The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-05-19
- g g G t IT ole .
The Gamblers End.


the detective, was in full pursuit.
aud as he burst thro the balsan hs
found himself within twenty feet OF
his antagonist. Both men stood for
an instant looking full at each other.
Both we're experts. Each knew the
other.
"You count" said the gambler,
coolly.
"One, two," said the detective.
"three, Fire !"
One pistol alone sounded. The
gamblers had failed to explode
you've won you needn't deal
again, said tha gambler. And then
lie dropped, the red stain on his
white shirt-front showing where be
was hit
"There'a some Int aud bandage,"
said the detective, aud ho flung q
small package into the gamblers
lap. II hope you won't die, Dick
Raymond"
"Oh, it was sll fair, Carson" said
the other, careless. i've held poor
hand from the start ="
He paused, for the detective had
rushed on, and he was alone.
Twenty rois further on the do.
tective had caught up with the trap.
per, who was calmly recharging his
piece. On the edge OF the ledge
above, the half breed lay doad, the
lips drawn back from bis teeth, and
his ugly countenance dist orted with
bate aud rage. A rifle, whose muz-
zle emoked, lay OF his side and the
edge of the trapper's left ear was
bleeding.
"Pve shot Di OK Raymond by the
balsam thicket.' said the detective.
"l'm afraid he's hard hit"
"Ill go aud see the boy answer.
ed the trapper. You'll find Henry
furder up. There's only two runnin.
You aud he can bring them in.''
The old trappcr saw. as he de-
s,ended the hill, the body reclining
on the MOSES at tho edge of the
balsam thick ct. The earth gave
back no sound as he advanced, aud
he reached the gambler and was
standing almost at his very feet, ere
the young man was aware OF his
presence but as the trapper passed
between him and the shining water,
he turned his gaze up to the trap,
per's face, and after studying the
grave lines for o moment, said 4:
you've won the game, old
man."
The trapper for moment made
no reply. He looked ste adfastly in
10 the young mans counten ance, fix.
ed his eyes on the red stain on the
left breast, and then said I.
"Shall 1 look at the hole,
boyi"
The gambler smiled pleasantly
and nodded his head, say ing, "it's
the natural thing to do in these
cases, believe" Lifting the hands,
he unscrewed the solitair stud ufrom
the white bosom. The trapper knelt
by the you ng mans eide, and laying
back the linen from the chest, wiped
the blood stain with piece Of lint
from the white skin, aud carefully
studied the edges OF the wound,
seeking to ascertain the direction
the bullet had taken as il penetrate
ed tho flesh. At last be drew him
self to his feet, not o shade in the OK.
pression OF his face revealing the
thought.
sis it my last deal, old man p"
asked the gambler, carelessly.
"l've seed good many wounds"
answered the trapper. ''and I've not
cd the direction of q good many bull
let's, and l never knew q man to live
who was hit where ye be hit il the
lead had slant inward. as the piece
has that has gone in to ye."
For minute the young man
made no reply. No change came to
his coutenance. He turned his eye
from the trapper's face and looked
pleasantly off toward the water. He
even whistlsd line or two Of an old
love ballad. then hs paused, and,
drawn perhaps by the magnetism OF
the steady gaze which the eyes OF
the trapper fixed upon him, he
looked again In the old mans face,
and said
"Whst ia 1t, John Norton -
~ be sorry fur ye, boy u answer :
ed tue old man. ~ be sorry fur ye,