The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02
PLAYING FOR A BIG STAKE.
A RINGER WHO TRIED THE TEN
DERFOOT RACKET.
IL Was "a Deep Laid scheme. but
Nearly Ended in Tragedy.

at a blood horse meeting In California,
and were doing fairly well. But Hank
grew restless; he had worked among the
stable boys and jockeys until he had his
race picked on which 10 plunge It was
next TO the last day of the meeting. and
the third race of the day. I was shy about
laying much on Al Farrow. the Altos
favorite. But flank insisted on my TAX
ing all I could get. did so. and after
the plugs bad circumambulated the track
l divided the cash on hand. After paying
our clerks we had S36 apiece.
Il did not see Hank again until / re-
turned to the Palace, where we We're
his buds.
What are you doing?' 7 asked.
Getting ready to move" he replied
I'VE can't live like m!liOnaires on $50 1
suppose / shall soon be rejoiced at Sc
curing coffee and doughnuts once a day.
Still, have an idea, and ii you viii follow
me we may get up. again.
Certainly, 1 will follow YOU" I replied.
whats your Dlan?"
lie was thoughtful awhile then said:
It's a desperate one, but there should be
a big stake in II if we carry it through.
There have recently been two rich finds
of gold made near Victor, a small town
in San BernardinO county and they are
taking out lots of the precious stuff Min
ers are making big wages. and there are
lots of placer miners who are washing
dS HlEl a. N0t a Util+ NOM my HGntfnt Is
to go up there and work in the mines It
is sure thing that there will be plenty
OF poker playing, and II two energetic
fellow like you and me can't sojOurn
there, and in six months come away with
a good pile, we should quit the. business"
aooked at Hank and asked; us it our
best gamer"
Yes" he replied. land about our only
one" I was silent moment, then said
resignedly: Il will 60" Hank jumped
up, threw his arms around me and called
mo boy after his own heart. We pawn
ed everything we had, even our clothes,
for two reasons: First, we needed all the
cash We could raise; and, secondly. there
Is no person one can leave things with
who takes better care of them than the
pawnbroker. We purchased some rough
mining clothes, cheap watch and re-
volver; save those articles our only other
possessions were our cash and about 80
packs OF marked cards; these were our
stock In trade, and Hank put them qui-
city in circulation as soon as we reached
town.
We left San Francisco the next morn
ing and arrived at our destination the
evening after. 1t was dark when we ar
rived, and what little / could see Of the
town did not fill me with a vast amount
of admiration We stood like two lone
lost orphans. looking at the dismal seem
cry presented, or in fact screened from
our view. Here we are Hank" / sadly
murmured. He stopped, looked around a
moment. sped barroom and headed for
IT, There were half dozen miners there,
smoking and swearing AS we entered
they eyed us from head to foot ! felt
a little nervous during this inspection,
but Hank walked coolly up TO the bar
and ordered two WHISTLES and turning to
the crowd. he asked; "Will any of the
gentlemen join us?" They all accepted
with alacrity and Immediately became
interested i'm us. Hank talked in a blue
streak, but impaired no information to
them, save the fact that we were looking
for work.
After he had finished we knew all about
the town, first who to apply TO for en-
ployment and where to go for lodgings.
bibing further of the merry rot-gut we de-
parted for the Tigers Nest" the name
of the dive that bore the distinction OF be-
ing the best hosiery in the town. We Sc
cured inelegant quarters for the night in
garnet room, with eight clod pates, all
good snorers and sound sleepers. The
stagnant atmosphere would have given n
cigar store Indian the delicious trimmings,
but we were to rough IL and bravely
withstood the fumes of intoxication, set
Ting in peaceful slumbers on our straw
beds and dreamed OF rattlesnakes and
centipedes.
We had been in Victor about a week
when l Joined party of miners and we
took in the town together. l had hoped
we would drift into poker game, but
as the evening progressed and no mem
ton had been made of such a thing l was
becoming discouraged, when at last some
one proposed playing poker. We were in
the Jem saloon at the time, and l no.
ticed Hank talking TO the bartender. We
called for cards, started our game and I
saw at once that Hank had done his work
well as the cards bore our mark. We
played till morning when l. quit the game
$500 to the good; as I was leaving the sa-
loon / noticed Hank motion me to follow
him. 1 did so, and after walking about
half mile he stopped and came up to
him. This was the first opportunity we
had been able to secure for a chat for
over a week, and / was heartily glad to
see him.
After attentively listening to my com
plants of the manual labor | was compell-
ed to perform, hel informed me that he
was going to take trip up the Mojave
river, where there were number of placer
miners working the stream, 1t being ru-
mored that they had any quantity of dust
ready for the market.
We talked over our trials and prospects
and then wishing each other good luck,
we parted. / returned to the grade and
was soon at work. That noon / put my
four hundred away with the rest of our
pile, then renewed my labors, patiently
awaiting other game to materialize, which
occurred with varied frequency. During
The sittings l generally contriYed to win
from fifty to five hundred per game and
was slowly but surely retrieving our shat
tered fortunes. Two weeks passed with
out my receiving any tidings of Hank.
worried a little over his protracted alb
Still 1 would have felt
greatly treasured as to his safety If he
had continued to communicate in some
way with me. / had heard a rumor of a
pig game that had taken place between
several placer miners and from their de-
felt positive that Hank was one
IF the party.
The country and mining life here were
woefllly uncomfortable to me. and
longed unexpressedly for the excitement
and comforts of city life. l was becom-
ng Disguised with the game, and it was
)nly my infatuation with the gold / was
coming nightly that protracted my abode
n Victor.
One day 1 was working on the grade
weary and disheartened, when looked up
rom my work and beheld Hank standing
near the works; | gazed at him in rapture
he was a sight for sore eyes. He gave me
/ welcome smile. then motioned me to
watch him.
1 did so, and observed him raise cross
lie and Slip something beneath it; then, |
with q parting look he disappeared over |
he hills toward Victor At noon / rushed |
% the tie, raised It and secured the note |
Re had secreted there. I hastily opened |
[ and read 1t. This was all it contained: |
BE at the Jem tonight. Have plenty |
If cash" 1 ate my dinner and returned |
o work, but quit at In the afternoon |
Ind proceeded to Victor, secured all nv |
lash, amounting 10 over 1900, then stag |
sered into the Jem saloon apparently |
he probabilities of the night, when / felt |
touch my hand, and Hanks |
Foice whispered: Take that" My I'm |
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