The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-16

, came he handed the first Of the five
ooLar bills In payment, received four
dollars and seventy-fve cents in
change, pocketed two dollars and
pushed the balance across the table.
Have a fresh cigar" ne said
IL has cost him a quarter to have
the bill changed, but II wouldn't have
done 20 let his opponent know he
had been betting with less than a
dollar in his pocket.
Swell barely managed to squeeze out
a winner I'm the first and third games.
The other handed him the five. nd
Ike TO try you again, son." he growled
Drop In this time tomorrow IL you
amt busy"
Swell agreed, and the man with the
dyel moustache went out. Swell was
following him when the proprietor
called from behind the desk.
Here, amt you forgetting some
thing?' he asked.
NO, guess not" replied Swell in
noeently. II got everything I brought. {"
And a little something besides.
eh9' -
Why not?" asked Swell steadily.
Why not? Say. do you think I'm
running gambling joint here for
your benefit, my friend? Nixiei
seven"
You're q Eighty guesser," respond
ed Swell, his hand on the door.
is that so? Wen, you hand over.
httie one, or III have you pulled. The
cops friend Of mine all right"
Well, he amt got anything on me.
come b. this coin honest, didn't ]?
Playing pool for money amt any
IT would be. the way I'd tell it,
said the other significantly. Come.
now, friend, get wise and shell out -
Swell considered a moment. II was
holdup pure and simple. but he did
not relish the idea OF falling foul OF
the Chicago police without any money
TO square himself. At last:
Il cell you what I'll do" he said
III hand over three Of 1t need
the rest IN my business Tomorrow
comes my way I'll divvy up halves
How do ] know you'll show up
tomorrow" the proprietor asked sus-
piciousiy
You don't. You Just take my say
so for that But IL looks like a pretty
good little graft, and-well. I need the
money SO 7 guess you needn't worry
about my not coming back"
An right Give me the three"
Put two on the counter" answered
Swell
Smart. amt yer?" sneered the pro
prietoT
We'll, I've seen EN- made like you
before this There's your five. Thanks.
So long. IN be around tomorrow"
That's right And. say. on the
square, you and me might be able to
pull out quite bit this way. 1t amt
q bad lay, what?'
Not for you" replied Swell
II wasn't. Swell spent every after
noon and evening in the billiard room
and did well. He was circumspect.
quiet and retiring. Usually the stakes
were small, but on one or two occa-
SONS hC made a killing Of some mag
nitude. The man with the dyed nous
tache showed up regularly every even
ing shortly after and played for an
hour swell was always ready to help
him pass the time, but he never took
much OF the mans money. He felt
rather grateful to the man with the
dyed moustache. Things had been at
a pretty low ebb with him when that
seven dollars came his way. One night
Swell had allowed the other to win
! three games running as a consolation
tho man with the dyed moustache
invited him out to dinner and Swell
went. His new acquaintance led the
way 20 one Of the more pretentious
eating houses, ordered a good dinner
and bottle of wine. and played the
| host ungrudRingly. 1t came out that
his name was Whalen-Big Joe VIVA
len-and that he was the proprietor
of ten-cent theater that was coin
ing money for him. When their af-
ter-dinner cigars were alight Thaien
said
Come on around to the thester
with me. We've got a rafting good
show this week; the best pictures this
side of New York"
TN drop around later on" said