The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-06-02

had been better able to observe as a spectator
tl.n IS player and both agreed that the
hands On which Jimmy had son the most
money had been SCI up Tor him 10 lase, meth
ing having saved him but phenomenal luck
in the outcome Of his freak draws
One thing was certain, Jimmy had their
moncyin hispocket more thapeighi hundred
dollars Of i' and The only thing left 10 be done
was 70 get 90 the boat with il Atkins said
the colored walters had told him jimmy
couldnt never get away wid dat money no
how, and he Judged that the cattle mems
plan was simply % keep man money i
they Won it; but i i man won theirs, they
would take Il away from hum by s0mc means
Or other II was this part oi their program
that had given tie cattle men such an evil
reputation
Fearing some such conclusion u the pres
ent adventure Atkins pleaded with jimmy
not u 10 Oh tc Helena. but ID leave tli- boat
when Atkins left il Jimmy had done all be
came 70 ~ He had played The game He
had Won their money All be had to DO now
vas towalk ashore withhs winnings and take
another boat down to Helena 70 all this
Jimmy agreed.
But the cattle men had other plans.
Knowing that Jimmy's friend vas to leave
the boat Al the FIRST landing they would make
after supper they said nothing about resum-
ing the game, but talked about seeing the two
of, and wishing themg good luck, and 80 forth.
Keeping up this friendly talk and passing
round the cigars, they suggested that the
whole party should take a look At the boats
cargo, which was on the lower deck, oi course.
Once down there in the darkness, with no
one but few colored roustabouts oling
round the stove near the. stern the cattle men
quickly threw of the mask Of friendship,
Chippy Heinz drawing a knife and barring
the way back to the upper deck.
You may as well cough Up that stuff you
won fromus, young teller, began The spokes-
man Of the party We was allo us watching
your little tricks, but We didn't say nothing
afore strangers In the cabin You're dirty
card sharper and you've been stacking the
cards on us right along Now, sou just hand
over that wad Of our good money, and He
won't say nothing about It
Ia spite oi Jimmy's indignant protests,
they supported one another ia their assertions
that they had seen him cheating.
Z" Ii YOU don't hand over that money pretty
quick said Fatty, coming close up to Jimmy,
wen take it from YOU, and some OF your
hide with it. ]"
The man with the knife pushing Atkins
back, stepped close up to Jimmy's side, aud
brandished the blade in his lace, asking him ii
the light was good enough for him to see what
that was
~Ioo.,s to me like it was made in Ger
many, was all the response he got We
s.ll that kind at the store
Atkins was thoroughly frightened and
begged his friend to settle with the gentle
men" at once, but Jimmy only laughed
III they want my money let them 90
through nv clothes for it, he said Ii
they think I'm cheat. LET them BIZ thieves.
Then ven be square
lust then the bel rang for Tommy Atkins
landing and one of the cattle men tcld
him 10 stayright where be was while another
| went to his stateroom md fetched his grip
I and oyercoat Atkins was 80 thoroughly
, frightened that il was moi necessary to tell
I him twice not to speak above whisper, nor
to dare 70 give a look or sign Of warning, but
to walk right off the boat, and straight up the
, leyee and to stay there until the boat pulled
/ out Then two Of them escorted him TO the
gang plank only few seconds before il was
pulled in. A moment later and the pine torch
, was doused and Tommy was in the darkness
on the bank
Alone with Jimmy, the men found him as
insolent as ever, and open in the expression Of
his opinion that they we're a lot OF buffers.
Go ahead with your rat killing was all
they could get outoi him in response lo. .sheir
, threat You'll never get a cen. out Of me
unless YOU take it from my dead body
Evidently exasperated BIZ his repeatedly
/ calling them buffers, and telling them he
/ didn't care what they talked about doing, but
| to 80 ahead and do something, they finally
! held a hurried consultation ana one of them
! lett the group TOR minute Or two, returning
with d rope
Before Jimmy knew what they we're about,
) they had his arms tied behind him. and we're
! hustling him toward the side oi the boat, be-
hind the big piles o cotton bales, where ii
! was 80 dark they could hardly see one another.
! Alter getting him alongside the Walking beam
; Of the engine, which swung slowly up and
, down for about fifteen feet at the side Of the
boat, they stopped to tell him some Of the
dreadful things they had done to other men
whom they had caught cheating, and advised
} him 70 I quit his fooling " and settle up, there
E being I'VE Of them against him. and no one
near but q few colo1ed roustabouts, who knew
, better than 70 interfere with white folks. II
! he did moi hand over that money within five
+ minutes, they would tie him up TO the walking