Bisbee daily review., 1903-05-21
An Ocean
 PuSfim e
tOriglnal.l

'There should be detectives" said one to the other, aboard these steam CTS to protect innocent people. That Jean country Jake is being feeced al sards by those sharpies."
 "Why don't you warn himf'
 I'd only get myself into trouble. The other fellows would tell him that l was trying to gain his confidence to fleece him myself"
 'I'll tell you what to do. You are the best poker player in America. and l fatter myself I'm not far behind you. We'll get the fellow to sit down to private game with us. win his money and return it to him when we get to Southampton. It Fl serve to amuse us, and we will be doing the man a great favor"
 That's a good idea."
 The next day the two men, MT. Gra- ham and Mir. Tidball. met the green | horn on deck. They had concluded to carry out veritable bunko game, so him; then Graham rushed up to him, rrasped his hand and said:
 Why, Skinner, l didn't know you were aboardw
 Tidball came up and seized the other hand Skinner, how are you, old many
 My name hain't Skinner said the man, looking at them with eyes full of surprise, almost fear. 4r1T T ~ ham, standing of and looking at the couutryman from head to foot, that you're not Amos Skinner of Pawtuck- et?"
 "Why, no; I'm Jim Robinson Of shel- ! byyille, Tenn
 Well, now" said Tidban. you'd make n 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.
 Shall 1t be pokerY asked Graham. Not much" said the victim. I'm not a-goin' to win the money of two ! gentlemen that has treated me so fine almost like a brother Why, I'm con sidered the best poker player in Shel- byville."
 The confedegates looked at each oth- | CT They admitted that they were in different poker players. but insisted or tie game, and the stranger at last con. scented to play with a low limit. But | he declared that as soon as he had won | S2J the game must stop and he would l spend bis winnings in wine They played in the stateroom Of tle 1 confedcrates, who felt very sure that they could win at fair game, and, if caught at any irregular proceedings it ! might get them into trouble Besides. it would be more fun to win fairly. ! They found the cOuntIyman easy prey and soon won all his loose cash. Then 1 he went for his gripsack 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 1 Bemoaned lis fate, while the two bun koers enjoyed his discontinue. Then when he seemed utterly crushed they | gave him Q 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 Tidbali eIDptied their pockets of tine money they had won and were about to hand it back to the loser when he stopped them.
 You gentlemen" he said, have shown ne what GaIoot am and how little I'm fitted 10 take keer of money But this is only one way of gittin il ont of me In a week some fel!er 'll git if in some other way. Now, want you 10 do ne favor Keep all ex- ccpt enough to take me to London You're goin' there; so am I. When we rit there, got friend, and I'm a-goin' 10 put it in his bank. I'll never trust myself ag'in with more Il enough to pay expenses
 The friends reluctantly consented | and with tears of thankfulness the farmer departed.
 The next morning the ship was in port NIT. Robinson did not appear, and the two friends hunted for him l nigh and low; then, leaving their Lon | don address for him with the purser 1 they started to go ashore. Graham. l while on the gangplank, turning. saw one of the men from whom they had saved Robinson pointing to himself and ' bis friend. The next moment two men elapped hands on their shoulders, then bandcuffed them.
 1 What's thisY' they both cried. | hghast.
 1 There was no reply. They were talk en to a police station, their hand bag gage opened and found to contain sev- eral thousand dollars of counterfeit money.
 They had scarcely left the dock be- fore the grateful farmer. puffing a long | cigar, left the steamer. He lost nc time in jumping into a carriage and | tuaS npver aftaryya I'll hea r1 of in eifl,aY