Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-18

| Sensations on that frontier were
complex and highly variegatcd, and
they came chasing one another with
such Kaleidoscope rapidity and diver
sity that they knocked dizzy and had
going sidewise all but the coolest
heads.
And yet it was a life that. while
chiefly notable for stirring into hide
Gus action the rawest primeval pas
sions, now and then showed outcrop'
pings in apparently the most barren
human formations Of veins Of kind,
ness and tenderness that assayed
bonanza values.
yeast Powder Bill was an ex-
ample.
Doubtless his unique name was very
we'll, if not honestly, earned by bis
masterful skill in manipulating faro
box. as for long time it seemed a
foregone conclusion that all players at
his layout were nothing short OF GER
tain to have the last cent raised out
of their pockets and to be themselves
done as brown as the loaf they had
eaten at breakfast. ~ E'
AS 'raiser" of speculative money
Bill surely stacked up tall among the
high priests of the temples of chance.
He had come on the scene accom-.
panied by young woman, really a
1.-the, graceful young girl, Of rare
sweetness and charm. A brief glance
at her sufficed to leave one no doubt
that she was well bred and raised, and
that Notwithstanding her questionable
association and raw environment, she
was still as clean of mind and heart as
while she served as a modest decora-
ton of the Sunday school she could
not then have long left.
Yet she it was who nightly occupied
the high lookout" chair at Bills
right elbow, her great blue eyes dream
lily fixed On his faro Layout" looking
as sadly out of place as would sky
pilot found pushing bottles and rinsing
glasses.
But that she was not as innocent OF
knowledge of the duties Of her job
as she looked, all stagers at their lay
out soon learned. No breach Of faro
table etiquette that might work disad
vantage to the "house" escaped those
dreamily indolent blue eyes.
With her in the lookout chair,
there was no sneaking additional chips
on winning card or retiring them
from loser.
And that Bill respected as we'll as
worshiped her was, ever apparent, for
any venturing rude behavior at the
table he checked in an icy voice that
limited death for a repetition
But their game was rarely SO dis
turbed-never indeed, by any but the
sr~o III ~,
and sweetness were of the obvious
sort that never failed of winning re-
spectful consideration Of the big ma
jority constituting the rudest circles of
the old frontier.
However in the world it could have
happened I'll bet remains TO this day
a mystery to every living onlooker at
that play.
Just Prudence it must have been,
Providence taking the bit in it's teeth
and Juggling overtime until, with Bill
under full control, it had sacked him
of his tricks, and had steered him into
the straight and narrow path he later
proved he could travel creditably.
Anyhow, the fact is, an old party
blew in one night who tapped Bills
bank, emptied his safe, and didn't even
stop at that; won from the beginning
to the end of his play almost without
a break Of his gait, just as if Bill had
been the downiest tenderfoot instead
of about the slickest sure-thing artist
that ever manipulated "strippers" or
pulled seconds"
A substantial old party he was,
whose appearance eXuded promising
mixture of prosperity, benevolence,
and easy-markedness that made his
money look like gift.
But from the start he sure had Bill
mesmerzed or hoodooed Looked
like he just couldn't place his money
so Bill could take it away from him.
And the wonder grew the more pro-
found among the onlookers as he
rapidly developed into high roller of
the attractive sort, whose money some
how, only the elite of the fraternity
know quite how, invariably passes into
the till of the squarest banks"
Bet after bet he won; steadily the
chips flowed across the table to him
in a seldom interrupted stream.
Meantime the iron-nerved Bill never
turned hair; couldn't tell whether he
was winning or losing until. toward
the last, his pale face grew gray.
(CHAPTER XIV-Continued.
But not so with the blue eyed look
| out. AS deal after deal the position
of the bank became more preca
rious. the blue eyes lost their lazy
dreaminess, first grew intent with
wonder and then hardened into almost
| fierce concentrated concern. .,
And when at last Bill quietly an
nounced the bank broke, rose and
emptied his safe drawer and proceeded
to pass over to the winner the rise OF
ten thousand dollars, dainty little Blue
Eyes looked about ready to fight.
Rigid, still as death, she sat, staring
into space, every line of her lovely face
set motionless as marble.
! Presently she spoke, without shift
ing her gaze-from what seemed {
fixed contemplation Of eternity.
Bill, put me up against thou
sand
you? Never; not in Thousand
years; not against Million"
Put me up, Bill; you can't lose"
For only an instant Bill reflected, hi:
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