Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-14

/ her long slip OF paper consisting OF
Eve coupons. each numbered "Ss3S-"
Lottery ticketsi"
He nodded. Allan had n very par
ticuiar dream about the number s. SC
l invested s. silver on his bunch
It's the number OF my automobile
license" Kirk sighed at the memory
OF his new French car. You don't
object TO such gambling?"
Hardly" laughed Edith. when !
have n ticket for the same drawing.
Every one does IL. you know"
"If I win the capital prize I'll come
to tie next party and claim all the
dances you will allow me The draw
Ing comes of next Sunday. and It hap
pens that I've been shifted TO No.
fo= a few trips, so I'll have a chance
to see the fun"
Inasmuch as No. did not leave IN
I'll l o'clock on Sunday. he had ample
time in which to witness the lottery
drawing. a thing he had been curious
10 see since he had first heard OF it.
This form OF gambling was well rec
ognized, IL seemed: not only the ma
tives. but all classes OF canal zone
workers. engaged I'm It freely. The
drawings were conducted under rigid
government supervision.
Nlan. vastly excited. was. OF course.
waiting TO accompany him.
.'Oh. boss" exclaimed the negro. 81
feel that we shall h'experience good
fortune today"
Did you buy a ticket?''
.'Nc. sar; I hInvested all my monies
travelling on those railroad trains
Vow see how foolish you are. If
you'd stayed at home you might have
bought the winning number today"
Il prefer to h'accompany you. But
! have been thinking TO make you
proposition Of partnership. Master
h'Anthoay. win stay home and
dream numbers, which you can pur-
chase with your salary. In that man
ner we shall certainly burst this lot
terry. do not desire the profits. how
ever. for being partners with you.
would like you TO ave plenty OF mon
les. that is all. / love you. sar."
Don't. You embarrnss me-"
The drawing. which was for n capital
prize OF $4,000 c'silver'J, had drawn
a larger crowd than usual. and when
the two reached Cathedral square they
found the lottery building and plaza
thronged TO overfiowiug with the usual
polygiot elements that make up these
Latin-American gatherings
BY dint OF considerable effort Kirk
succeeded In working his way through
the wide double doors. and. being
much above the average height. he
was able to get a good view OF the pro-
ceedings. Upon a platform group OF
ceremohious officials were gathered |
about a revolving wire cage. so arrang- |
ed that It could be whirled rapidly /
upon its axis. Into It were put ten
ivory spheres. resembling billiard balls |
in size and appearance. When this |
had been done the cage was closed. !
and n very badly frightened twelve
year-old girl was selected at random
from the audience, then lifted TO the
stage. where IL required the commands
and entreatIes OF her excited parents
TO prevent her from dissolvinS in tears
At q word from the master OF ceremo-
MES the cage was spun until the ivory
balls inside ieaped and capered Ike
captive squirrels- Then at another sig
nal &. was stopped The door was
opened, and the little girl reached in
trembling hand and selected n sphere.
II proved 70 be hollow. with two halves
screwed together. and in full sight OF
the assembly IL was opened, displaying
, bit OF paper inside.
~Ochor' cried the announcer. and
ard bearing the numeral IS" was rails
ID. The paper was replaced inside the
worry ball. the ball itself was dropped .
INTO the wire cage. the door was closed
md once more the cage was spun Il
Kirk was much interested in the ,
scene. not from any faintest hope that
be would draw n prize. but purely
from the novel atmosphere and color
,f the thing. while his eyes were ,
busiest and Just as the child prepared
% draw another ball he felt a clutch ,
ipon his arm and, glancing down, be- ,
leld the glowing black eyes OF Senior
Ramon Alfarez nxed upon him. He
,arried a dapper little cane. with .
which he tapped his former prisoner TO
Ittract his attention 1
AT sight Of him Kirk drew down his s
rows and said grufiy:
Don't poke me with that umbrella" {
he turned away. but again Alfarez 8
6uched him. c
II viii spik' wit you. hombre." he
aid. c
IF you keep jabbing me with that {
rutch I'll break IL. and then you can't 4
walk home" &
Ramon jerked his head toward the b
cnare outside I'm an imperious fash Z
On. and Kirk, curious 10 learn the q
arse of unusual excitement. followed d
I'm without demur. when they had O
cached the street the Spaniard turned q
nth flashing eyes and a mirthless b
mile