Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-01-01
The Mississippi Bubble
BY EMERSON HoUGH
Aakeor ef"Tbs Sfs.y IF Aes cesSey "7Hs Git ass
Halfway Assss." Etc
tCopyrishk IN, b Emsrson Hough1
CHAPTER w.
THE POINT OF HONOR.


Tell me, friend Castleton," said
Pembroke, banteringly, art still adj
herring to thy country drink of lambs
wool? Methinks burnt ale and toasted
apple might better be replaced in thy
case by a beaker of stronger waters.
You lose, and still you lose.''
May plague take i'll" cried Castle
ton. 1--WE had no luck these four days.
IT'S that cursed lap-dog Of the duchess.
Ugh! saw 1t in my dreams last night"
Cad! your own fortune in love must
be i'll enough, Sir Arthur said Beau.
Wilson, as he pushed back his chair
during this little lull in the play Of
the evening.
"Ah, then, you admit that there is
some such thing as talisman. I'll
not deny that I have had one these
last three evenings, but I feared to
tell We all, lest might be waylaid and
robbed of my good-luck charm"
Tell us, tell us, man, what it isl"
cried Castleton. Sept ct lie va has NOT
been made in this room before for
many month, yet here thou contest
with the run of sept ct lie va thrice in
as many hours"
well, then" continued Pembroke,
still smiling, "1'll make a small COM
fession. Here is my charm. Salute it,"
He cast on the table the Indian moe
casin which had been shown the same
party at the Green Lion a few evenings
before. Eager hands reached for it.
''Treachery!" cried Castleton. 81
bid Du Mesne four pounds for the shoe
myself
ooh, ho!" said Pembroke, so you too
were after it. Well, the long purse
won, as it doth ever. secretly gave
our wandering wood ranger, ex-galley
| slave Of France, the neat sum of 6 rs
for this little shoe. Poor fellow,
he liked i'll enough to part with it;
but he said, very sensibly, that the
| e25 pounds would take him back to
/ Canada, and once there he could not
only get many such shoes, but see the
maid who made this one for him, or,
rather, made it for herself. AS for me,
the price was cheap. You could not re-
Eplace it in all the exchange for any
L
ness, I've won back its cost score of
times this very night"
y. He laughingly extended his hand for
4 the moccasin, which Wilson was ex-
/ aiming closely.
j IT'S clever made" said the latter.
1 ssAnd what a tale the owner of it
carried. If half he says be true, we dc
|. ill to bide here in old England. Let
us take ship and follow Monsieur du
Mesne."
'Twould be long chase, mayhap,'
said Pembroke, redectively. Yet each
Of the men at that little table in the
gaming room of the Green Lion COT.
,fee-house ceased in his lingering the
cards and gazed upon this product ,ol
another world. a (
Il Pembroke was first to break the 81
lence, and as he heard football at ths
door, he called out:
i ..Ho, fellow! Go fetch me another
bottle Of Spanish, and do not forget
this time the brandy and water which
told thee to bring half an hour ago.
The step came nearer, and as it die
1 not retreat, but entered the room
Pembroke called out again: MAX,
haste, man, and go ont"
The footsteps paused, and Pembroke,
looked up, as one does when a strang'
presence comes into the room. HI
saw, standing near the door. tall ant
comedy young man, whose carriage be
tokened him not ill-born. The strange
advanced and bowed gravely. "Pardol
me, sir" he said, but fear l an
awkward in thus intruding The mai
showed me up the stair and babe M
enter. He said that SHOULD find her
Sir Arthur Pembroke, upon whom
bear letters from friends Of his in tn
north
"Sir," said Pembroke. rising and ad
vancing, you are very welcome, an,
ask pardon for my unwilling speech.
II come at this hour and at thi
place." said the newcomer, for rea
sons which may seem good littl
later. My name is John Law, of Edin
boro', sir"
All those present arose.
"Sir," responded Pembroke, 81 ar
delighted to have your name. kno,
Of the acquaintance between you
father and my own. These are friend
of mine, and am delighted to name y
81 to each other. Mr.. Charles Castleton
Mr.. Edward Wilson. We are all her
! to kill the ancient enemy, time. I'll
an hour Of night when one gains a
!, appetite for one thing or another
Z cards or cold joint. know not VIII
i've should not have bit of both
with your permission, I shall
glad to joinsye at either" said job
Law. have still the appetite Of
! traveller faith rather a better appe
tite than most travellers may claim, fc
1 swear I've had no more to eat til
: last day and night thar, could be pun
chased for pair Of billings. =
II Pembroke raised his eyebrow
scarce knowing whetherstc he amuse
at this speech or nettled by It's COZ
t assurance.
( "some ill fortune? "-he began pr
litely.
There is no such thing as III TO
tune" quoth John Law. I'VE fail Q
ways of our own fault. ForsoothS
J must explore Roman roads by nigh
A England hath builded better, and IL
I footpads have the Roman ways N
: brother Willie waiteth below, if /!
q please, good friends, and is quite ,
!. hungry as myself, besides having
pricked finger to boot-and 10
= what little we had about us, and '
came through with scarce good shi