The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-08-04
The Flttest Survives
BY ]. u. coNNELLY.
SHApTER XIV.

---- 9it Sg4a4 ga
BY ]. II. coNNELLY.
CHAPTER XIV.
II was Chester Sewall's first en-
trance into a gambling saloon. AS
vet he did not even know which of the
games was faro and which roulette.
The colored servant who had admit
ted and guided him to the parlor went
to a large, red faced man, sitting in a
high chair behind one end Of the
faro table, and whispered a few words
which caused him to look over the
heads of the players at Mr.. Sewall
with a nod and smile of welcome.
The darby, returning TO his place at
the door, reported in n low tone to
the visitor:
"IIe1l be wifi you in a few moments,
sab"
To kill time the young man timidly
approached the table and looked on
at the game. 1t seemed very simple.
When the deal" was through the
red faced man put a temporary SUBJ
stitute in the high chair, and merely
gIancing at Chestcr's note of intro
UICLIOlI "SiNOllSa @1lllkE WIKI e
cordiality.
Come this way, where we can chat
without Interruption" said Mr., COT.
ferty. who was the red faced man.,
leading the way into a small poker
room at one side of the parlor suit.
The polished gamblers exceeding
affability quite won the young fellow,
who was at heart little more than a
sensitive boy and really suffering for
lack Of q few kind words from some
onc who would take ever a pretended
interest i'll him. In q very little while,
with hardly an effort at inquisition
and certainly none that his subject
was conscious OF, Mr.. Coffcrty had
possessed himself of all the salient
points in the young mans short but
yicissitudinous career in the metrop-
oils, except that Chester's pride would
MOI admit Of his humbling himself to
:hc extent Of telling how really des-
pcratc was his extremity.
in return Mr.. Cofferty talked a good
deal about local politics in a general
way and was p%rofuse in his promises
to do all in his power for his young
friend, not SO much on account of the
boss introduction as for his own sake.
In n few days, when the commission
er got back to town." heswould Ego to
the front" and, he tlattered himself,
not without accomplishing something
for Mr.. Sewall.
A party of poker players coming in
to take possession of the room, social
converse necessarily gave way to BUSH
ness. Mr.. Cofferty and his visitor re.
turned to the parlor and stood near
the roulette table. The game seemed
to Chester even simpler than the 9th
er at which he had been looking. and
he said, with a little nervous laugh:
1T almost tempts me to try my
luck or would if I did not feel that it
would be an ungracious thing for me
to come in as ! have and win your
money"
oh responded the old gambler,
with a genial smile, that is what
they all come here for. Have youever
played?"
Never"
WELL, I would as a friend advise
you not to begin, only you might
think ! was afraid OF your having
beginners luck which is said to al.
ways insure winning. / cannot say
though that / have found the saying
hold good in every instance"
II believe | will try the experi-
ment.'
AS You please. If you do, I wish
you luck. But l must ask you to ex-
cusc me now, as | see my partner is
making signs for me to return and
take my place. He wants to go out"
Mr.. Cofferty went back to his high
seat, and Chester, placing himself in
front of the roulette wheel. threw
upon the table n So bill, all he had ex-
cept some small change. 1t fell in
the center of n of the numbered
squares, and he let it lie where chance
had placed it. The dealer whirled the
wheel and spun upon it the little ball,
which went rolling, jumping and clat-
tering until finally it found Judgment
in II of the small marginal com
partments, and the dealer, lifting up
his voice, announced in n singsong
tone: Seventeen; read" simultans-
onsly pushing over a great heap of
ivory Chips to Chester who could
hardly believe in his good fortune.
A love of the excitement of gaming
was innate in Chester Sewall and now,
awakened into full activity, fairly
took possession of him. Hour after
hour went by, and still he continued
playing, dead to all else than the fas-
cination OF the game. For a time he
won almost constantly, until he had a
s~eriessof stacks of chips of various col
orssranked upon befcre him, enough,
had he converted -them into cash, to
haze kept him for many weeks and
made him independent of the boss.
But by this time he was playing for a
fortune.
Mr.. Cefferty came e once, looked
ut him without attracting his notice
and walked away, smiling.
After awhile his luck seemed to have
run itself out" as gamblers say, and
a season Of intermitted i'll fortune set
in. All his winnings were speedily
swept away, until at length all, even
the original So note, had gone into
The box" and he had left barely
enough small coins. to get his break
fast. When he went out to the street,
he thought he>had been gaming but
a little time-for the sun was still up
and wondered that he felt so weary
and feverish. But soon he noticed how
the shadows fell and realized that tho
sun now shining was that Of another
day. He had stuck to the roulette
table all night.
Hungry and tired he went to a
cheap restaurant for his breakfast,
and while it was being prepared
glanced over a morning paper. Like.
every one who has ever dabbled, even
a little, in Wall street speculation, he
turned to the Financial" column. The
bulls" he read. were rallying from
their long period of depression and
the market was again active. The
very stock in which he had lost every
thing was leading the van in the up
ward movement. Could he have held
onto the amount of it he controlled Mt
one time, he would be already a com
paratiycly rich man, and in a good
WaF-for SEQ becoming one really. A
savage longing bAregenged upon
fate by retrieyal Of his losses The
very stock that had caused Alt1n,
seized upon him. il no could only have
q few dollars with which 10 operate
now-half Feyen ct the pile OF winnings
he possessed at one time last night
he could clutch fortune by the throat
and master her. But they were gone,
and where else could he now get a few
dollars? Even the little souyenirs of