The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1888-06-23


l SUPPOSE"
eyes, quarter limit" said the hard
ware merchant. eve can change
money fast enough at that rate. Got
another postal note, suppose. Funny
what odd sums they come in."
"The postal note is just the same as
money" replied Oscar, with a note of
irritation in his voice.
"Oh, / don't object to taking all
can get Of 'em," said the banker. 81
know / can cash 'em st the post-office.
Where'd this one come from, eh?"
"None o. your business" said Oscar.
The four other players laughed and
the game went on. At first Whitman
had good luck. He had the best
hands, and naturally, despite the vari-
Gus attepts to "bluff' him, he won
pot after pot. Then he began to lose.
at first little and then rapidly. Fin
ally, Sterling being dealer, he found
himself with "pat fush," five clubs,
with a king at the head. 1t was
"jack pot" and Whitman opened it
for quarter. The rest all "came in"
and Sterling "raised." Whitman
"raised back" and all the PLAYERS
dropped out but himself and Sterling.
After several more "raises," during
which Whitman was obliged to turn
another postal note for $1.75 into
"chips," cards were drawn. Oscar, of
course, "stood pat" but Sterling took
one card. Then the betting went on
rapidly. Whitman at last SCALED"
only to find that Sterling had four
mines, which won the "pot." BY this
time, too, Oscar had turned over to
} Sterling his third postal note for
81 %.
1t was nearly midnight when the
game ended and the postal clerk went
to his lodging, with only few pen
MES in his pocket. Course the luck, !"
he said to himself. "I'll have to make
another raise tomorrow"
Every step he had taken that night,
almost every word he uttered and
every "hand" he held in that fatal
game of the poker, were months after
ward to come within the knowledge
OF the inspector who had been sent
to work up the case. The story of
that evening of July 90 was what the
inspector unraveled bit by bit during
a week of quiet investigation in Ell
mira after he had overhead the con-
versation between the hotel clerk and
the man who had stopped in for
"nightcap."
"This is Mr.. Sterling, 1 believer"
said well-built man, with a counte-
nance full of quick intelligence and
keen perception, who had just entered
the hardware merchants establish
ment one day in March of the present
year.
"That is my name, SIR"
al have some private business which
| would like to talk over with YOU"
Certainly" acquiesced the merchant.
"Step this way" and he led his visitor
to his private office at the rear of the
store. "George"-to a clerk-"this
gentleman wishes to see me pri-
vately." George went out into the
store, and Mr.. Sterling, turning to his
visitor, said: ~ don't remember
having met you BEFORE"
"My name is Bright; there is my
card.'
"a postal inspector I" exclaimed the
merchant, reading the bit of paste
board. "What in the world do you
want to see me about?"
"Tll explain frankly, and l hope
you'll be equally frank with me-" re-
piled the inspector. "On July 25th,
OF last year, you cashed three postal
hotes for $3.40, $1.75 and 1928 at the
, post-office in this city. You will
render the postal department service
by telling me how these notes came
into your possession"
{ "Sir, do you mean to imply -"
81 mean to imply nothing, Mr..
Sterling. l only ask you to tell me
where you got them"
"You might as we'll ask me where /
got dollar bill that l changed last
SUMNER" replied the merchant. Chow
can telle l suppose they came to
me in the course of my business. Gus
toners in the country often send me
money by postal note"
perhaps it may assist your mem
DRY to look at the notes. Here they
, are" and the inspector produced the
cancelled bits of paper, bearing the sig
nature of John Sterling. Still the
merchants memory failed to respond.
"Mr. Sterling" said the inspector,
"do you know Mr.. Whitman, who
was formerly q railway mail clerk?
Do you know Mr.. Stewart and Mr..
Adams and Mr.. Brown"
4 The merchant gave the inspector
quick glance and then his eye wan
dered uneasily toward the ceiling.
eyes," he said slowly, 81 suppose l
know them"
"Do you know now where you got
those Oostal notespo