Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-11-15
boat was plainly vtsible-a dark Nm.

oOOh lhCy aSOaAo s~ l
| forms of men on shore as they walked
with bent head, and arms straining at
| the long cordelle. and there was Q
chorus of greeting.
It was indeed a cosmopolitan cry.
The foreign twang Of Spaniard and
Frenchman Joined to the lusty call of
the American pioneer, while here and
there an Indian gave a whoop of well
come, and even America added her
unctuous dialect to the greeting that
sounded over the water.
On came the men, and after them the
boat, drawn like the carcass Of some
huge thing of the sea.
A landing was o o made, and the
captain came ashore-a staggering,
ill-conditioned fellow, whose ox-like
strength and ferocity of temper held
his little world in check.
There was clamorous cutlery for goods
expected or space for new cargo, but
it consumed little time, since a large
dry goods box carried the average
shipment.
The appearance of the boat-her
crew and passengers, was anything but
J prepossessing. Rough, uncouth, and,
for the most part, d%epraved, the pros
/ pect of a journey with such men was
!! disheartening.
: But Winslow and his party resolved
to make the best of it, keeping them
selves and their %inopportune refine
ment as much in the background as
possible. Cramped quarters were pro-
p vided them, and when the boat was
ready they took leave of the settle
> ment, with surprisingly little regret,
9 considering your fondness for pot
luck" Winslow said, laughingly to
Lavender.
. The boat made slow progress, but
= they found ample entertainment in
5 the beauties of the view. The sky and
u water, the now verdant banks on either
side, were constant food for thought
9 or converse. But to the majority of
q their fellow-voyagers, blind to shift
q ing cloud and changing shadow, to ice
scanned bluff and towering pine, the
Il hours dragged YEARLY.
II Gambling was the chief diversion,
and most of the men were inveterate
players. Among these was a once
le wealthy planter %journeying In company
II with an octoroon slave. He had lost
II a fortune at the gaming table, but was
Il possessed with a fever to win 1t back
at a like hazard. The woman usually
u watched his play, and her influence
alone had thus far prevented his uttel
e. ruin. Over his shoulder she Otter
., hung, and her dark comeliness would
~ attract him from the dice or cards.
III Toward the close of the second day
u travel Winslow walked into the for
ward cabin, where the planter sat a
U, cards with two men. One of them
~ Pat Finch, the captain, shouted a
u Winslow entered: "Take a hand?"
"No, thanks, I'll look on"
=" There was silence, broken only b.
~ the rattle of coin, and the oaths of tn
~ players.
. The air was sitting with the fume
of drink and tobacco, but Winslow re
NAMED, fascinated by the tense att1
tude Of the gamblers. Evidently som
~ untoward excitement was pending
L the stakes were high.
Suddenly there was a gurgling cry G
n Lost, by God!" and the planter fe
u face downward on the table, scatter
Il ing cards and money in blind conf
sion.
Another pause. then Finch, the CAT
Il. tain, spoke: at was a fair game, ant
~ damme, if she amt mine!"
At the brutal words, the prostrat
man rose, and shot a look of mingle
hatred and pleading as would hav
touched a heart not mailed and proc
10y o Suspicion of the frightful barte
~ came over Winslow, but controlling
sickening sense of disgust, he aske'
n' calmly: "Then the stakes were higl
gentlemen"
The planter g%roaned and dropped h
I'm head again to the table.
With a devil-may-care fling OF h
= great shoulders, the captain ros
A., " "High?" he repeated, well, If there
10y a finer wench in the Louisiana teri
Au' tory, I'd like to have her, that's all
At this the stricken player sprar
to his feet, and with the grasp OF
'eu tiger was at the speakers throat.
The door was suddenly opened, al
the octoroon's wide, frightened ey
.s peered over the threshold.
Instantly the clinched men r
~, Taxed their hold, and the planter saI
a. to his seat again.
With wondering anxiety the WON
,as, scanned each face, then timidly a
preached the gamester: William, ma
ter, speak to me-what is it,"
A groan was the only response; tn,
,-s roughly Finch spoke: 1--WE played un
'nt he lost everything he had-but yc
Then, well, then he staked--and lc
again."
"a The woman stood rigid. Over h
- eyes a horrid comprehension gre
,th darkening them like a film shutting Q
the light.
Finch grasped her with half scoy
ny half leer on his cruel face. zone NAL
en- meat is another mans pizen, y
know, my girl"
With a shrek she turned from h
to sink at the feet of her master. IN
me? You have not sold me?" and S
en-, murmured broken words of angus
groveling on the floor, her head on !
YES knee.
lng "We are %intruding, senor."
ing 1t was the third player who spoke
nth a tall. proved Spaniard.
ady massive head covered with black Gu
'op- on which was carelessly tilted a wiz