The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-08-24
THE GAMBLERS END.
From one of Rev. Mr.. Murray's storie.

as he burst through the balsams
be found himself within twenty
feet of his antagonist. Both men
stood for an instant, pistol in his
hand. each looking tulf at the
other. Both were experts. Each
knew the other.
You count" said the amber
cody.
"One, two," said tie detective,
.'three, Fire!''
| One pistol alone sounded. The
gamblers had failed to explode.
you've won, you needn't deal
again." said the gambler. And
then be dropped. The req stain
on his white shirt trout showed
where he was hit
! There some Int and band~
age" said the detective, aud he
flung a small package into the
gamblers lap.
Il hope you ~won't die, Dick
Raymond"
"uh, it was all fair, Carson, "
ssid the other careiessly. 1--WE
held a poor hand from the start
| He paused, for the detective
had rushed on, and he was alone.
Twenty rods tnrtl,er on, the de>
tective caught up with the trap
per, who was calmly recharing
| his piece. On the edge of the
ledge above, the h. it>breed lay
dead, the lips drawn back from
his teeth and his ugly counte-
nance distorted with rage aud
hate. 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 thlcket," said the de-
! tective. 'sI'm AFRAID he is hard
nit.
''I'll go and see the boys an
swered the ;rapper. you'll find
Henry further up. There's only
i two running and you and he can
bring 'em III.
. The old trapper saw, as he dc
scended the hill, the body reclin-
ing on the lnosses at the edge Of
the baIsam thicket. The earth
gave bs elk no sound as he advanc-
ed, and he reached the gam blel
e aud was standing almost at bis
very feet, ere the young man was
aware Of his presence; but as the
> trapper passed between him ane
the shining water, he turned hi:
gaze up to the trapper's tace, ane
after studying the grave lines to-
a moment, said:
you've won the game. ole
man.
The trapper for moment made
mo reply. He looked steadfas,l,
|, into the young mans countenanc
aud fixing his eyes on the re'
stain OIL the lett breast, said:
{, .'Shall | look at the hole, boy!
The gambler smiled pleasant
and nodding his head, said: "It'
# the natural thing to do in thes
is cases, | believe L fllng tn
3 q hands he unDuitoned his collar
Id and unserewed tue soltare stut
: from tue white bosom. The trap
d d per knelt by the your < man
side, and laying back the liner
from The chest, wiped the bloo'
STAIN with "a piece ct lint from th
u white skin, and carefully studie'
the edges OF the wound, seekin,
CO 10 ascertain the direction whicl
the bullet had taken as it pene
trated the flesh. At last he DIRE,
Id his face back, al, d lifted hlmsel
To his feet, not shade III tn
expression nt his face reveali :.
% his thought.
rs it my last deal, old mani?
r asked the gambler careIessly.
= Il have seen /, good man
:. wounds. an wered the trappel
: 'salIc | have noted the dlrectiol
to OF a good mauy bnllsts. and
r. never knowed man 1--we VIII
Was hi where We be Ell the lea
had the slant inv ard, as the pee
had that has gone into ye.'
For u moment tho younO ,la
made no .eply. No change cam
TO his countenance. He tnri.e
his eyes from the trapper ali
oked pleasantly off toward tn
water. He even whistled lin
or two OF an old love ballad, the
he paused, and, drawn perhaps b
n the magnetism OF the steady gaz
which The eyes of the trapp-r liz
ed upon him, he looked dgal
into the cid mans face, and said
Nv ha5 Is it, John Norton?'
Il be sorry for ye, boy, II
swered the old man. I he sorr
'st for ye, for life be sweet to til
young, and wish til Yer yeal
might be many on arth. ~
Il fancy tn, res a good man
who will be glad to hear that f
out of It. Was the careless r.
ec- sponse.
81 don't doubt ye have y
faults. bow answered the frappe