The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1910-09-15
By Booth
Harrington and
Harry Len
Wilson
4 COPYRIGHT. 1903. By THE

81 understand you to say that the
stakes were fifty. not twenty thou
saDd?" replied the other. casually
glancing at the colonel's roll.
II calculate my check Is good for
The balance" replied Moreau. signal
ing a warning with bis eyes-"the
National Bank Of New Orleans, sub"
"Ah. very sound institution, for l
draw against 1t myself" observed the
younger man. las. Of course, we do
not carry such an amount with u.s."
he added. With Difference, turning to
Mr.. Randall. Colonel Moreau and l
must Of necessity substitute our
checks. We are strangers to you, sir.
aud
"Yoh word. sub. is entirely sufh-
cieut," interrupted the planter. wav-
Ing bis hand. This is question of
honor between US, fob / might draw
4 deed to a plantation ! never owned.
am q man Of the world. sub, and |
reckon we each can recognize a south
Tern gentleman on sight
"Yes, In the present company that Is
not a very difficult matter" gravely
responded Mr.. Jackson. shall We
cut for the deal? The four best hands
take all. All. luck Is with me. ! take
The cards, sir"
zone moment" said Moreau. las no
stakes are up reckon Ill give my
check for the full amount should ]
iose" Pocketing his roll. he glanced
satirically at Mr. Jackson.
If for q presumable amateur who oc-
casionally INDUCED In a gentleman's
game merely for the sake Of passing
the time Colonel Moreau had exhibited
a wonderful aptitude at shuff1ing and
dealing his performance was now COM
pietely overshadowed by that of the
young intruder. whose lightning deft-
ness was almost uncanny. Talking
noncbalau,ly and brilliantly, be stack
ed the deck with a beautiful pre-
cision. fascinating in the extreme. even
while the colonel's watchful and sus-
picious eyes never for a moment re-
laxed their vigil. Owing entirely to
this marvellous and criminal skill Mr..
jackson won on his own deal and,
luck folio wing him, won also on that
Of Mr. r ,ndall. AS each and every
one of tn, colonels undertakings were
highly esi mable he naturally held the
best hand when. for q moment, the
cards were in his power. and 1t speaks
eloQuently for Mr.. Jackson's large
, charity Of Judgment that he refrained
from criticism even when acutely
aware tina; the mic ale aged creole had
rather clumSily garnered his third ace
from the BOTTOM vi TIE deck. But as
rc"'h must be served. especially when
poSsessor of such conSummate skill as
that owned by Mr.. jackson. the latter
handsomely won his fourth showdown
with surprising ease. verve and dash.
We'll. that winds her." airily re.
marked the colonel, arising and stretch
ing his long arms. "One hundred thou
sand amt such bad cleanup, reck-
on. but yCh always were lucky. yoh
young scamp. and there's no playing
against it. Yoh even topped my fob
kings. calculate the Randall luck
finished very poh last How about
yOh theory now, subj
The planter did not reply, for it is
somewhat difficult for but newly
ruined man 10 sense the full humor Of
bis condition. In silence he drew to-
ward him the pen and ink. while for
q long moment he stared ut the white
sheet OF paper. upon which be was
about 70 give title to all which he
owned. He and his children We're beg
gars. total and complete. This WAS
the turning of the tide. his royal home
coming. For u moment he bowed his
griZZled head: then. shutting his teeth
against al, thoughts Of the future.
seized the quill pen. For a Randall
must show the world how it can lose.
Randall must be beaten at nothing
even at playing the fool
"Yoh name, subj" he courteouSly in
quired, turning to the young stranger
who had proved so fortunate.
Eugene Kirby. sir"