St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-10-15
THE DEATH OF THE GAMBLER.
A Scene From w. II. II. Murray's Adirondack
Tales, About to be Published.

the detective, was IN full pursuit
and as he burst through the balsams
he found himself within 20 feet OF hi:
antagonist. Both men stood for ar
instant, each with pistol in his
hand, each looking full at the other
Both were experts. Each knew the
other.
"You count" said the gambler
coolly.
Zone, two, three" said the detec.
tive. "Fire!"
One pistol alone sounded. The
gamblers had failed to explode.
you've won, you needn't deal
again." said the gambler. And then
he dropped. The red stain on his
white shirt front showed where he
was hit.
"There's some lint and bandage, /"
said the detective, and he flung a
small package into the gamblers lap.
81 hope you won't die, Dick Ray
mond."
"Oh, it was all fair, Carson" said
the other carselessly. 1--WE held a
poor hand from the start"
He paused for the detective had
rushed on and he was alone.
Twenty rods further on, the de-
tective caught up with the trapper,
who was calmly recharging his piece.
On the edge OF the ledge above, the
half-breed lay dead, the lips drawn
back from his teeth, and his ugly
countenance distorted with hate and
rage. A rife, whose muzzle smoked,
lay at his side; and the edge of the
trapper's left ear was bleeding.
give shot Dick Raymond by the
balsam thicket," said the detective.
"Im afraid he's hard HIT"
'I'll go and see the boy" answered
the trapper. "Ye'l find Henry furder
up. There's only two runnin'. You
and he can bring 'em in"
The detective disappeared like a
flash in the direction the trapper had
pointed.
"Ah mep' said the old man, hope
the boy isn't bad HIT" and he turned
on his trail, and m oved quickly on
down toward the 5alsam thicket.
The gambler was seated in recln-
ing attitude, his body resting on the
MOSES, his shoulders and head sup
ported by a rock, which, covered
thickly with other MOSES itself, made
for his growing weakness a natural
pillow. The package of lint, which
the detective had thrown to him as
he dashed away, after the fatal in
terview, lay within reach unopened.
Only stain on the white linen
showed where he was hit, Tor the
hemorrhage was all internal.
Through the trees, here and there,
the bright water Of the lake showed
clearly. The little rivuet that issued
from the trapper's spring rang wit h
tuneful gurgling through the swale,
and filtered itself into the lake
through sands pure as it's own impid
stream. In the pines overhead were
soothing noises. The young balsams
yielded their gummy sweetness to the
damp air. The pistol, by whose fail
ure to explode he had escaped the
crime of murder, lay by his side,
while dozen cards that had been
flung from his pocket as he dropped
were lying scattered about,-a sug
gestive commentary on the trivolity
and sinfulness of his life. His eyes
were open, gazing through the
branches OF the intervening trees al
the bright patches of the shining
water beyond, and the little ri
soothed the stiffness with it's lapsine
sound. One would hardly think tina
so unprincipled life could come tc
its close as peacefully as the peaceful
ness of Nature, which, because of it.
inanimateness, perhaps, had com
mitted no sin, and could therefore b,
disturbed by no remorse. But sucl
apparently was the case; for thu
look IN the eyes was as placid a.
the lake at which they gazed, ant
the lines OF his face were as calm anC
peaceful as child's when, just befor
he falls asleep, his memory is bus,
with the happiness of the day he ha
enjoyed, and to which, ere he sleeps
he would say pleasant farewell.
The old trapper saw, as he de
scended the hill, the body reclining OF
the MOSES at the edge of the balsan
thicket. The earth gave back NJ
sound as he advanced, and he reached
the gambler, and was standing al