The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-10
.,,,.u +navbe ia better. I happen


.we,, maybe I'd better. ! happen
:, nave $500. Put UP your money"
vrbiie the bet was being arranged
.orna ~ the spectators stood about,
so,,ing remarks. None OF these were
- ali Complimentary to Fob. One man
went so far as to say:
.sSobody but q darned fool would bet
against a sure thing, no matter how
~ssat the odds in his favor. Any man
~ ordinary sense wouldn't take that
bet AT odds Of 100 to onos"
ANY man with q particle OF sense at
| all wouldn't" another added.
-Roh heard these remarks, bat appar-
.ntIv, they did not disturb him in the
| least He was as calm az summer
breeze. and on his face was that bland,
nieasant smile. He was so childhke
and trusting that u seemed almost IKE
| stAalinr milk from q baby to accept
bis OFFER to bet. A man more honcra-
HE than Blue Thompson would have
| hasitated to take advantage OF his un-
| sophisticated innocence.
when the bet was ell arranged, and
lthe% stakes properly deposited. Joe
said:
be decidedg
Rob looked up at Thompson. trust
,ngly. as IL inviting him to answer.
The latter, assuming an important,
swa9rering. Arrogant air, and ignor-
ing Bob entirely, said:
"a week is all the time I want for
marrying the widow. You can prepare
to hand over the stakes to me by that
time"
said. ouestioningly, 81 get the money.
"Of course" Thompson answered,
condescendingly. But, IL were you.
would not lay awake of nights plan
ming out how to invest II.
"Oh, l won't" Bob replied. Il never
lose sleep over things like that. But,
why should we wait a week to decide
this thing? Why not decide 1t right
now
THOMPSON laughed and the crowd
Joined in. Bob was certainly very
funny.
aDo you think man can decide q
thing like this In two minutes5'
Thompson asked
II cam" Bob replied.
you can? Howf' =
In a fash Bob had pulled his gun
and held 1t point at Blue thompson
head The latter started back, with
surprise, and the crowd began to move
restlessly.
BE quiet, gentlemen. everybody"
Bob said, and the softness and gentle
ness was all gone out of his voice, and
the smile had left his face. This is a
little matter of business, and 1t Is all
quite regular, I ,assure you"
but, there shall be no murder here,
Joe interposed. You shall not resort
to that to win your bet. Men, disarm
him."
Several of the spectators started to-
ward Bob, but before they could lay
/ their hands on him he threw back the
lapel of his coat and revealed de-
tective's badge. Those who had started
to interfere fell back.
There will be nobody hurt" Bob
said, unless some of you try to in
terfere with me in the discharge OF
my duty. AS I said. this Thing Is all
proper and regular"
There was a long and death-like ST.
lence. Bob. calm and cool, looked al
Thompson, and the latter, gloomy and
covering, looked at Bob. The specta-
: tors, their faces pictures OF astonish-
ment, looked inquiringly from one to
the other Finally, Joe broke the ST.
lence by saying:
What does 1t all mean?"
'It means, simply Bob replied
that Blue Thompson is not Blue
Thompson at all, and that, instead OF
| being a brave, bad man. he Ia only q
common murderer. He killed an ole
man, stole that $1,000, and then raI
away and changed his name. have
been looking for him for about year
for he is badly wanted"
In the hearts of some of those VIII,
, were admirers of the widow gla'
4 feeling began to creep up. It woul'
not be such bad thing TO have so for
J midable a rival as Blue Thompson GU
J of the way. Some of them, who hai
} felt their chances of winning the wo
J man as hopeless, took fresh courage
4 aAAA q =
I On the morrow. they told themselves
[ they would lay fresh siege to he
heart.
Presently, the door opened and
( man came in. without word he wall
I ed over to Blue Thompson, snapped
J pair of handcuffs on him, and relieve
} him of his pistols.
To the men in the saloon there we
something familiar looking about tn
man, although they could not remen
Der ever having seen him. He was
: stranger in the fiat, beyond a doub
yet somehow, they felt that It hs
not been long since they had looked 9
his features. But, where?" they asl
ed themselves, land when?'
The man looked around on Il
~ crowd and saw the puzzled look
- the faces. He understood and bur
- into a loud, hearty laugh.
Is For shame. for shamew he erie
Ha I'm disappointed in you all. To thir
=. that not one of You recognizes m
y, when you have seen me every day
~. weeks and some of you have profes
- ed to admire me greatly It seer
ne fcruel and disappointing that m
should so soon forget the loved Re
,as lures Of the one they profess t
GO adore"
m There was a long and awkwa
~ pause. then some one said:
~ TT is the widow"
49,. The man looked up with a smile.
lTe Yes" he said, Il was the wido
p s but, now, am a detective. I'm sorry
any of you feel disappointed, and
- trust that I shall leave no brok
o1i hearts, here. when I go away. Y
a. have all made it very pleasant for n
me and to show that I am not ungratei
Thu l want you all to come up and ha
one with me-"
ter At first there was some hesitate
a for the disappointed lovers felt so
PES but, presently, they thought better
vas it, and, treating the matter as a 20
Boa joke, lined up at the bar and had. r
'ay only one, but several.
lk- -----
lex HAS STOOD THE TEST IS YEARS
ak GROVES TAsTELESS CHILL TONIC
first and original tasteless chill tonic.
- cents. 40,