The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-04-13

/
money you played with to night?"
ITS none of your business"
| 81 presume not But as there are nc
witnesses to this interesting converse.
ton will venture an opinion that you
robbed the bank"
The young man took step forward,
but Pony stood his ground using the
interval to light another cigarette.
II will also venture an opinion, Mr..
Rowell, and say that the money came
as honestly into my pocket as it did
into yours"
THAT wouldn't be saying much for
it have the advantage OF you, how
ever, because the nine points are in my
favor. l have possession" II
What are you following me for? =
give me up?"
"You admit the robbery, them"
81 admit nothing"
at won't be used against you. As ]
told you, there are no witnesses. It
will pay you to be frank. Where did
you get the money!"
where many another man gets IT,
Out of the bank
II thought so. Now, Forme, I'd Ire
not such fool as you look-or =
You know where all that sort Of ~ n
leads to. You haven't any chance All
the rules of the game are against you.
You have no more show than you had
against me tonight Why not chuck
it before it is too late?"
ut is easy for you to talk like that
when you have my money in your
pocket"
But that simply is another rule of
the game. The money Of a thief is
| bound to go into some one elsc's pocket.
Who ever enjoys the cash ultimately?
He never does. Now II you had the
money in your pocket what would you
do?"
81 would go back to Mellish's and
have another try"
II believe you,f said Rowell with,
for the first time, some cordiality in
his voice. He recognized kindred
spirit in this young man. "Neverthe-
less it would be fool thing TO do. You
have two chances before you. You
can become a sport as l am, and spend
your life in gambling-rooms. Or you
can become what is called a respecta-
BILE business man. But you can't be
both. In very short time you will
not have the choice. You will be found
out and then you can only be what
am probably not as successful rs ]
have been. If you supplement bank
robbery to your other accomplish
ments, then you will go to prison or,
what is perhaps worse, to Canada.
Which career are you going to choose?"
Come down to plain facts What do
you mean by all this talk? If say I'll
quit gambling do you mean that you
will return to me the thousand dollars
and call the other thousand square?''
IF you give me your word of honor
that you will quit"
And if don't, what them"
Then on Monday will hand over
this money to the bank and advise
them to look into your accounts"
And suppose my accounts prove to
be all right, what then?"
Rowell shrugged his shoulders. I'm
that remote possibility will give the
thousand dollars to you and play you
another game for it."
II see. Which means that you cheat
ed tonight"
'If you like to put it that way"
And what if l denounced you. as a
self-confessed cheat?"
1T wouldn't matter to me. wouldn't
take the trouble to deny it Nobody
would believe you"
YOU'RE a cool hand, Pony. / ad-
mire your cheek. Still, you've got some
silly elements in you"
"Oh, you mean my trying to reform
you? Don't make any mistake about
that. 1t is Mellishs idea, not mine. l
don't believe in you for moment"
The young man laughed. He reflect
ed for q few seconds, then said: 'Ill
take your Offer You give me back the
money and will promise never to
gamble again in any shape or form"
You will re turn the cash to the
bank, if you took i: from there?"
Certainly. l will put it back the
first thing on Monday morning"
"Then here is your pile" said
Rowell, handing him the roll of bills.
Forme took it eagerly and, sta nding
where the light struck down upon him,
counted the bills, while Rowell looked
on silently with a cynical smile on his
lips
Thank YOU" said the young man;
you're a good fellow, Rowell"
"I'm obliged for your good opinion.
l hope you found the money correct?'
Quite right" said Forme, flushing
little. 81 hope You did not mind my
counting it. Merely business habit.
you know"
"Well stick to business habits, Mr..
Forme. Good night"
Rowe II walked briskly back to Mel
lish's. Forme walked toward the
depot and found that there was train
for Chicago at four in the morning.
He had one clear day and part of
another before he was missed, and as
it turned ont all trace of him was lost
in the big city. The bank found about
six thousand dollars missing Two
years after, news came that Forme
had been shot dead in a gambling hell
in southern Texas.
I'VE are two first-class fools" said
Rowell to Mellish, land for one don't
feel proud of the episode, so we'll saw
nothing more ahout IL "-IuLa Shaw,