The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-10
COPYRIGHT. 1893. BY rHf AUTHOR. }

narrow SOUL felt lmpelled to make one
more suggestion in the cause OF moral
ity.
1.-The other man, then-can nothing
be said to him? Why, captain, there is
a rumor af1oat on the boat that young
Belknap has actually put his plantation
up for stakes. .
"What? The DEVIL"
Old Peppercorn sprang to his feet and
faced the man at the wheel with the
command:
"Turn her nose to'ds the shore, Billy.
Land at the first point you can without
grounding her,
The pilot, with his keen eyes fixed
steadily on the cleaning stretches of
sand he so much dreaded, answered
shortly:
"Wheeler's. We've got freight for
him"
"Wheeler's then let it be-
Then in angry soliloquy, rather than
to either Of the men present, the captain
emptied his walls of wrath.
''No, by George, amt called on TO
stand back and see old Tony Belknap's
fool of boy cleaned out by blood
sucker Of blackleg. Leastways it
shan't happen on my boat. I didn't sus-
picion anything half as bad as that IN
put the rascal asho', will, by jimi-
ny! / guess that'll break up his little
game. I'll make him take the gangplank
at Wheeler So
HE is very wealthy, believe - said
the minister, tentatively pursuing his
own line of thought.
"Who-that young idiot down stairs?
His daddy left him plenty, but it won't
last long at this rate
ANY family?''
"a younger brother and sister, Great
Scott, parson, you're some on questions,
amt your
Entirely unabashed, the Rev. Mr..
Wordsworth asked yet another one.
''Who is that extremely handsome
young woman who is travelling alone?"
''There don't any female travel alone
on the Red Wing, sir-at least no pref
ty girl. That ones under my care, and
her name is Bascom.
"Going homer"
"Going home. ~
The minister smiled alphabetically.
"You see, am just removing from
Memphis to Cloverdell, and I have
legitimate curiosity about the people
am to live among. I should like to ask
you, captain, if
The man at the wheel here intercept
ed furtive signal from Old Peppercorn,
and Immediately behind the Rev. Moles-
worth S back the steam whistle lifted
up it's voice in shrek Of such pro-
longed shrillness that he clasped both
hands to his ears and fed.
The captain grinned maliciously, and
stepping to the edge of the hurricane
deck looked over to expedite the swing
ing out of the huge gangplanks. He
urged expedition in the matter Of land
ing in vigorous English and with all
the force Of his stentorian lungs AS
soon as the Red Wings nose was made
fast to tree high up on the. steep,
crumbling banks he followed the Rev.
Wordsworth down the steps that led to
the cabin.
He entered the saloon, resolutely bent
upon breaking up the prolonged game
Of cards that threatened to swamp old
Tony Belknap's foolish boy. He found
the professional gambler sitting alone
at the table in the saloon. 1t was lit
tered with cards and counters.
A disagreeabIe smile of triumph still
lurked in the corners Of the mans full,
red lips He was idly playing with the
ivory counters The captain seated him
self in the chair opposite him. He fixed |
hrs flashing eyes contemptuously on the |
gambler as he showed tho cards toward |
him 81 guess this is your regular trade,
ism 1T it?''
''In common with good many other
gentlemen.
"M-h Where's the boy?''
"What boy?''
1.-The one you We been plucking."
"Mr. Belknap? I fancy he wouldn't
stand being called boy to his face. 1t |
is probable you will find him in the
clerks Office. He went in there at the
close Of our little game to have paper
w 1bAGSScG
Your little gamei On it, sir,
you've been pluoking that boy ever
since we started from Memphisl"
The gambler clicked the ivory count
ers together with his coarse, large
1nuckled fingers, while an angry flush
made him look still more sinister.
lit has been rather a long session,
out if you know anything at all about
eards-and suspect you do, in spite OF
your virtuous attitude toward this par
ticular game-you know that the win
Ter is powerless to stop game -
And the boy has been losing straight
hough?''
MIR. Belknap has had rather bad
'un of luck. But what business is it of
ours, my dear fellow, provided his
passage is paid?"
The captain brought his sun Drowned
list down upon the table with a thump
hat made the cards and counters dance
,ayly.
"Don't dear fellow me, sir. I've
ut nothing in common with Won and |