Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-07-29


k<v even. alderman" Doc Floyd
raised a goblet of sparkling
"A burgundy. across the brim
of which he glanced and
!. ]. !. !. ]. !. !. ].
smiled at the member Of
WEM VA the High Rollers club who
was host at a dinner he
5l was giving in part pay
"a VGSN ment of bet that there
GA e3k was not a man in the coun-
- try with S.. 600 who could
be beaten out Of that amount on the
ancient gold brick" game. The din
ner end of the bet was merely a pal
try side issue for the big eN.alderman
had also wagered $4,000 and lost that,
too
Doc Floyd had asserted that even
in the twentieth century the time.
worn green goods game could be
worked
Have you got the nerve TO tell me
that you can put over the old green
goods thing" was the amazed demand
OF Alderman Mehanty IN bet just
one more bundle of $4,000 and again
a dinner for the crowd that il can't
be done. Why the biggest sucker in
the country would take your fash
bank roll away from you if you tried
40 work that
Well. maybe he would" returned
Floyd, but I'll just bet you it can be
done and will let Cleland do the rough
work and I'll just go along to oversee
u. may have to find the man. but
ell let Jack do The trimming"
And I'll take half OF Floyd's end
Of the bet that they put It over" broke
in Col Powley once more. Is it a
bet?"
1t is. I'm game for another try"
replied the alderman
How about it. Jack? Can we do ito"
CURED Floyd OF tall. cold eyed dy.
speptic looking person who had sat
silent, slipping his wine and putting a
big cigar throughout the bantering con.
versation
Jack Cleland merely grunted his as
sent, He was the one pessimist of the
party, but always dependable and a
handy man to have in any deal.
A bell changed. a gate slammed and
the conductor and belated passenger
climbed aboard the Twentieth Century
Limited train which was leaving the
Ia Sale street station, Chicago for its
1S-hour spin to New York. The big
engine throbbed and the long train of
rolling palaces slid ont of the shed
without jerk or tremor, as easily as a
ytrim sail boat propelled by a gentle
breeze. At the forward end of the
train, the buffet car. a comfortable
small club on wheels. already was
more than half filled with passengers.
Seated on one side of the car Doc
Floyd was Contentedly putting a cigar.
iette while on the opposite side of the
aisle, Jack Cleland pulled at a strong
Cigar, and neither man glanced at or
seemed to know of the presence of the
other. All was quiet save for the
lbusinesslike conversation of two
'showmen. The vestibule door opened
land into the car came Solomon Rosen
berg, wise man Of the west in which
section he had imbibed the air of free
dom in speech and manner.
Acquaintance are almost as easily
on shipbOard and here was Floyd no
20 miles out of Chicago drinking will
"a person whose natural propensitiel
for putting in" with strangers coulC
not be overcome Within ten minutes
after they had met, Solomon Rosen
berg was narrating the story of tn
most recent happenings of his lif
and riding to swift and certain fall
Oh yes, Solomon was wise one. H
knew it and was proud of it. Floy
had listened to his talk and wondere
THE while, whether there was chanc
yto take some Of Solomon's easily got
ten wealth and also lower his stoc
of conceit He concluded that it Nigh
DE well worth while to cultivate hi
new acquaintance. 1t was at least wort
trying, so he ordered another bottl
(which further melowed the talkativ
one, whose tones by this time had dii
turbed commercial traveller who sa
near him running over columns of fiji
ares in his sales book.
The travelling man appeared slight
annoyed as he glanced toward III
wine drinkers. Suddenly he SCENE
to think of something and placing h
memoranda in his pocket he turned {
Floyd and his companion and asked
they cared TO kill the time with
small game until the call came f
dinner in the dining car.
Sure" was the reply of Solomo
answering for Floyd as well as hiI
self. MY friend and will play
you'll dig up some one else"
A telepathic thought seemed
travel from Floyd to Jack Cleland wi
was looking at the party from the O
posite side of the car. The othe
also seemed to notice his presence
the same time and it appeared me
chance that he was invited to NAL
the fourth man in the game.
The MAY was not resumed after al