The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-03-03

other moment. and Jerking the door
wide open. sprang backward.
The interior Of the room was for q
second only In pitch darkness, save for
h flicker of light that told Of an open
fireplace. Then the visitor heard a
click, and the room was flooded with
light. In the darkness on the landing
the man waited; then a voice, a crack
ed old voice, said grumblingly-
"Come In"
Still the man on the landing waited.
"Oh, come in, JIMMY know ye."
Cautiously the man outside stepped
through the entry into the light and
/ faced the old man, who, arrayed In a
wadded dressing gown, sat In q big
chair by the fre-an old man, with
white face and a sneering grin, who
sat with his lap full Of papers.
The visitor nodded a friendly greet
ing.
"As far as I can gather he said
deliberately, 1--WE are Just above your
dressing-room, and II you dropped me
through one of your patent traps,
Reale. I should fetch up amongst your
priceless china"
Save for a momentary look OF alarm
on the old man face at the mention
Of the china. he preserved an imper-
turable calm, never moving his eyes
from his visitors face. Then his grin
returned, n he motioned the other to
a chair on the other side of the fire
place.
Jimmy turned the cushion over with
the point of his stick and sat down.
"Suspicious?"-the grin broadened-
suspicious OF your old friend, Jimmy?
The old governor, eh?"
Jimmy made no reply for a moment,
then
You're a wonder, governor, upon my
urorS xyntr va a uy0ndav ThQ man In
armor--your dea?"
The old man shook his head regret
fully.
mot mine entirely, Jimmy. Ye see,
there's electricity In 1t, and 1 don
know much about electricity. I
did. except"
"Except?" suggested the visitor.
"Oh. hat roulette board, that was
my own idea; but that was magne-
tism. which Is different to electricity,
by my way Of booking"
Jimmy nodded.
"Ye got past the trap" The old man
had just the CLINT Of admiration in
his eye.
YES, jumped It,"
The old man nodded ~approvingly.
You always was a for thinkin'
things out. I've known lots of 'em who
would never nave thought of Jumping
1t. Common, and that pig Massey, they'd
have walked right on to 1t. You didn't
damage anything" he demanded sud-
denly and fiercely. II heard somethin'
break an I was hoping that 1t was
YOU"
Jimmy thought of the marble statue,
and remembered that 1t had looked val
liable.
Nothing at ALL he lied easily, and
old mans tense ooh relaxed.
The pair sat on opposite sides of the
fireplace, neither speaking for fully 10
minutes: then Jimmy leant forward.
"Reale." he said quietly, how much
are you WORTH"
In no manne disturbed by this lead
lively satisfaction the other replied
instantly
1.-TWO millions an a bit over, Jimmy.
I've got the figures In my head. Reck-
onin' furniture n the things In this
house at their proper value. two mil
lions, and forty-seven thousand n
forty-three pounds-floatin', Jimmy,
absolute cash, the same as o might
put your hand in u pocket an
spend-a million and three-quarters
exact"
He leant back in his chair with a
triumphant grin n watched his Wis.,
ttor.
Jimmy had taken a clgaret from his
pocket and was lighting 1t, looking at
the slowly burning match reflectively.
"A million and e-quarters," he
repeated calmly, 'is a lot of money"
Old Reale chuckled softly.
"Al made out Of the conflding pub
lie, with the aid Of me-and Conner
and Massey
Massey is a pig!" the old man in
terjected s~pitefully.
Jimmy pulled a cloud Of tobacco
smoke.
"Wrung with sweat and sorrow
from foolish young men who backed
the tiger and played high at Reale's
Unrivaled Temple of Chance, Cairo,
Egypt-with branches at Alexandria.
Port Said, and Suez."
The figure in the wadded gown
writhed in a paroxysm of silent mer-
riment.
How many men have you ruined,
Reale? 2" asked Jimmy.
"The Lord knows" the old man an
swered ch%eerfully; "only three as ]
knows of-two Of ems dead, one of
'em's dying. The two that's dead left
neither chick nor child; the dying ones
got a daughter"
Jimmy eyed him through narrowed
lbs; .,,. .o,o,tua. 90, Tho ro,,
tives-you're not going-?"
AS he spoke, as IL anticipating q
question, the old man was nodding his
head with feverish energy, and all the
while his grin broadened.
What a one you are for long words
Jimmy! You always was. That's how
you managed to persuade your swell
pals to come an try their luck! Solicit
tude! What's that mean? Frettin
I'm doin'-frettin' about i'm. And I'm
going to make what dye call it-you
had 1t on the tip Of your tongue .
minute or two ago.?