The labor world., 1900-03-03

wanted and let it remain where it was.
| Bennett shuffled his draw, into his
hand, looked as impassive as usual
and said:
well, captain?'
Tn going to start her off for $500,
said the captain.
"'Five hundred, eh? think I'll
have to raise that $780,.
"The captain drew his chair closer
| to the table, threw his hat on the deck
and said: I'll see your $500 and raise
you $1,000
Bennett gave him hard look in
the eye.
"'Have you the money! he asked of
Gibson.
The captain carefully pushed his
untouched hand few inches to one
side and looked over his check stubs.
tive. got a balance here of $3.50,
he said. My boats worth $4,000 if she's
worth cent. That's $6,35O, isn't it?
I get $3.50 for carrying this cargo; that
makes $4,000. I raise. you that amount.
Bennett looked over his heap Of
checks, his columns of coin, his stack
of bills, his hand and the captain
chiefly the captain. He made no more
fuss than as if he was raising 50 bet.
It took him. two or three minutes to
count out $6,S00 worth of checks and
money and, showing it out on the table,
he said: .4ss ..-.... ~
!" Captain, it's yours anyhow and I'll
chance it. What you got?'
Captain Gibson's expression changed
in an instant from one of perplexity. to
sheer JOY. He almost Whined, so happy
did he appear to be.
-. Bennett. he said I've got the
best there is, a royal fiush' picking up
his hand off the table. I lacked the
ten of hearts and drew her. .
Bennett calmly. spread out hand
some ace-full and looked at his oppon-
ent's hand rather surprised. His man
ner.4ehanged all of a sudden
s2.' 49, Hold on, hold on there, captain,' ,.
he said, there's no royal flush there
Yougconld fairly: see Captain Gibson,s
heart IL crawling donw into his shoes
He bent over the table and scrutinized
the cards on-.Which he had staked his
all. He saw the ace, the; king, the
queen and the ten of hearts, and the
Jack Of diamonds! He gazed at them
uttering even a. sigh. Then he re-.
signedly picked up the card ne had dis
carded at the beginning of the deal and.
which he had la1d aside SO that it
could be referred to if his partner de-
manded it. It was the jack of hearts!
Benefits face was an expression of
mingled sympathy and triumph. There
was an utter stiffness broken only by
the sleepy tapping of the water along
the boats hull Gibson picked up the.
bottle of liquor which stood at the
end of the. table and now was nearly
empty. He held it up so the moon
light could be seen through it. Then
he tossed it into the lake.
3" Bennett he said moment later,
its all yours, boat. money and ALL.
Then turning to me he said, Davidson,
get me some writing paper
III $Ss '"sAnd on the deck of the boat lust
as the eastern sky was changing to a
golden purple Captain John Gibson
transferred the two-masted schooner
Will-o'- -the-Wisp and his other inter-
ests to Bennett. The latter accepted
the note humbly and assayed a word
of sympathy, but he was shut off. The
captain retired abruptly to his room
and the others followed.
The captain was apparently in good
humor during the rest of the trip. He
took charge Of things as he had always
done and chatted with Bennett and
Mcdonald, but never mentioned the
game that had been his ruin The trip
occupied about nine days. Many con-
ferences We're held between Bennett
and myself as to how the boat could
be returned to the captain, but no easy
method suggested itself. Bennett
didn't want it, or rather he did not
like to see Gibson impoverished. When
the craft was tied up at her dock in
Buffalo Captain Gibson took leave Of
the boat, luggage and all. AS he was
about to step upon the wharf Bennett
accosted him:
"'Captain Gibson, I am going to ask
that you accept as a gift from me,
this boat
Gibson glared at him.
Bennett, I take it that you play an
honest game of poker?'
You should know that I do re-
Joined Bennett.
7 also take it that you are some
what of a gambler?'
81 am ~
And yet YOU offer to restore what
you have won! I don't like it. Here,
(entending his hand), good-bye'
Captain Gibson was never heard
from after that. He started West.
that was all any of his friends ever
learned about him. But the story
| was told for years on the lakes. Do
you mean to say you had never heard
| it?''
MUST BUILD ON lC S00N u