Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-16
ter had pocketed snug sum of their
fellow players money, and they smiled
slyly when Harold took the vacant

big Jack pot. which passed around I'M
in a hemp of gold and greenbaoks were
piled up in the center of the table.
Hardly had the pot been opened when
Harold and the youth from down the
coast were raised out, leaving the
miner. who had opened, to fight It out
with the two Cinnamon. Presently
one OF them dropped out and 1t vas
duel. After the diHw Harold. who had
been watching the Cinnamon closely,
quietly leaned forward until his gaze
commanded the edge of the table nenr-
est the Celestial who was playing
against the miner.
The five bits Of pasteboard lying face
downward on the table were partially
hidden by the baggy sleeves OF the
flowing oriental jacket. One Of the
Chinaman's hands lay innocently IN
plain view across the top Of the cards.
but the other, which was apparently
hanging by its owners side. Harold
could see was slowly creeping toward
the edge Of the table, and between two
of the yellow fingers was an ace OF
spades.
For few seconds the hand that held
the card scarcely stirred; then. as the
miner dropped his eyes, the ace OF
spades moved stealthily upward to.
ward the Eve cards Harold reached
suddenly across the table and seized
the wrist Of the hand that held the
| hidden card. The Chinannn struggled
to free himself. but the American was
the stronger and, With sharp twist,
dashed the hand upon the table ana
the ace Of spades fell face upward
across tho pile OF money heapvd upon
the green baize. The next instant
something glistened in the miners
right hand A sharp report, pun OF
white smoke. and the Chinaman fell
forward across his cards a tiny stream
of blood trickling from the center OF
his forehead Then, before the crowd
could recover from its nstonishmeht,
the miner swept the proceeds OF the
Jack pot into his pocket and. reaching
over. turned the dead mans poker
hand face upward. He had held the
two, three. four and i've of spades. but
the nfth card was the nine OF hearts.
"Crooked way to Ill straight
flush, ">said the miner grimly.
When the excitement was over and
the dead Chinaman had been carried
away BY his friends, Pete Williams in
yited Harold into his private room to
have drink.
"see here, young fellow" said he.
layins his hand on Harold's shoulder,
you're a plucky one an no mistake,
but you'd best get up an dust quick'n
lightnin'. That dirty. thievin' Chink
was the head Of a gang, an they don't
never forgive nothin' Of that kind. Got
your gun handyT
"Yes,' said Harold. II won't 80
about with my eyes shut"
Before Harold had covered half the
distance to his hotel he realized that he
was being followed. There we; no
lights in the forbidding butts and shan.
ties that lined the roadway. No police
man vas In sight nor single human
being to whom he might turn for as
sistance In case be found that be could
not single handed cope with the encmA
who were closing upon him in the dark
ness.
The blow came from an unexpected
quarter. He had stopped In the middle
of the road thinking to better locate
the whereabouts of his pursuers when
his legs were suddenly seized by an in
visible foe who had been crouching In
the pathway. and he was thrown vio-
lently upon his back before he could
make move to defend himself. A gag
was thrust between his teeth, his legs
and arms were secured In a twinkling.
and he WINS lifted from the ground to
one of the dimly lighted huts which
stood several hundred yards away from
the highway.
The door of the hut was opened from
the inside, q chorus OF EXPLANATIONS
was uttered in strange tongue. and.
turning his head, he saw that he was
surrounded By q group Of dozen OF
more OF the most evil looking China
men that 1t had ever been his III for
tune to meet. But what cent the cold
clliih creeping down his spine was the
spectacle at the end OF the Gmly light.
ed room. Stretched on rude bier,
formed from board laid across two
barrels. was the body Of the leader
who had bsen dllsd IN the gambling
den, and at his feet was an non bra1ier
oiled with blrlilg Goals.
His captory did not give Harold much
time to wonder what bis fate would be.
He saw pair Of pointsd iron rods
thrust among The sullen snbers which
were fanned into new life by one OF
his captors uHtil The points Of Che irn-.
plements OF torture became dull fed
under the steady glow and be realized
that they Arst Intended TO burn out
his eyes. The agony of the thought
nunbed his brain. and no sound escap-
ed him when enc OF them kneit beside
him and thrust hfs long, bong, yellow
hard into the pockets of his ciotheA
Then he became conscious that some
thing unusual had occurred. There
was nlurmur OF surprise, followed By
cultural ordinations. Opening his
eyes, he saw that the man had arisen
and wos examining something that he
held in his outstretched palm.
Every mother feels .
~ Is ~