The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-03-21

senCe of the strangers. half an hour out
| of Pittsburg, began to be noticed Billy
| rang the bell to summon a porter.
'''GO back in one of the other cars he
| said and tell those two embryo COnvlcts
who were here just now to come and get
| their change
'"rhe porter ent away on his errand.
and when he came back he confirmed my
| previous suspicious that he had been
| watching the game by bringing the rem
nants of a grin.
Boss he said, dem gentlemen whut
| wuZ here amt on de train, Dey wuZ IN
! de Harrisburg cyar. and when de train
| wuz bruck in two at Pittsburg dey wuz
/ Ief' on de second section, witch is MORT
| forty miles benin this one. De train wuz
so heavy dey had ter bust it, an you
/ ali is on de first section
Il don't know whether it was Billy or l
who first grasped fully the knowledge
| that we were running away from the two
! sharpers with $50 of their cash, while they
held about 30 cents worth of our ceIlulOid
| chips. think We absorbed the idea to-
gether, for we fell into each others arms
/ and danced about that little room until
/ it looked like a Populist convention hall,
/ and we both fell back on the cushions
I out of breath and out of laughter. too. l
/ recall, vaguely, more bourbon, midnight
/ dinner, Well-cooked and Well-served, and
| then the porter came 10 awake me in
my room and tell We that we were going
/ into Chicago.
Billy was dressing and drinking ice
! water at the same time. but he Was az
! cheerful as a man would be who had
| picked up SO in the streets and couldn't
find the owner We
You could have waited until the second
! section Of the train came in interrupted
| the eX-COnsuI 10 Annoy, and returned
/ the money TO the mem
Gould we?' asked the Judge thought
/ fully. Yes. of course. We could have
done that Funny ii didn't occur 10 Us.
/ But. AT any rate. we didn't Billy and 1
/ divided the net profits OF the adventure,
and left our car as soon as ii reached
! the station. driving directly 10 the hotel
where nv family was stoDDing. l went
I at once to their rooms. and he went TO
I his agreeing TO meet me again at in
the afternoon lie did not appear until
nearly O'Clock but we gave him great
welcome when he did show uD.
The Strangers 4 am.
"A rap on the door brought in a small
package addressed 10 me. and on opening
/ II / found a lot of Doker chips, with q
! short note. The note was signed Jim
ard 'Bucky.' and respectfully asked that
/ the ACCOMPANYING chips be redeemed, and
+ apOlOgizing for keeping me waiting so
/ long. Stunned for moment looked at
I Billy. who was deep in his paper Then
/ went TO him and showed him the docu-
ment
That's pretty tough he said. coolly,
when he had read H.
Tough" said l. Good Lord. don't you
/ see they've got nv name-that they know
{ who ] ann
They aDDear to- said Billy. What
are you going 10 do about III
There was nothing 10 do about Il but
/ pay uD. ard / counted out the money
/ quickly. fearful lest my wife might re-
I turn.
| Il lacked the courage 10 face the sharp
/ ers myself but Billy was good enough 70
| volunteer 10 go down and settle for ne
! The note said that the two men we're
waiting 81 the clerks desk When ke re-
/ turned he announced that the deal was
( settled. and he went 70 dinner with Us
/ He invited NE 70 dine with him the next
/ day and / accepted His dinner was Al 9
cozy little hotel. and Well-known pal a
/ Gelphia editor and an ex-mayor o. Phila-
d Il ~
until midnight. and i think We made
some speeches But IN the end Billy G.s-
/ graced himself b oslen;atlously ealing
/ for MS bill. and then figuring ali over t.e
| table cover before he paid It.
| The Mora.
Having done iris he placed some bits
| and coin on a Blase and passed II % ne
" 'Tnas's your change Re said The
dinner cost only Sss-sO you're y ahead.
a. il Is
/ Il had only strength enough 20 look az
/ him, while the Editor and the ex-fuayOr
Gazed absiraetedly into their brandy
glasses.
/ Yes he ssit. you get six hack out
! Of that s=yenfyslye. You see. = was me
I sent you those chips al the hote yestsr-
I day. some friends helped ne. We want
/ ID 10 teach yOa not 10 play cards gsh
1 sffsngerE-thSts all
And that Ssz all Except gentlemen
I that that young man - now a yell
I known Lawyer and conspicuous csfg
official o. PtAaaatpnts -