The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-02-11

| got the hair, but I've got the color Of it.
Maybe mought once "a had some other
namo, but Two been Baldy 80 long--car.
ly piety, you know-that don't feel at
home when you call mo nothin olse. "
Tho fiddlo and Jims rifle undo up
thoir luggage. He was q dead shot. AT
MI clso he appeared the simplest back
woodsman that ever gapcd at semicivi.
lization. The gambling held him spell
bound. He stood for hours beside the
ey, crops and slaves, his eyes shining,
his lean fnco twitohing with eagor in
terost. His father had usually to drag
him away and onco cuffed him roundly
"for bcin such fool rs to kcer for
them spotted papers.
Tho players wrrc nearly as much in
tercsted in the odd pair. When the two
appeared in tho saloon Oh tho river
bank, there was u chorus of welcome.
1t was by far tho most gorgeous one in
tho plncc-full Of mirrors and gliding,
with thick, soft carpet. wheezy piano
md several pictures Of large and liberal,
lovely ladies. The steamer landing WAS
just beside it, Indeed, whoever c,mo off
tho boat had to pass its open door.
When, an hour later, Colonel Allon
Clay camo through 1t, he found Jim
seated ut the main tablo, tho picture Of
radiant vordancy. Ho had been invited
to take hand with tho crack players
tho norvy set, as akillful as they were
bold. Much to their aStonishmont, he
had pulled out Il molcskin, crammod
with coin and rislled it as freely az tho
best of them. Stranger still, ho won-
won steadily, his father meantime walk
| ing round and round, with tho fiddle
tucked under his chin too restless owl
| IDENTIFY for continuous playing, but
| striking now and then a few bars from
somo old familiar breakdown or reel
Invariably Jim begged him to stop
| that squCaiin.' rs invariably Ba Idly
| said: son, como away, Jim. That ain't
no place fer you. You'll got to losin
directly, an thon whar'll all our little
cotton crop bc?'
At first tho rest laughed over it and
! said aside ono to another thnt who
| ever won the poor grccnhorn's money
would, OF course" give it back to him,
nftcr he hId boon taught tho folly Of
camo on the scene this benevolent inten-
ton had vanished in thin air. Fools
luck did not begin to express fortunes
fnvors to tho grccnhorn. Yet it was luok
pure and simple. There was no sloight
or palminR in those awkward, from
bling hands Two or thrco times tho
limit had been raised on purpose to
scare him away. AS the colonel camo in
tho table was fairly heaped with gold
and notes.
"What'a in tho pot?" he asked oare-
lessly.
GA thousand in cash, two niggors and
wagon and mules" said player
who had not "comc in' tho game.
Outside. through tho warm fog, u
steamboat came down stream, putting
and churning in to the landing Nobody
needed il. All eyes were rivotod Oh tho
play-tho players.
AS Colonel Clay looked, slow dawn
OF recognition came into his eyes. Ho
glanced back from jim to Badly.
| Rock of Aees. cleft for me,
| l.rt mo hide myself In threi
The fiddle seemed to say 1t palmer
thnn human speech. Jim hnlf started
from his seat, then dropped back, say
ing, II call YOU.
Better stop your game, gcntlomen
There is cheating ut the board,' Colo.
mel Clay said, folding hi; arms and
looking down from his feet 3.
Jim faced him. white with rage.
''Who says so?'
Il do. "
'Why?'
'Because there must be whom tho
son OF horse thief is found playing
with Rentlemoni'
Thcro was tho lenp Of ~ panther, a
choking gurgle Of breath, wild cry
'Jlm. Jim! Don't touch him for your
life'' then swift, doadly CLEAN Of