The Van Buren press., 1897-02-06

aav on. Z never threw a leg across
| horse Of his.
aThe way the thing was worked WIS
this. When too late, he found out whai
A wonder Geranium was. Capt. Dives
| determined, f be couldn't win strai CHS.
he'd pull through on the cross. so, how
| / know net, he procured a whip haFing
A fine hair tube Of some light metal
running through the center, with 4
powerful spring hidden in the butt
end
sTaking up the whip that day WIS at
his rooms, he said; Now. look at thai
eat there on the hearthrug.. Then he
leveled the whip. heard a noise as
Of a spring being released, and almost
Immediately the cat rolled on It's side
stone dead I wac surprised, to say the
least, and asked him to explain. 0nl5
too pleased at having aroused my cit
riosity. he at once took from his pocket
a leather ease, and exposed to view a
row of pieces Of fine steel, and pointed
out that each needle, as he called them,
| had been daubed with a most dead =
poison, which he explained would eanse
paralysis of the heart in less time than
it takes to tel it after the needle had
entered the body or punetured the skin
ever 50 slightly.
"Then he opened the silver cirelet on
the whip, and deftly placed a needle
/ IN a minute chamber, and smilingiy told
me the instrument was ready for use.
once more. Still did not fathom che
purpose he had in view. though I d.
gined there must be something in the
background, for It was hardly likely
he would want to see me at his rooms
simply to show me this lethal toy; be-
sides. his manner was constrained, "a
be was shy of getting to business, and
resorted to the brandy flask too fire.
quentlY to please me.
at length, he went on. Now, Tn in
desperate straits, for I've moi hedge4 4
silver. and desperate men dare much
on the off-ehance, 50 MY game IS win
honestly if you can, but win; and TO win
that way you must guard against rais-
ing the faintest shadow of suspicion IN
the part Of the onloolsers. No, no, he
shouted, as I was about to object. Il
won't hear word until have finished.
See here, now he continued. hand
ling the whip, take this, and use it when
your Judgment tells you yoa cannot
win. should say you'd cut it too fine
If you failed TO act until yoa were less
than 50 yards from the box; anyway,
il would be risky. Press this knob at
the time I tell you, and ri guarantee
Geraniun does not pass the post, no.
not BY 70 yards, no matter where the
needle strikes her. Remember, it - our
only chance and the stake, E10 0Ge, j.
yours If you pull it off. whether you use
the whip or not. What do You say?'
well. I argued and hesitated and fe-
argued, going over the old ground a
dozen times, but he was always pro-
vided with a specious answer, until [
grew weary of his tongue, and finally
gave way along the whole line Of moral
rectitude, and became the veriest fool
that ever stepped, for from what little
! could ever recall Of the latter part Of
our conference, I believe before we
parted 7, with all the wonted zeal of a
convert, became for the time a bigger
blackguard and schemer than my mem
tor; but | swear that the death of 2
fellow-creature In connection with this
bit OF foul work never for an instant
flashed across my brain.
There isn't much more to tell. You
see, sir, what a miserable wreck / am,
and / daresay you wonder how arrived
at such a pass. Prom that evil day ar
ill-luek logged my footsteps with I'M
firing pertinacity, and do what / would
nothing seemed to prosper under my
hands. Perhaps the thoughts of tn,
past had a deal to do with it, for very
soon sought oblivion for them in the
dram shop, and owners and trainers
alike were not slow to discover that
was fast going to the dogs, and declined
10 employ me; so, what with fast living
and mad plunging, 1t was not long ere
the crash came, and was notified that
utt bFcIbidWH my dCtCuHis 4 H. u
the downhill road at once became ve-y
steep, and in endcavoring TO keep SOU
and body together / ran through near
ly every graduation OF employment
every situation being lower than the
preceding one--in fact, my life NIGH
be styled: From leading jockey to sand
witch mani" and just before the old
man, whose breath had been gradually
getting shorter, gave up the ghost, be
added, "and all through winning on 4
| cyroee "-Tit-Rffs