River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-30

anu am AFRAID ne has lost great
deal of money. And he has got mix.
ed up with horrible American called
Colonel Fisk, who am sure leads him
on to more extravaganza I; and / am
very, very wretched.'
Here the poor girl broke down alto.
gether, and burst into tit of suppress.
ed sobbing, much to the amaZement of
a literary-looking lady in spectacles,
who was seated just opposite to us.
"Dear Miss Carlyon, dear-Edith.
pray calm yourself. Things NAV no
be so bad as you think and at any rate
your brother is going out of the reach
of temptation now"
81 wish could think, 80 Mr.. Lancaster.
but, unfortunately Colonel Fisk is also
going to England-indeed he is now in
the very car-and so long as Clement is
in his company | cannot tell what NAV
happen. Oh, Mr.. Lancaster, if you
could only save him from the influence
of that dreadful man. ! cannot tell you
how grateful / should be-
II only wish could be of some sery-
ice, but really don't see my way. 1t
would be rather awkward to suggest to
a young man of six-and.twenty or so
that he is keeping bad company. I'm
afraid your brother would probably
tell me to mind my own business" :.
"True. l am unreasonable, know;
but yet can't feel happy while he is
in with that horrible man. Would
you mind telling him want him2 If
can only get him away for little
while it is something gained"
Certainly will fetch him at
once"
proceeded to the smoking car with
my message. found Clement Carlyon
lazily smoking short pipe, and seated
close by him, reading, the unpleasant
American whom | had noted in the
Kursaal. | delivered Miss Carlyon's
message.
Thanks but really can't come at
present. | have just challenged Col.
Fisk to game at ecGTte. Come, Col
onel, shut up that COMPOUNDED paper.
Time enough for that after you've lost
all your money"
81 reckon you're too strong for me
at ecarte, Mister Carylon. | guess
We'll make it poker or Van john"
Nonsense, man; no shrinking.
You've won good bit of money out
of me, one way and another. The
least you can do is to give me chance
to get some OF it back at game /
know something about"
returned to Miss CarlyOn to report
the failure of my mission. remained
with her for the best part of an hour,
and then returned to the smoking sa.
loon TO report progress. Clement and
the Colonel had a cushion spread upon
their knees, and the game was pro
ceeding. A glance at Carlyon's face
was sufficient to tell me that he was
losing considerably, and as I entered
the carriage he scrubbed an o L, and
dashed it over to his companion, indi-
eating pretty clearly that he had Part
ed with all his ready cash. The other
occupants of the carriage supercil-
iOus-looking EngliShman, stolid
German, and a heavily bearded old
gentleman whom mentally set down
as Dutch or Russian merchant, took
no apparent heed of the game, but
read or smoked in their respective
corners.
The game proceeded, and again the
American was the winner. Course
the cards y muttered CaTlyOn be-
tween his teeth, shutting sayagely, as
though to break the spell of his i'll
luck.
The train stopped at station and a
new passenger entered the car and took
a seat by the side of the elderly Rus
sian.
The players began fresh game.
watched it silently. Carlyon was evil
IDENTIFY no match for his opponent but
the Yankee artfully led him on by ex-
tolling his play, and attributing his
own good fortune entirely to his
luck in holding so many winning
cards. Suddenly, however, a suspicion
flashed across me which changed my
passive interest to the keenest excite
ment. | was all but certain the Amer
lean had used one of the dishonest ex-
pedients had seen employed by the
Chevalier Koltoff.
AS yet, however, the matter rested
on suspicion only. Nothing but proof
positive, plain to the others as to n.y.
self, would suffice to take action upon.
Leaning back in my seat, l half-closed
my eyes and affected drowsinesS, keep
ing, however, the closest wach upon
the Americans movements. After a
few minutes my patience was reward
ed. Among the cards 'faced" in the
course of play were several leading
cards of the club suit, 1t was the
Americans turn to deal. In the act
of collecting the cards and offering
them to be shufiied he spread his broad
palm over those / have named. He
awaited himself of his right to shuttle
after Carlyon. then offered the cards
to be cut. In picking up the cards,
however, he did so in such a manner
as TO neutralize the effect of the cut,
and, as | had anticipated, club made
it's appearance as the turn-up card,
while the king, queen, and ace, fell in
course of play from the American s
hand. Again an / 0 [ was handed
over by Carlyon to the American.
Again l watched, and presently |
saw the American spread his hand
over another group of cards, and had
the remainder to be shuffled.
"Mr. Carlyon," | said, ''let me
recommend you to count the cards.
Carlyon looked at me with blank
expression of countenance. not in the
least understanding, the drift OF my
suggestion. But the Amrlcan was
quicker of comprehension.
81 reckon you mean to insinuate
that l dor t play on the square, strang-
er, which is an observation no man
makes twice ;" the Colonel's right hand
disappeared within roomy trouser-
)cket, where it left the tell-tale cards,
and appeared grasping small derringer
pistol.
gave myself up for lost, and tried
intellectually to console myself for
the prospect of an early grave by pic.
turing Edith CarlyoI1 weeping over my
tomb; but quick as thought, before the
American had time to raise the pistol,
strong hand grasped his wrist from
behind, and the bullet passed harm
laSsIy throuph the floor of the car