The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-10-18
I.

WV '" oiIooI IlLl
on sight.
The element of chance, however. en-
tered intimately into every act of OAR
rels career. 1t was guide, counselor
n friend for him and formed the
OASIS OF his rule of conduct.
Never since he could remember had
ne WaVered between the Known and
the Luck was the single
known FACTOR In his equation and he
yielded himself blindly into the hands
OF rate, always expecting good fortune
yet always prepared for the worst.
Inc feud bctween M~urgatroyd and
himself was bitter and OF long stand
ing; and Darrell, while caring nothing
Tor ridges in front, was careful to
burn those behind. An enemy in the
rear is n foe" in ambush and it was we'll
That this Murgatroyd affair should be
settled once for all.
Thus Darrell reasoned. After study
Ing the aspect of his bright particular
star he tool team and blackboard, one
nne morning, and travelled out of
Anaconda by the Blackfoot trail.
Anaconda knew little of the astute,
Gentlemanly and wei dressed young
man. lie had been in town over night
and had essayed a game in the
" tduSlnS Il rlDDlG or
excitement by showing a discard of
two aces ana drawing a pair OF knaves
that filled his hand and won him
tho table stakes.
IT'S foolish to tempt fate in that
way said n veteran backlog who
stood near watching the play.
W. make our own fate, nv friend"
replied Darrell in the easy, well bred
way that was always his; sit is not
tate that makes or mars us. Be true
ulent I'M apprehcnsivc and destiny
turns and rcnds you; lay hold of it
with your bare hands and you make
IL your slave. Fortune crawls at the
rect OF n daring man but hates and
spurns a coward"
The habitucs of the "Colonels Own
listened wondcringly. Such philosophy
was over he heads of most Of them.
but the veteran backlog was i'm
pressed.
Il have heard of but one man." said
he who invariably discards aces when
ne gets a pair. That man is Nate OAR
rel OF San Francisco"
The veteran might have added that
the play was known as "Darrel's dis
card:' and that the man who had
e 1t had quit college to fol-
low the cards and prove his startling
thao"ies-a philosopher of the devils
picture books. counting ruin over the
green cloth that he might work out a
hypothesis of doubtful value.
Darrell had no intention of revealing
himself. He was tarrying at Anaconda
enroute to Sandy Bar and when his
eccentric orbit crossed Mureatroyd's
he wished it to be sudden and nm
expected.
1t CHANGED, nevertheless. that Oar
rel had overp}ayed his hand. That
night the veteran gambler dispatched
a mounted man to Sandy Bar with a
notice to his friend Murgatroyd that
Nate Darrell was in Anaconda and DOS
sibly would continue on to the mining
camp.
When Darrell drew in his team of
bronchos at the Half Way House,
the hour was high noon. The team
vas given into the hands of the hos
tier and Darrell went into the house for
his dinner.
This batting place was midway be-
tween Anaconda and Sandy Bar. East
and west trails also crossed at this
point leading to mining regions farther
back in the hills.
There was much travel along the
trails ana IL was common rcpOrt that
the Half Way House was the biggest
gold mine in those parts. SO it hap
pened that the dining room was COM
fortably filled when the Chinese waiter
ushered Darrell to n vacant chair at a
side table.
The newcomer was eyed with sus-
picion. In the eyes of the rough and
ready crowd already there he was too
we'll dressed. too pretty and deied
the laws of convenience by making q
distinction in his use OF knife and
fork.
Then, too, his voice was too soft and
his language too precise. These evil
dences of superiority ranked under the
greasy blue shirts affected by the min
ers and freighters.
Before barrels entrance another had
been looked at askance. This other
was a white-faced man in cordurovs
with FASTENER" and "tenderfoot"
written large in person and manner
His reserve was stretched 10 the
point of timidi:y and before he had
used plate. knife and fork he had sur
reptitiously wiped them on the edge of
the table cloth.
That of itself was an insult which
might have resulted in gun-plav had
the proprietor been a witness. The
stranger was slender. like Darrell had