The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-08

ly answered the Texas Judge, as his steel
grey eyes. expanding wide shone like
two white diamonds in jewelers. tray.
Billy Owens, as blthe and debonair as
a wild white mountain goat, skipping over
the Sierra Nevada ranges, walked over
TO the gamblers desk (and a well-reg-
uiated gambling place is never without
a table called a secretary" where pen
and ink are ready, and bank checks,
without any particular banks name, can
always be found filed up a check on
the Bank of California for So, 900, signed
1t and walked back to Judge Jones.
Up to this moment Jones thought Billy
was footing. He was mistaken
'Tll bet this in the pot, the Jack to
win. against your safe and contents"
said Owens.
1T is we'll" said Jones without a
smile, pulling out big safe key from
his side pocket and slapping it down hard
on the top of Blly's check in the pot.
That represents my wealth."
All the other players stopped playing
to watch the game. The third turn, as
the key lay hugging the check, out came
the card. Jack wins" the dealer call
ed. very white about the gins.
tBusted by the everlasting jumping.
jingo" yelled the Texas Judge; but
DIN my eyes, Billy, you are the very
man l want to win if / must lose"
The bank was broke and ii daylight
Billy Owens made it lively for the BOYS.
The Judge closed the game, but within
a week he struck it rich in a placer mine
and opened UP new game more gorgeou
than the first.
In the days of the early forty-niners we
all carried our lives in our hands, and it
was my usual habit to carry a revolver
and biYf 7 L.
and didn't think 1 had an enemy in the
world, soon laid aside my weapons But
had one scare that nearly cost an in
nocent mans life and my own escape
from accidental death was marvellous. A
brawny Scotchman, Dugald Mcpherson
by name, came to the mining country in
California and struck it rich the first
year. He was bold operator peaceful
when sober, and a devil incarnate when
vexed or under the influence.
Forty miles from San Francisco the old
bachelor Mcpherson had a ranch where
the boys loved to sojourn over SUNDAY.
1t was in the center of a virgin oak for
est that the old Scot lived surrounded hv
hundred henchmen, with cellars well
hl.ed with rare and costly wines from all
over the world.
Presiding over the old mans home and
mistress of the ranch was a Spanish
SShOiild ldl anu over ~ years old. and
a miraculous cook. / certainly had no
eyes for the senorita, but after I had eone
back to Frisco, leaving my friends behind.
some of the wags in the party told the
old Scot that had been using 1.-THE whis-
pered speech that lovers use' in CONVEX
sation on a May night on the piazza Of
the adobe mansion with his dusky senori.
ia The green-eyed passion seized mine
host.
This was fun to the boys, but II was
IKE TO have been death to the city sur
veyor of San Francisco-that was mo
Imagine my feelings of discomfort and
astonishment and anger when told bv one
of our party at my Office in the city. and
in dead earnest that the antique Scotch
man had sent me word that he meant
to put bullet hoe in me on sight. NV
revolvers were soon hunted up: but the
nearest gunsmith Cthis industry was a
lively one at that period of California
history found them badly out of order.
ana pressed upon me two single-barrelleJ
pistols with very hair triggers. Then
felt better. ] didn't mean to be killed
by the bioody-minded Mcpherson without
chance for my white alley, as the bows
say. With my hair-trigger pistols one IN
each trouser pocket, l sauntered down
town and into one of the most gorgeous
saloons in Frisco. for we had no clubs
III lHOse udys Oh ~. Inc transition from
the barroom to the faro room in the rear
oil the saloon was natural, for, though I
did not play, ! was sure to meet tharc
many big men and city officials, all waa
known TO me. The Scottish chief I
thought. was still basking where chic
May sun sheds an amber light on the new
leaved woods and lawns between" nm
on his own elegant ranch, or hunting five
pronged bucks among the mesquite bushes
in the mountains.
Nevertheless as ] got close I'm 10 opo Of
the faro tables, both hands were IN Their
respective pockets ready for Immediate
action. | was much interested in the plev
OF litle snort squatty. half-breed semi
demi, French Mexican gambler who was
plunging widely with his gold dust ali over
the thirteen cards on the faro layout
When | was within six inches OF abe hale
bred, | looked up There ten PAGES aua,.
on the other side Of the table. towerins,
like another Saul, among the gambling Ies
raeites. six feet In his boots, stood NV
mortal enemy, Dugald Mcpherson. IJc
advanced. ] stood still both hands CRASH
Ing my trusty single barrels in poche. Sna.
denly there was an explosion: a hundred
reyolvers were instantly drawn i'm Tho
gambling room and the click In cooking
the shooting irons drowned the click ~
the worries and the buzz of the roulette
wheel
SCARF dam" cried litio haif.brced
fcatiering his handful Of gold dust atonnJ
the room. ana making % HllI jnub "a.
mounted tB' faro table st o bound M.
dealer drew his pistol AMI fho hsIf.bro,d
was very close 40 The gatcs ajur of np-
other world ~ DC caYorted strangely