The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-12

Harper's dull face remained blanl
for moment, and then lighted with {
ray of heavenly hope.
ia like It," he said frankly.
How's your nerve?" queried Tank
Pretty near gone" confessed Har.
per; but I'm sewed up, Dan, and
got sense enough to know IL, and
nerve enough to stick 1t out and take
my medicine"
Then you got nerve enough to play
the hand out, amt you, If it's give Ia
you?"
Try me-" said Harper eagerly.
Winnings got a son that's the dar-
ling of his eye-and pretty Wild" at
flrmed Tank. oracularly. THAT, for
instance, we can call the ace of hearts
You see?"
Yes" lied Harper, not seeing at
all but following with his open month
TIL he should see.
Well. and the old mans got his
heart set on marryin' this son to old
man Ives's daughter. She's heir to ten
millions. That's the ace of diamonds.
for instance. You see, don't you. Har-
peri"
Not yet DON'T" confessed Har-
per.
Well, keep a-lookin'. Some young
buck shot red-light girl in a Tender
loin restaurant last week-didn't kill
her. but shot her. The girl wouldn't
tell who-but bad, rotten mess all
around, and 1t would ruin the pros
poets. matrimonial. financial, social or
any other kind, of any young man II
1t became known that he was In the
party and fred the shot. And that's
the ace OF spades. black, black, black!
A grave-diggin' for some young Teller
the ace Of spades. See?"
Harper's eye lighted. His mind ran
on before.
You bet see! he calculated.
Well. l can give you the names Of
two walters who'll go on the witness
stand II compelled to, and swear that
young Vining shot the girl. And
that's the ace of clubs." Tank leaned
forward, and with a great flourish
smote the fist of his right hand into
the palm Of his left before the very
face of Harper. Guess thatlI knock
somebody out. won't 1t, that ace OF
clubs?"
We'll, l should say" gasped Harper
with low chuckle.
Now" asked Tank in a tone OF
triumph, don't you want to go down
and see old man vining?"
You better believe I do" said Har-
per, reaching for his hat.
That night was the council meeting.
Tank sat high In the gallery, chewing
the stub Of black cigar across the
aisle from him was Ezra vining Both
were gazing intently into the chamber
below, but Tank maintained at the
same time an air of easy nonchalance
that was quite impossible to vining.
Also Tank turned in his seat fire.
quently and squinted at vining out of
the tail Of his eye, while vining
seemed oblivious to Tanks presence.
The Public Service Committee d.
vided in its report on the telephone;
franchise clear majority. Y Murphy. !,
.Doblnson, Vernle and Harper, all
straight organization men, voting in
favor Of the franchise; and the minor
tty, Irwin, Andrews and Frelinghuy-l
sen. favoring a franchise to the new
company but with more restrictions,
and urging that the same be sold to
the highest bidder.
The majority report was adopted
after debate. Tank had arranged the
debate. The high-brows spouted to
their hearts content. When they
were done, Tanks organization voted
to It's hearts content The benevolent
despot had spread new decree upon
the records.
Then Vining arose to go, but there
stood the great body of Tank, block
ing his way. and the heavy face with
the little blue lights burning under au-
burn brows was there In front OF him.
Tank was gloating over his enemy.
1t was privilege he reserved to him
self.
Pretty straight dope. that you got
down to my place the other morning.
wasn't it?" he asked with half sheer.
Vining looked at his tormentor and
was silent.
Yes" went on Tank. and It just
cost you forty thousand to find out
how straight it really was"
The serpent CLEAN dickered in the
eye OF the capitalist.
Why don't you go to the district
attorney about the way them council
men treated you?" went on Tank