Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1907-01-19
XVIII.
A WlNDFAlL FROM "GENTLE
MAN" JOE


MAN" JOE.
went to my rooms, purposing to
go straight to bed, and get a good
sleep. | did make a start toward UNI
dressing; then | realized that should
only lie awake with my brain wearing
me out, spinning crazy thoughts and
| schemes hour after hour-for my inn
agination rarely lets it do any effect
i've thinking after the lights are out
and the limitations of material things
are wiped away by the darkness.
| dressed myself again and went
out-went up to Joe Healey's gam
bling place in Forty-fourth street.
Most of the well-known gamblers up
town, as well as their respectable"
| down town fellow members of the fra
ternity, were old acquaintance OF
friend as / had He had great fame
for squareness-and, in sense, de-
served it. With his fellow gamblers
he was as straight as a string at all
| times-to be otherwise would have
meant that when he went broke he
would stay broke, because none OF the
| fraternity would stake" him. But
with his patrons-being regarded by
| them as a pariah, he acted toward
| them like a pariah-a prudent pariah.
He fooled them with a frank show OF
gentlemanliness, of honesty to his
own hurt; under that cover he tleeced
them WELL but always judiciously.
That night, / recall, Joe's guests
were several young fellows of the
fashionable set, rich mems sons and
! their parasites, few Of the big down
town operators who hadn't yet got
hipped on "respectability-they play
ing poker in private room-and a
couple of flush-faced, Unsurpassed
chaps from out of town, for whom one
of Joes men was dealing faro from
what looked to my experienced and
accurate eye like brace" box.
Joe, very elegant, too elegant in
fact, in evening dress, was showing a
new piece of statuary to the Oldest
son of Melville, of the National In
dustrial bank. Joe knew little some
thing about art-he was much like the
art dealers who, as a matter OF busi-
ness, learn the difference between
good things and bad, but in their
hearts wonder and laugh at people
willing to part with large sums OF
money for little paint or marble or
the like.
AS soon as Joe thought he had sutfi-
GENTLY impressed young Melville, ne
drifted him to roulette table, LETT
him there and Joined me.
Come to my Office said he. Il
want to see you"
He led the way down the richly
carpeted marble stairway as far as the
landing at the turn. There, on a sort
of mezzanine, he had gorgeous little
suit. The principal object in the sit
ting-room or office was huge safe
He closed and locked the outside door
behind us.
, Take a seat" said he. You'll like
the cigars in the second box on my
r desk-the long one" And he began
turning the combination lock- "Yor
, haven't dropped in on us for the pas
three or four months" he went on.
2 NO." said |, getting great deal o
l pleasure out of seeing again, and thu:
| intimately, his round, rudy face
: like a yachtman's, not like drinker'
and his shifty, laughing brown ayes
n "The game down town has given mt
y enough excitement. | haven't had Il
r continue it up town to keep my hant
r in
i've noticed that you are gettin'
!; too swell to patronize us fellows,
: said he, his shrewd smile showing
that my polite excuse had not foole,
him. We'll, Matt, you're right-yo'
q always did have good sound sense an
a steady eye for the main chance.
+ used to think the women'd ruin you
I they were so crazy about that hand
, some mug and figure of yours. Blu
when | saw you knew exactly wnel
9 to let go, knew nothing could sto
you"
v BY this time he had the safe oper
s disclosing several compartments an
a small. inside safe. He worked ava
at the second combination lock, an
5. presently exposed the interior of tn
little safe. 1t was filled with a grea
!" roll of bills. He pried this on
brought it over to the desk and bega
is wrapping it up. II want you to TAX
this with you when you co. said HI
h I've made several big killings latel!
n and I'm going 10 get you to invest "a
p proceeds"
(To be Continued)