The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-04-25


"aFal, YOU plal q Nlll eafds.
Would oH mind leaeAits ilo ne
ruless said The old sport from fpll'
lant.
The gambler was growing suspicious.
OF this too. too childlike Innocence.
lie whlned Say what your little
game, En- but decided tos rIsk NE
venture He sat down II i table and
Dr. Temple. bringfng along Ills glass,f
drew Up 4 chair Tie gambler took
d pack 81 cards from - ppcls and
shnaed them with 4 snap that startled
hi. Temple and a dexterity that DE.
lighted him. 9s.;,.. !, Nj.
GO on, it's beautiful to see he
explained The gambler set me paca
down with the one word Cut \ but
since the old man made no effort 70
comply. the gamblerdid not insist He
took up the pack again and nan on q
I'VE cards 70 each5place with ~ grace
that staggered the doctor: T..
Mallory WAS abonts 70 iTtefyei Tor
tie projection Of the giileless phys!li:
clan when the conductor CHANGED TO
Sumter in. q
The gambler, seeing him, snatched
Mr. Temples cards from his hand and
slipped the pack into his pocket.
! gWhat's the matter now" DR. Tenn.
pie asked, but the newcomer 4huskllly
answered: laWalt d minute. Wait 4
minute" b, S Esss
The conductor took in the scene
At a glance and, stalking up tcl isthEe he
table, spoke with the grtmneBs Of 2
sea.captain: "say, I've got my eye
on you. Don't start nothin'.@ I 4
The stranger stared at him wonder.
ingly and demanded; Why; whatiIy YOU
dftyin' at?"
You know all irightss the conductor
growled, and then turned on the be.
faddled old clergyman; ''and you, tse.s
S.'Me, too@ the preacher gasped.
eyes, you too" the conduct fisrsi
peated, shaking anaccusiRg foreangef
under his nose. "Your actions have
been suspicious from the : beginning.
We've all been watching you; n a, Ssh &
Or. Temple was 80 agit ted that be
1learlyilet. fa1l isgsscret. why, Z Do
you realize that I'm a. Il.
eAh, don't start that SneeFed the
conductor, II can spot a gambler az
far asI can see one You and iyonr
side partner here want to look out
that's1aA, or I'iladrop You at the next
tank Then he walked out; his very
shoulder blades uttering threats
;Dr Temple stared after him, but
the gambler stared at DR.. Temple
with a homage. $50 you're one; Of u.s.
he said, and seizing the old mans
limp hand, shook 1t heartily: II got
to- slip 1t to you. Your makeup ii
great You nearly had me for come
Oh. Great!"
And then he sauntered out, leaving
the clergyman's head swimming. DR.
Temple turned to Mallory for explana
5tions, but Mallory only waved him
away He was not quite convinced
himself. He was convinced only that
whatever else anybody might be- no
body apparently desired to be q clergy
man in these degenerate days.
The conductor returned. and threw
into Dr.. Temple the glare OF two basil
isk eyes. The old man, put out be
i sseching hand and began:
'.My good man, you do me . grave
Injustice
The conductor snapped back: "Yor
say aword to me and III do2you worss
than that. And if7TIspot you with I
pack Of cards In your hand again. N
lie you to the cow.ketcher." 5S I
@ Then he marched of again. I'M
doctor fell back into chair ttsing. tc
figure 1t out. Then Ashton and Eos
dick and little Jimmie ellington anf
Wedgewood strolled in and dropping
into chairs, ordered drinks. Before
the doctor could ask anybody to ex
plain, Ashton was launched on story
His mind was suitcase full Of anec
dotes, mostly Of the 'smoking-roon
order.
Wherever three or four men ARK
gathered together, they rapidly organ
lie clearinghouse Of ofE-color stories
The doctor listened in spite Of him
self, and in spite of himself he wal
amused, for stories that would b
stupid il they were decent, take T
certain verEe and thrill from thetl
very torbiddenness.
The dear old clergyman felt that !
would be 4t4ggish!s to take aight, Blu
he could not: make the corners Of hil
mouth behave. Strange twitchiugs o
the lips and little steamy escapes o
giggie.3ets disturbed him. And Whel
Asliton.s wh6. was a prac ticed raeon
.teuT, finished . dFoiatic, adYentur,
{ with the epilogue, and the mex,
morning they we're at Niagara Falls,
the old Idoctorwasi Helpless with laugh
ter. Some superior force, the devil
no doubt, fairly shook him with glee
.'oh, that's bllly, he shriekedI 6
haven't heard d story like that To-
ages"
.'Why, where have you been, d.
TEMPLE n. asked Ashton, who coull