The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-04-03

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and deeper than any of them They 4
talked more and more, he less and /
less, until finally he Interrupted their /
noisy volubility only when the game
compelled. l saw that he was one
of those men upon whom amiable con- T
versation or liquor or any other relax /
ing force has the reverse of the usual
effect. Instead of relaxing, he drew
himself together and concentrated
more obstinately upon his game.
Luck, so far as the cards controlled
1T, was rather against him, and the
other three players took turns at au-
dacious and by no means unskillful
play. was soon admiring the way
he sized up" and met each in turn
Prudence did not make him timid
He advanced and retreated, "bluffed"
and held aloof, with acuteness and
daring.
At a station perhaps so miles from
Chicago, the other three left-and Doc
had $500 of their money.
l dropped into the seat opposite him
it was by the window-and amused
myself WdlCn1uS AlI15 WnilS Nd1L1u5
for a chance to talk to him; for /
saw that he was a superior person,
and, in those days, when l was in
conspicuous and so was not compeIl-
ed constantly to be on guard, l never
missed a chance to benefit by such
exchanges of ideas.
He was apparently about 40 years
old, to strike a balance between the
youth of eyes, mouth, and contour, and
the age Of deep lines and grayish,
thinning hair. He had large, frank
blue eyes, a large nose, a strong fore
head and chin, grossly self-indulgent
mouth-there was the weakness,
there, as susuall Evidently, the
strength of his mind and character
gave him went in pandering to phys
ical appetites. In confirmation of
this, there was two curious marks on
him-a nick in the rim of his left ear,
a souvenir of bullet or knife, and
a scar just under the edge of his
chin to the right. When he com
pressed his lips, this scar, not es.
pecially noticeable at other times,
lifted up into his face, became of a
sickly, blush white, and transformed
| q careless, good-humored cynic into q
man of danger, a terror
His reverie began, as / gathered
from his unguarded face, in cynical
amusement, probably at his triumph
over his friends. 1t passed on tc
still more agreeable things-some
thing in the expression of the mouth
expressed thoughts of how he was go
ing to enjoy himself as he blew in
his winnings. Then his features
Swallowed, darkened, and 1 had my
first view of the scar terrible. He
shook his big head and big Shout
ders, reused himself, made ready t.
take drink, noticed me, and said
Won't you join me?" His look wa.
most engaging.
l accepted, and we were soon so
ciable, each taking an instructive lik
ing to the other. We talked of tn,
business situation, of the news il
the papers and then of political al
fairs. Each of us saw that there b,
was at the others keenest interest Ii
life. He knew the game-practica
politics as distinguished from the pol
itics talked by and to the public Blu
he evaded, without seeming to do sc
all the ingenious traps / laid 70
drawing from him some admission
that would give me a clew to wher
} he fitted in l learned no NOR
about him than l thought he learne
about ne
''I hope we shall meet again" said
cordially as we parted at the cab
stand
Thank you" he answered. and aft
erward l remembered the faint smil
in his eyes.
/, of course, knew that Roebucl
, was greatly interested in my projec
, for putting political business on
business basis; but not until he ha
explained why he sent for me did
see how it had fascinated and at
: sorbed his mind. You showed me,
: he began, that you must have unde
: you a practical man to handle tn
! money and do the arranging with tn
heelers and all that sort of thing"
Yes" said /: its a vital part c
the plan. We must find man VIII
is perfectly trustworthy and discree
: Necessarily, he'll know or suspeC
: something-not much. but still some
: thing-of the inside workings of tn
: combine"
= We'll. I've found him." went o
:. Roebuck, in a triumphant tone. He
a goddess person, with no characte
: to lose. and no conception of whs
character means But he's straigf
= as a string. Providence seems I
have provided such men for just sue
situations as these. where the dev
= must be fought with fire. I've bee
testing him for nearly Is years. Bl
!. you can judge for yourself"
l was the reverse of pleased.
. was not in my calculations to hay
> a creature of Roebuck's foisted upo
I