The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-06-23

trio CLEAN again smoldering In the
dead Stag of his eyes. "Yoh have YET
to be picked by brace Of these river
vultures-they generally travel In pairs
but as a man Of the world, Of co'se
yoh would instantly recognize them
''Of co'se. subj" heartily agreed the
other. aside from all else. yoh pro
fessional gambler may be remarked
fob his lavish display Of diamonds.'
''Yoh pardon. sub. but not always.
calculate that as a man Of the world
yoh have heard Of Cameo Kirby
smiled Moreau. again paying atten-
ton to his companions glass.
"Kirby? That's an old and honored
name in Plaquemine. subj" replied
Mr.. Randall. opening his coat and
tanning inflamed cheeks with his huge
SLOUGH hat "Kirby was my neighbor
sub. and knew bis folks well. had
the honor to be Of some slight assist
ance when he went under during
the panic years. Crops failed. banks
went to smash. but yoh remember,
reckon. Well. sub. Mr.. Klrby's
son. Eugene. came home from school
to flnd bis poh father dead and q
bankrupt - everything swept away
That was a hard homecoming, sub
Very sad case. have often wondered
what became Of the boy. fob be had
all his fathers pride and refused 70
let me exert my privilege Of an old
neishbor and friend. That was twen-
ty years ago, and since then l have
heard In q roundabout way that he
had become Wild. drifted In with bad
companions and taken to the river for
a livelihood. In fact. become com
mon gambler. But OF co'se ! don't be-
lieye II, for no Kirby could ever dc
that suh-fall SO low. Yet the name
Is uncommon. Have you ever met
this gentleman Of whom you spoke?"
''Not socially. subj" replied the other
dryly. Il calculate he is no relative
Of the folks you mentioned. fob biz
reputation. sub. is the worst on the
river: known from New Orleans to ST.
Louis and back again. He and his
side partner. suh-a dam carpetbag-
ging Yankee by the name Of Bunce-
are the most reckless characters on
the river. II Is scum like them. sub.
who give our fair Mississippi Der evil
name. Yoh speak Of no man dealing
on the bottom Of the pack. Why
sub. assure yoh on my honor they're
50 crooked they have TO sleep In .
roundhouse. merely mentioned Kir-
by's name because Of the fact that.
man Of the world as you are. sub. you
would never pick him fob a professIoa
nj gambler. Never wore a diamond 10
his life. The cameo II his favorite
stone. fob they say IT once saved his
worthless life, and from IL he gets his
name. sub. But shall we continue the
gamer l am still Eve hundred ycb
master, and we have fob hours to kill
befoh we make yoh landing"
Randall accepted the cards with I'm
steady hands. II assure you, sub. yoh
are betting against a foregone concIu
sion." be said. fob there Is no stem
ming the turn In the tide. I'll bet ron
i've hundred on shIs showdown. and
then Wen pull stakes. sub. all square
fob further play would be sheer rob
berry. You can't beat the Randall lucl
when once II has turned"
Il never believed IN luck" replIec
Moreau. "foh life has demonstrated t.
me that there is no such abstract
Fob instance, II coin falls head ter
times out OF ten Il Is stu an even be-
fob heads or tails on the next toss
That Il the law. sub. and all the 81
perstition In the world cannot Fevoks
or change f."
'Aiy dear sub replied the planter
waving an impatient hand. that II Al
nonsense. for bold that our enfir,
existence Is greatly controlled by luci
and not law. believe In q Suprcm,
Being. sub. and attend church regu
larry. but I do not believe. sub. tim
Our poh mundane Affairs nre regulat
I'd by celestial corporation. especial
~ such affairs 81 card games. Vol
know yohself. colonel. that the besf
playing In The world can't stand against
a run OF blind Iucs. aud rs q nan OF
the world I've seen mob fortuaes lost
on high hands -foh barmaids TOPPED
By fob kings every trip-juxt because
their holders hadn't sense enough 10
realize that the tide had set IN against
them. And give yoh my word. sub. :
he finished. humping the table, "thnt
when I fII fob card inside straight
the Randall luck is sitting into the
game right with me. and yoh simply
can't win. Oh, yoh may get one or
two little pots. but yoh1l finish dead
broke. Call II what yoh lIke--luck or
the shutting Of the devil
wow, sub. yoh're bucking right
against my pet hobby" replied No
reau. leaning across the table and
growing as earnest as his companion.
"of co'se ! accept yob word fob past
experiences. but II Is the old case Of
the coin. Though yoh may have turn
Cd heads . hundred times In success.
sion. ss said. the chance Of II being
tails Is sfIll an even bet. yoh luck
may have changed, but I'm willing 10
lay ten thousand that I hold the best
hands IN two out Of three. There's
a o,.exfty. ,wfnr .ssf. tt.x .rff1 snmt