The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-04-12


thousand dollars playin' diabolo."
-Playfn' what7" qucried Slower
"Diabolo! He backs himself. OF
course
Glass took an imaginary spool from
his pocket. spun il b. means or AZ
Imaginary string, then sent II aioft and
pretended TO catch IL dexterously. The
cowboys watched him with grave, I'M
-oomprehending eyes.
HE starts with case Ave and runs
II up 10 eight thousand dollars. that's
all"
Slower uttered an exclamation OF
astonishment. whereupon the New
Yorker grew even holder.
The next week he hops over TO Bar
Harbor and wins the futurity ping
pong stakes from scratch. That's
worth twenty thousand IL It's worth
lead nickel oh. guess he's there, all
right" He searched out match and
relighted his pipe.
Il suppose he's a great croouet play
or, too" observed Fresho, whose face
was purple.
"sure!" Glass winked at him. glad
to see that the Californian enjoyed
this kind OF sport.
I'VE don't care nothin' about his
skill at sleightof-hand tricks" said
the man In spectacles, seriously. And
we wouldn't hold his croquet habits
agin him. Some men drink. some
gamble, some do worse; every man
has his weakness, and croquet may be
his. What we want to know is this:
Can he win our pbonographr
"Surest thing you know"
Then you vouch for him. do you7"
willie's eyes were bent upon tho fat
man with a look OF searching gravity
that warned Glass not to temporiLe.
with my llfel" exclaimed the train
ar.
You're on!" said The cowboy. with
unexpected grimness.
What d you meant"
But before the other could explain,
Berkeley Fresno, who had sunk weak
ly into chair at Larry's extrayagant
praise OF his rival. Afforded "A diver
sion. The tenor had leaned back, CON
vulsed with enjoyment when, losing
his balance. he came to the floor with
crash. The sudden sound brought
n terrifying result, for with a startled
cry tie understood cowman leaped as
IL touched by a living flame. Like a
flash OF light he whirled and poised ON
his toes. his long. evil-looking revolver
drawn and cooked. his tense face yul-
turelike and fierce. His eyes glared
through his spectacles. his livid fea-
lures worked as If at the sound OF his
own death-call His whole frame WAS
tense; a galvanic current had trans
formed him. His weapon darted to
ward the spot whence the noise had
come, and he would have fred blindly
had not Slower yelled:
Don't shoot"
Willie paused, and the breath crept
audibly into his lungs.
Who done thatg" he asked harshly.
Stlll Bill brought his lanky frame up
above the level OF the table
God 'lmightyl don't be SO sudden,
Williel" he cried. lit was acct
dent"
But the gun man seemed uncon-
yinced. With cat-like tread he stole
cautiously to the door. and stared out
into the sunlight, then, seeing nobody
In sight. he replaced his weapon in its
resting place and sighed with relief.
IL thought IL was the marshal from
Waco" he said He'll never git me
alive"
Slower addressed himself to Fresno,
who had gone pale. and was still pros
trate where he had fallen.
Get up, Mr. Berkeley, but don't
make no more moves like that behind
a mans back. lie most got you"
Fresno arose in daze and mopped
his brow. mumuring, weakly II
didn't mean To"
Carara and Mr. Cloudy came out
from cover whittier they had fed Mt
Willle's first movement
IL dreamed about that Teller sgin
last night" apologiZed the little man.
I'm sort OF nervous, and any sudden
noise sets me of"
Az for Glass. that corpulent indi-
vidual had disappeared al II into thin
air: only a stir in one OF the hunks
betrayed his hiding place. Al the
hrst sight of willie's revolver he had
dived for refuge and was now fiat
tened against the wall a pillow
pressed over his head 70 deaden the
expected report
"Heyi" called the foreman. but
Glass did not hear him.
Seems to be gunshy," observed
Willie. gently.
Slower crossed TO tho bunk and laid
a hand upon the occupant. at which a
convulslon ran through the trainers
soft body, and Il became as rigid as
IN locked Ina death. Come out. Mr..