Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-06-22

il in fear of being detected. He never
thought of the body in the bed until his
wandering gaze fell upon the pallid
face and the distended eyes staring
fxedly at him. Nervously he moved 10
the door; the eyes followed him. He
stepped almost behind the bed and yet
felt himself almost within the range Of
the awful vision. Many dead men he
had seen before. but some one had all
ways closed their eyes for them. These
eyes seemed TO move like those of some
old portrait.
1t was late in the afternoon when he
notified the coroner of his discovery.
The body was taken down to the under
taker, and the coroner decided an in
quest unnecessary. Sanders belonged
to masonic order that took charge of
the funeral arrangements. The fact
that Casadra left Virginia the night OF
the day the body was discovered was
noted by some, but no special signiti-
canoe was attached to his departure.
Two months later in Il gambling
house at FL Paso.
y crowd Of men sitting and standing
three deep about the faro table; the
dealer pushing the cards out of the
nickel plated box, unconcernedly pay
ing the lucky bets and sweeping away
TIRE others; everyone oppressively
silent; all eyes on the different stack,
of chips and the fateful box before the
dealer; the money drawer of the table
pulled far out, disclosing the shining
twenties; and Jose Casadra keeping
cases. betting heavily, and losing.
He was too old gambler to betray
by an expression which way the wealth
er vane of fortune pointed, and when
he had lost three heavy bets in success.
sion, not a muscle of his face changed
as he calmly put large stake on the
ace to win and 'coppercd" the king for
an equal amount. A hand reached over
the fringe of the crowd and placed 9
modest number of chips on the same
cards. The ace won; the king lost,
Like all of his superstitious fraternity,
he was quick to notice the slightest in
cident connected.with change of luck,
and now waited for the hand before
making his next venture. Again it
came over the heads of the crowd, and
this time played combination of the
five, six, seven, eight and nine to win,
and the queen and jack to lose. In
stantly Jose had $500 on the same bets.
Once more he was successful. Whenit
came to call "the turn" the party be-
hind him bet "tray-deuce." Jose did
the same. The tray and deuce came
out in the order named. Then he cashed
in his chips a winner, and getting up
from the table, pushed through the
crowd to see who it was he had so luck
lily followed.
The man was in q distant corner of
the room by himself. Jose's dark face
became instantly livid, for he found
himself looking into the eyes of Jim
Sanders. The eyes were in the head of
a tall, heavily-built and smooth-faced
man.
"Who-are-you?" weakly gasped
Jose, backing away.
''Who am II" replied the other, in a
jocular way, although his eyes belfed
it. "Who am I? Why, don't you know
me?"
"Not-not-Jim?" same Jose's hoarse
whisper, as he gazed in incredulous
fright. But the blood was slowly COM
ing back into his face. The voice was
different, if the eyes were not.
NO, I'm Tom-Jim's brother. Jim's
dead, We know"
Eyes, I-I-know; but your eyes?
Damn you'll Where'd you get those
eyes?" The other advanced step.
"My God! 1t is Jim!" he almost
screamed, as he cringed in AFFECT ter
Tor against the wall.
Say, what kind of Teller are ye
ANYHOW, to be so skeart about feller's
brother? s'pose hev got Jim's eyes?
Amt they good enough9 Jim he'd
little the best O. me-he was half
hour older / Jest ken from Virginny.
Everybody thought Jim left q stake,
but he didn't, pore feller-leastways'
none that could find. How long since
you been thar?"
Some of Jose's confidence was re-
turning. He muttered an unintelligi-
BILE reply.
"How much money you got?"
The colossal impudence of the ques-
ton would have astounded any stran-
ger. Jose looked angrily amazed. he
started to reply with an oath, when
suddenly his face changed.
Don't look at me like that!" he
whined.
"How much money you got9" re-
peated the big man, calmly but re-
morselessly.
Jose struggled with himself to keep
silent; but the cold, deliberate and
judging eyes compelled him to speak
and tell the truth.
housand-dollars," he fal-
tered, barely above whisper.
$50 you've got four thousand dollars
now?" echoed the other, in tones OF
great satisfaction.
AFFECT fright again swept into Jose's
face. Four thousand? Why, that was
exactly the amount he
The thought was not even finished
in his mind. he saw that the eyes read
guilt in his own. By an almost super
human effort he broke the hypnotic
spell of the dreaded gaze and looked
hurriedly about him for help. He tried
to cry out, but his throat was dry. Then