Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-14

swivel. and bang went the contents right
across the mares crupper. startling her.
Damn your silly head, said l. Dye
think that is the way bankers should be
used? / have half mind to give you a
lesson and take YOU for target Mean
while and while l ponder it. friend, out
with purse and baubles.''
And thus, despite his protests. | ran
sacked his pockets. and found therein a
purse of good yellow guineas. the which
did please me But all the time he shift
ed about in his saddle, moaning and be-
wailing his hard fate. and l saw that he
held hand behind him. So, says l.
suddenly reaching out and catching at
this:
Shake hands on it, old friend" said.
and pulled his arm forth.
He uttered a howl of misery, for what
was clutched in his talons was a bag.
and in that bag, slit me- was a pile of
goldfnches
"Ho. Ho"' said /, but ere / could
say more he had begun on his old note
crying that he was a poor man, that
these were his masters, and that he
should die dishonored, and the like of
that. I slowed the bag about my waist
and was for giving him some lessons in
truth and honesty.
This learns us. old eentleman'-l be-
gan solemnly, when he broke in. paying
no heed. and. to my surprise in quite an
other voice.
Sir, you are a man Of your hands, :
he said, and one that takes the hazards,
l suppose.
All are one to me- / said merrily.
Then" he said earnestly, here is
something for your digestion. You have
a small spoil there. wrested from me,
after hard years of labor and toll. But
what if you had the chance to double,
nav to ouadruple. it?" he asked. pushing
his nag close to mine in his anxiety to be
understood.
What mean YEP" / asked.
IT'S true he said. that | am a poor
man. But / have labored hard and have
collected some few pieces of gold should
lose them with an i'll mind. Yet | have
like yourself. a heart for hazards, and
will make you an Offer, he says.
stared on him in wonder You shall
come with me-" he pursued, catching my
arm eagerly. ito my solitary house. and
there you shall dice against me; and. il
so be lose, YOU shall have not only what
you hold now but all that is mine there
in, which is four times this little But If
so be the lot falls to me, then you shall
surrender what you have. and leave me
in peace"
Now / sat looking on this strange crca-
ture with his strange proposal for some
minutes in silence. for what he suggested
perplexed me. And yet it tckled my
curiosity. l could see the perils of it..
but if he played me fair. there was
someth ng attractive in the notion | am
not a glutton for guinea. but ! like 4
game of chance. And So said |. at last,
revolving il all in my mind:
Lead on, old beetle, and | follow. But
beware lest you play me false"
.'Slr, it shall be as | say" he answered,
not without some d gnity. And so we
logged along together in the direction he
had pointed, but. you may suppose,
with one eye upon the lank old rogue.
Presently a twist of the lane brought
us to an open green. in which tw.nk!ed d
few lights. and j now pushed my mare
abreast of the other nag and redoubled
my watchfulness of my sh.fty companion
Sir" says he now. in a trembling voice.
1--WE are nearly at our dest nation. and |
am obliged to you for yuor courtesy.
You may quit civil terms" / said
shortly, until this occasion is celebrated.
Where is your house?
Straight across the green. said he
mildly, and we turned the horses thit her.
/ was not afraid of a mere village, let
alone a pulling hamlet. but somehow j
distrusted my companion. and l was not
for beng tricked by an old knave. So |
was not taken abaek when. our horses
swinging into q lane OF the green. we