The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-25

says ne VIII nave a team AZ q FARMHOUSE,
and drive TO the station below and take
the train for Denver.
1T salubriHed this atmosphere when
chat Iamentable boil worm took his de-
parturs. He was a Disgrace to every non
industrial profession in tho country. With
all his big schemes and fine Offices he bad
wound mp unable even TO get IN honest
meal except by the kindness Of q strange
n maybe u~nscrupulous burglar.
Il was glad to see him no, though l felt
a little sorry for him, now that he was ruined
forever. What could such a man do with
nut a big capital to work with? Why, Al
fred u. Kicks. a. we left him. was es help
Less as a turtle on its back. He couldn't
have worked a scheme 20 beat a little girl
out OF a penny slate pencil.
when me and Bill Bassett vas left alone
l did a little sleigbt Of mind turn in my
head with q trade secret at the end OF It.
Thinks l. III show this Mr.. Burglar Man
h difference between business and labor.
He had hurt some OF my professional SELF
adulation by casting bis persisns upon
commerce and trade.
II ont take any OF your money as a
gift, Mr.. Basset,' says / to him. but II you'Il
pay my expenses M a travelling companion
until we get out OF the danger zone OF the
immora deficit o AVE caused In this
owns finances tonight I'll be obliged
Bill Bassett agreed to that and we liked
westward as soon as we could catch a safe
train.
When We got 10 a tow in Arizona called
Los Perros I suggested that We once more
try our luck on terra Gotta That was the
home Of Montague Silver. my old instructor,
now retired from business.
u knew Monty would stake me TO web
money II ! could show him . Ay buszing
round in the locality. Bill Bassett said all
towns looked alike to him, as he worked
mainly In the dark. So we got OF the train
in Los Perros, q fine little town in the silver
region.
Il had an elegant little sure thing In the
way OF commercial slungsnot that I in
tended 70 hit Bassett behind the ear with. I
wasn't going 10 take his money while he
was asleep, but I was going TO leaye him
with a lottery ticket that would represent
In experience to him S .7S-I think that was
the amount he had when he got Oh the
train.
But the erst time I hinted 70 him about
an investment he turns or me and olson
curnbers himself OF the following terms and
expressions:
Brother Peters, says he. IL ain't q
bad idea 20 60 into an enterprise Of some
kind, a you suggest. 1 think I will. But
~ I do 10 will be such a cold proposition
that nobody but Robert T.. Peary and
Charlie Fairbanks will DO able to sit on the
board Of directors
IT thought you mighs want to turn
your money over saysI.
II do a. he, frequently. l cant
sleep on one side all night. I'll tell you,
Brother Peters, says he, Tn going to
start a poker room.
II don't seem to care for tho humdrum
in swlndling. suoh az peddling Egg heaters
and working on breakfast food on Barnum
4 Bailey for sawdust to strew In their
circus rings. But the gambling business
says he, from the profitable side Of the
table 10 a good compromise between swip-
ing silver spoons and selling penwipers at a
Waldorf-Astoria charity bazaar
Then says I, Mr.. Bassett, you don't
care to talk over my little business
proposition
why says he, do you know. you
can't get a Pasteur institute to start UP
~ tity hitV VI WhCto u hN0s u bll
so seldom
and looks around for some furniture and
Silver's house and he let mi have $500 on
my prospects.
Then l vent to the only store in Los
Perros that sold playing cards and bought
every deck in the house. The next morn
ing when the store opened I was there,
bringing all the cards back with me.
Il said hat my partner that was going
to back me in the game had changed his
mind and I wanted to sell the cards bach
again. The storekeeper took EN- at half
price.
Yes. I was s7s loser up to that time.
But while I had the cards that night I
marked every one In every deck. That
was labor. And then trade and COM
mcrce had their innings and the bread I
had cast upon the waters began to come
back In the form Of cottage pudding with
wine sauce.
-Of curse I was among the first TO buy
chips at Bill Bassett's game, He had
bought the only cards there was TO be had
in town and I knew the back Of every one
OF them better than I know the back Of my
head when the barber shows me my hair
out in two mirrors.
when the game closed ! had the six
thousand and q few odd dollars, and all
Bill Bassett had was the ~wanderlust and a
black cat he had bought for a mascot. Bill
shook hands with me when l left.
Brother Peters, a he. L have no
business being In business. l was pre-
ordained to labor. When a No. 1 burglar
tries to make q James out OF his jimmy
no perpetrates ar i~mprofundity. You
have a well oiled and eficacious system
OF luck at cards. says he. Peace go with
you And I never sfterward sees Bill
Bassett again"
We'll. JEFF" said I. when the Autolycan
sdventurer seemed to nave divulged the
gist Of his tale. Il hope you took care Of
the money. That would be a respecta--
that is a considerable working capital IL
you should choose some day to settle down
to some sort Of regular business
-Me3" said JEFF. v~irtuously. You can
bet I've taken care Of that six thousand"
He tapped his coat over the re gion Of his
chest exultantly.