The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-08-28
-.-~-. ,- An Ocean
 PoSfin e
foriglnal.I

There should De detecuVes. kaio one to the other, aboard these steam. CTS to protect innocent people. That lean country Jake is being heeced at cards by those sharpies."
 "why don't you warn himT'
 "Pd only get myself into trouble. The other fellows would tell him that was trying to gain his confidence to fleece him myself"
 "Fll tell you what to do. You arc tho best poker player in America. and fatter myself I'm not far behind you. We'll get the fellow to sit down to Q private game with us, win his money and return 1t to him when we get to Southampton. It n serve to amuse us, apd we will be doing the man Q great favor"
 That's q good Idea"
 The next day the two men. Mir. Ora ham and Mir. Tidball, met the green horn on deck. They had concluded to carry out verltable bunko game. 30 they suddenly turned and stared at him; then Graham rushed up to him, grasped his hand and said:
 "why. Skinner, didn't know you were aboardT'
 Tidball came up and seized the other hand. Skinner, how are you. old manT
 "Aiy name hain't Skinner" said the man. looking at them with eyes full of surprise, almost fear.
 Do you mean to tell me-" said Ora. ham. standing of! and looking at the countryman from head to foot. that you're not Amos Skinner of Pawtuck. etT
 "Why, no; I'm Jim Robinson of Shel. byvllle, Tenn"
 Well, now" said Tidball, you'd make a better likeness of Skinner than his own photograph. The wines on us. Come along"
 It wasn't long after the wine was opened that the two kindly disposed men had Mir Robinson seated at table. with cards before them.
 Snail 1t be pokerY asked Graham.
 Not muchw said the victim. I'm not a-goin' to win the money of two gentlemen that has treated me so fine almost like brother. Why, I'm con sIdered the best poker player In Shel' byvllle."
 The confederates looked at each oth- er They admitted that they were in- different poker players, but insisted on the game, and the stranger at last con sented to play with low limit But he declared that as soon as he had won SEQ the game must stop and he would spend his winnings in wine.
 They played In the stateroom of the confederates, who felt very sure that they could win at fair game, and. If caught at any irregular proceedings 1t might get them Into trouble. Besides. lt would be more fun to win fairly. They found the countryman easy prey and soon won all his loose cash. Then he went for his grlpsack and produced a large number of crisp twenty dollar bills. They played regularly every day for three days, and when the ship was nearing port the countryman confessed that he was dead broke"
 Then there was a scene. Robinson bemoaned his fate, while the two bun koers enjoyed his discontinue. Then when he seemed utterly crushed they gave him a lecture on trusting stran- gers and told him of their scheme to ruin him for his own good. There was a glad light in his eye as he grasped both their hands, tears streaming down his cheeks, and declared that they were tbe finest men on the ocean, the finest men in America, the finest men In the whole world.
 Graham and Tidball emptied theii pockets of the money they had won and were about to hand 1t back to the loser when he stopped them.
 "You gentlemen" he said, nave shown me what galoot nm and now little I'm fitted to take kcer of money. But this Is only one way of gittin' It out of me. In week some Teller I'll cit it in some other way. Now, I want YOU to do me q favor. Keep all ex- ecpt enough to take me to London. You're goin' there; so nm l. When We cit there. got friend. and I'm a-goiR to put 1t in his bank. I'll never trust myself ag'in with more n enough to pay expenses"
 The friends reluctantly consented. md with tears of thankfulness the farmer departed.
 The next morning the ship was In port Mir. Robinson did not appear. and the two friends hunted for him high and low; then, leaving their Lon don address for him with the purser, they started to go ashore. Graham, while on the gangplank. turning, saw one of the men from whom they had saved Robinson pointing to himself and his friend. The next moment two men clapped hands on their shoulders, then handcuffed them.
 "What's thlsY' they both cried aghast.
 There was no reply. They were talk en to a police station. their hand bag gnge opened and found to contain sew eral thousand dollars of counterfeit money,
 They had scarcely left the dock be- fore the grateful farmer. pulling long eiear left the steamer He lost no | .t,,o tr t,uninC into n carriage and