Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1914-12-18

, Tor the anarter he had seen In nay
hand. 4. { .=$s%a3SE$ ,s&s h..
l had come on the train at Omaha
that morning. but Griscom told me he
bad come from the coast Coast pas
sengers should be good for a dollar
at least. AS tipping time approaches
a porter would regard even the quer,
of the street-crossing chicken as rare
humor. ~.
Griscom was standing with a hand
full of money he had just taken from
his trousers-pocket. and the porter
eyes cleaned, for there were cole
pieces in the mass Of quarters ant
halves, and Griscom selected one O.
these
Quietly Griscom sorted out the golt
and put it in his waistcoat poke,
while he regarded a silver dollar re
hectlvely The grin on the porter's
face was less expansive, but he still
smiled
Griscom eyed the dollar for mo
ment and dropped it back upon the
pile Of change, then he picked out
copper cent
Don't throw that away and don't
make any remark. or I'll have you Sc,
down for week. Towles is a friend
Of mine" 1861.
Apparently there was magic In the
name of Towles. for the porter pocket
ed the coin without a word, and
brushed Griscom's coat with three
sweeping strokes before he backed
out of the compartment.
What had the boy done to deserve
the "copper"" I asked. He looks like
a pretty clever boy. and a copper is
worse than nothing at all"
Il know it-but hate porters. Look
here, you think better of that dinner
invitation tonight. and I'll tell you
why do. Is it go?"
l nodded. though only a few min.
utes. before I had evaded an earnest
invitation to dinner. Griscom smiled
cortentedly
About six, then. I've got to beat
1T as soon as we land. So long until
then. Here's the she'd"
We were just pulling up to the plat.
form, and by the time Twas DOS.
sessed of my grips Griscom had dis.
appeared.
That night. as he came into the un.
pretentious lobby of the little family
hotel that was home to him when he
was In Chicago, no one would have
taken him to be one of the most ex.
pert card-sharks on the continent.
| He was not more than five feet six,
but broad-shouldered and suggesting
an enormous strength. His complex.
ion was that of rosy baby, but the
thinning hair suggested the middle
thfrtfes. He dressed quietly-no one
ever could remember Just how he was
/ dressed, for he was far removed from
! the gambler Of fiction with dyed mus.
tache and fashy clothes.
He suggested rather-well. that was
like his clothes He looked all right
l did considerable travelling, and
Grlscom had taken a liking to me-
! Later he rescued me from some, card
sharpers, though to do so he had tc
admit 1t as his own profession, and
later, in his room in the hotel, lie
had told me some. things and had
shown me some tricks OF the trade that
had cured me Of card-playing
Grlscom was an artist, eschewine
the aid of SINNERS" "hold-outs," and
the rest of the clumsy mechanism
His clever fingers could do wonderful
J things in shuttle. and he trusted tc
Wonderfully developed memory and
on occasion, to some markings on the
back Of deck that had not been
printed on by the manufacturers. :,
1t had been very decent of him anl
l appreciated it. We were not init
mate, but saw him now and then
and enjoyed his company, for he wa,
wonderful talker.
i With an apology for a minutes tar
d1ness, he led the way to the dining
room. where he had ordered an excel
lent dinner. and it was. not until VIC
were up in his rooms with the per
fectos glowing that he alluded to tn.
incident of the train.
I saw Towles this afternoon" ht
began, rs he surveyed the tip of hi!
cigar with grin on his usually inn
mobile face. 'sAe says the porte,
cursed me and the copper for on,
solid hour.
He could appreciate that joke. II,
Knows my reason for hating the por
tiers. This boy is new one on tn,
western. run. Most of the porter
know don't like them and they leav,
me alone
1T dates back about three years.