He looked into her flaming eyes as if
he could bluff her.
"Gc2
lie rose up and reached for the money.
Leave itr' she whispered. making d
threatening mOtiop with the revolver.
He aotrsated back.
Size followed.
Foot by foot he backed across the cab
in, the muzzle of the revolver always on
n line with his face. He backed through
the door on the promenade deck and the
railing was there.
Jump" she whispered.
Tie boat was running along within
three hundred feet of the shore. Over
the rail to the water was terrible leap.
lyon can have the money, he said.
'JGmpn she repeated.
Il will not!'
The arm cane up a little, and the light
from the cabin showed him cold,
strange, determined look on her face.
He turned about, shivered, and was over
the r~ii, Ieaping far out and unable to
suppress a cry of alarm, as he felt HIM
self going down.