The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-08-08
GAMBLERS END.

GAMBLERS -END.
From Rev. MIR. Murray's s.ory in the Golden
r -t Rule.
Beyond the bslsam thicket the gam
bier made his stand. Carson, the de-
tective, was in full pursuit, and as he
burst through the balsams he found
himself within twenty feet Of his an.
tagonist. Both men stoed for an in
slant, each with pistol in his hand,
each looking full at the other. Both
were experts. Each knew the other.
.easYou count, said the gambler, cool
ly. s
One, two,' said the detective three,
fire!' ~, is83. - .isa.,is7 gFis1 81
One pistol alone sounded. The gam
bler's had failed to explode!
you've won, You needn't deal
again. said the gambler. Aud then he
dropped. The red stain on his white
shirt bosom showed where he was hit.
There's some lint aud bandage,
said the detective, and he faung small
package fntO the gamblers lap. Il
hope you wont die, Dick Raymond
.Oh, it was all fair, Carson said the
other. carelessly. I've held a poor
hand from the start--' -
He paused; for the detectiYe had
rushed on, and he was alone.
Twenty rods further on the detect
i've caught up with the trapper. who
was calmly recharging his piece. On
the edge of the ledge above the half
breed lay dead, the lips drawn back
from his teeth and his ugly counten-
ance distorted with hate and rage. A
rife, whose muzzle smoked, lay at his
side; and the edge Of the trapper's
left ear was bleeding.
I've shot Dick Raymond by the
balsam thicket, said the detective.
I'm afraid he's hard hit.' 80
'IIl go and see the boy answered
the old trapper. you'll find Henry
further up. There's only two rannin.
You and he can bring 'em in
The old trapper saw, as he descend.
ed the hill, the body reclining on the
moses At the edge of the balsam
thicket. The earth gave back no sOund
as he advanced, and he reached the
gambler, and was standing almost al
his very feet, ere the young man was
aware of his presence; /; but as the trap
per passed between him and the shin
ming water, he turned his gaze up te
the trapper's face, and. after studying
the grave lines for q moment, said:
\ you've won tho game, old man.
Tho trapper for q moment made nc
reply. He looked steadf dfastly into tn,
young mans countenance, fixed hi
eyes on the rcd stain on the left breast
and then said: af 4t sta
1, sShall look at the hole, boy?'
The gambler smiled pleasantly ant
nodded his head, saying, It's the nat
ural thing to do in these cases, be
lieye.' Lifting the hands he unbutton
}, ed the collar, and unscrewed the soli
taire stud from the white bosom. Th'
trappsr knelt by the young mans side
and laying back the linen from tn
Ghost, wiped tho bloodstain with
piece of lint from the white skin, ant
9 carefully studied the edges of tn
Iwound, seeking to; ascertain the Iii
rection which the bullet had taken a
! lit penetrated the flesh. AT last b
b drew his face back, and lifted himsel
to his feet, not a shade in the expires
sion Of his face revealing his thought
SIS 1t my last deal, old man 2 aske,
the gambler, carelessly. el.sa1a
II have seen good many wounds
answered the trspper, and I've note
the direction of good many bullets
and L never knowed a man live VIII
was hit where ye be hit ef lead ha
the slant inward, as the piece has tn,
4 has gone into ye.' atT& a
Fer minute the young man mad
no reply. No change came to b
$ countenance. He turned his ey,
o from the trapper's face and locke
pleasantly off toward the water. II
. even whistled line or two of an oil
y love ballad, when he paused, an
2 drawn perhaps by. the magnetism {
:. the stead y.gaze which the eyes of th
trapper fixed upon him, he locke
again into the old mans face, On
eaid - s5aH r,
I What is 1t, John Norton r''t
g Il be sorry for ye, boy answers
the old man. Il he sOrry for ye, f
= life be sweet to the young, and / vii
~ that yer years might be many on Il
'arth.'
i Il fancy there's good many wi
>. will be glad to hear I'm out of it, W
g the careless response. .ifi. e -
d. II don't doubt ye have yer fault
!, boy, answered the trapper. tand ! de
cay ye haye lived loosely, and d
lmany decide that was better uudid. .b