San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-09-29
THE GAMBLER'SL LAST DEAL.

Beyond the balsam thicket the gam
bier made his stand. Carson, the de-
tective, was in full persuit, and as he
burst through the balsams he found
himself within twenty feet OF his anita
Vonist. Both men stood for an ms ant,
each looking full at the other. Both
we're experts. Each one knew the other
"You count, said the gambler, coolly
"One, two," said the detective, three
Firel" :,
One pistol sounded. The gamblers
had failed to explode! i.
"You've won; you needn't deal again,
said the gambler.
And he dropped. The red stain ON his
shirt front showed where he was hit.
"There's some lint and bandage.
said the detective, and he flung small
package into the gamblers lap. II hope
YOU won't die, Dick Raymond.
"Oh, it was all fair, Carson, said the
the other carelessly. "I've held a poor
hand from the start"
The detective rushed on. Twenty
rods further he 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 coun-
tenance distorted with hate and rage,
And rife, the muzzle of which was
smoking, lay at his side; and the edge
Of the trapper's ear was bleeding.
"I've shot Dick Raymond by the bal.
sam thicket," said the detective. I'm
afraid he's hard hit"
aI'll go and see the boy" answered
the trapper. you'll find Harry fur
der up. There's only two runnin'
You and he can bring 'em in"
The old trapper saw, as he descend
ed the hill, the. body reclining on the
moss at the edge of the balsam thicket
you've won the game old man."
The trapper for q moment made nc
reply. He looked steadfastly into the
young mans counteneuce; fixed his
eyes on the red stain on the left breast
"Is it my last deal, old man." asked
the gambler, carelessly.
II be sorry for ye, boy" replied the
old man, "for life besweet to the young
and wish that yer years might be ma
ny upon the EARTH"
81 fancy there's good many who
will be glad to hear I'm out of it, was
the response. Il don't doubt We have
yer faults, boy" answered the trapper
"and dare say We have lived loosely
and did many deeds that were better
undid, but the best use Of life be Il
learn how to live, and feel sartin ye't
have got better as We got olde", art
made the last half of yer life wipe on
the fust, so that the figure for and agii
We would have balanced in the jedg
ment."
"You aren't fool enough to believe
what the hypocritical church members
talk, are You, John Norton? You don
believe there's Judgment day, do you !?
II don't know much about churc'
members" answered the trapper, 80
I've never been in the settlements
leas.wise I've never studied the habit
of the creturs, and dare say they diff
fer, bein' good and bad and I've seet
some that was sartinly vagabonds. No
I don't know much about church mem
beers, but / sartinly believe; yis, 1 know
there be q day when the Lord shal
ledge the living and the dead; and thu
honest trapper shall stand one sid'
and the vagabond who pliers his skin
and steals his traps shall stand on tn
other. This is what the book says, ant
il sartinly seems reasonable; for tn,
- q. 4 -. - ~ ~ 49,, eox<e an.
the folds what do 'em be Of two kinds
and attween the two, the Lord, II b.
knowns anything, must make dividin
line
And when do you think this iudg
ment isp- asked the gambler, as il b
Was actually enjoying the crude bu
honest ideas Of his companion.
The tr2pper hesitated a moment be
fore be spoke, then he said:
n