The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09

warned me to look sharp. lie said: You are
going against, a brace game and In a bad spot.
Il laughed and showed him my .solf-cocking
siT'shoQter with cartridges, meant for business,
IN tiii'eSiihre; Why, said !, when we get through
whole skin, all ny money, and an evenings sport
before we left the hotel that evening, curious
" enough. I packed my trunk and ordered 1t
shipped to Boston. carried a wad OF money in
my belt, as ! do now, and several h%undret dol
lars over a thousand for play II needed. My sup
posed syndicate aCqunintances stccred the way
to a dingy little place on u back street. The
fourth man in the party was also q guest at tho
hotel, Joe II 'mmond by name. He didn't seem
10 have any special business. but talked a good
deal about patent rights. Wen, we four got into
a right pleasant game soon after we struck tho
place. i didn't much like tho looks of the
steward as the two gentlCmcn from England
drinks, and SO on. l thought he displayed I'M
necessary interest IL my hands and told MIN
az S4G q g. s. t ShS ana P 6{ t gs,' Ensf ~ iS Sgi'G p S5pSesS
table stakes. This suited me toh dot. Rnd / for
got for q momcnt,n suspicious move on the part
OF one of the Englishmen in the last zeal.
That same Englishman. and his. partner
came az mo pretty strong: saw their raises.
the Engiishmen dropped ont. The other raised
Hammond. l stayed. Hammond prodded me
gently, ever SO gently, under the table with his
dawncd on me that tho cards had been stacked.
| had four skies. The Engliahmnn who droppcd
through. After considerable %trifing tho English
gentleman said with a smile:
",Ill Just tep You for your pile. Is
Il had about 81 200 In front OF me. a big sum
to risk on q hand believed to be stacked; but
Hammond %proddcd me again, and something
barely done SO when my opponent laid down four
Hves and said coolly,. 't1itakc the pot
don't bs.i s2 }o%H pi sixss w ! SxG ! Anne FROM ,pCT Tn hNes
happen very quickly on such occasions. l had
one hand. my Ter, on the stack OF bills. when the
man with the losing hand turned to his confcd.
crate and said. Damn you for a fool. What dye
meant, ! had, just time to clos" ON . fat. hand
been told l am pretty quick at drawing
n gun, drew ono then, but only TO protect my.
self. Bin, came n chair, thrown by the so-called
steward, and bang went my revolver as the chair
sailed by my head. In u second the room was in
darkness. That rascally steward. who was in
to take a hand in the robbery OF yours truly. I
crawlcd as well as l could In the direction OF the
door. and as / reached it q hand containing some
weapon, probably 4 sandbag, swiftly descended.
The weapon .grazed my left shoulder. | stag
gercd o my feet. and calling out Hammond, lie
downi' l Tired two shots simultaneously some
one else fired one shot. ] heard a voice cry out,
I'm shot! I'm done for There was n gurglc
and IA fall and the door knob turned in my hand.
l flew to my acquaintance who had warned me
ri had corrailed about 5000 in that scramble.
hut you must jump the town. You've probably
killed one o those scoundrcls. ! hone Hammond
out Of harm. There's a miScd train leaving here
in fifteen minutes. III get sou aboard
he did So continued the Colonel. II rode
on the platform OF u postal car clear to Buffalo.
took the first train to Chicago. and was soon in
s~eclusion in Il lumber camp in Michigan. And
there | waited for the news that AT last I had
killed II man in dispute over cards"
Yes; and did you & was the question from
all but Drifter.
No" was the response. tt Engllshman
who doctored the cards ami made the mistaken
deal got q bullet in his neck and one in his left
arm. He fingered for months in the hospital.
and poor Hammond. who also had a .Ii-calibre
gun, stayed in Jail for the shooting until the
doctors, declared that the pesky Engiishman
would live.
II kept track of Hammond. did tho right thing
by his family, through our friend DriItCr. and.
/ have never played IA game OF
chance from the night | took my third and last
dose of anti-gsmbling medicine. Now. you know
what the treatment was. Do you blame me !"
They didn't.