Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-03-02

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promise from him that he would give
them their revenge during the evening.
The two young tourists felt sure that
If the winner played in the evening
the sharpers would contrive that he
should lose not only all he had won.
but whatever he had to lose besides.
Riggs said he should be warned but
Burch suggested that he would not
take warming Fools like that. he
said, couldn't be taught wisdom. The
only way he could be taught lesson
was to win his money from him, then
hand it back to him with lecture on
trusting persons he didn't know.
After supper. while the two were
smoking on the piazza. the greenhOrn
came ont. and they began to chat with
him. Burch said to him that he had
watched his poker game and was sur
prised at his skill Riggs chimed in.
The result of the talk was that they
invited him to cut the men with whom
he had been playing and join them in
game In their rooms. The fellow
seemed indiSposed to deny the sharp
ers their revenge and asked the friends
IL they thought he had Il right to do so.
Certainly" said Burch. Every sit
ting at poker stands for itself. II
these men had won your money they
would not have played again with you
unless they wanted to. Isn't that SOP
he added. turning to his friend.
Riggs confirmed his opinion, and the
three men adjourned to room up
stairs and sat down for n game.
For half an hour the greenhorn was
permitted TO win with ease. He play
ed a very poor game, but the two
| friends failed to bet on their good
hands and always bet OH their poor
ones When they had let their Oppo.
nent win about $50 they changed their
tactics and won it all back again. The
greenhorn pulled out roll Of crisp
ten dollar bills. manifesting an inten-
| ton tn buck against his adverSaries for
all he was worth
The friends glanced at each other
knowingly. The little game they were
playing interested them. They were
not used to spending their time with.
out amusement. and they were getting
all they wanted. The greenhorn play.
ed even worse than before. and losing
! his money. he became excited and lost
! his head completely. One after anoth
er his beautiful banknOtes passed into
the hands of his opponents. a thou.
| sand dollars of his had gone into their
keeping and he was diving into his
pockets for more when Riggs stopped
him. Putting his hand OH the green
horns arm gently, he said:
MY friend, don't get out any more
money. We brought You up here to-
night to save you from those sharpers
with whom you were playing before
dinner. If you had joined them to-
night they would have had this money
instead of US. They would have kept
ii. We are going TO return it,"
The man gaped at them as though
he' could not understand what they
were driving at Presently he asked:
How do you know those fellows
| plaNeu WIFI are SnafpefS!
I'VE could see them playing you"
"And you're going TO give me back
all the money I've lost to you without
my winning it!"
1--WE are"
The greenhorn grasped the hand OF
each OF the friends promptly.
I'm mighty glad of It, DO you
know this money I've lost wasn't mine
1t belongs to dear little child for
whom | am guardian"
When the man had finished his cx.
pressions of gratitude the settling ur
came. The money was put in pile
on the table. and the greenhorn was
told to help himself to what he had
lost. There was old money. as well as
the new bills he had brought out.
"Fll take the ragged stuff, gentle
men," he said. land leave you the
clean money"
Pocketing the ragged stuff, he
grasped his benefactors' hands again
thanked them with moist eyes and
withdrew
The next morning the friends looked
for him. but did not see him. MOI
were the sharpers about either
Burch, needing change. stepped up t.
the hotel clerk and asked him to break
ten dollar bill. The clerk was about
to do so when something about the
bill caught his eye.
"By jing." he exclaimed. III thai
isn't one Of those counterfeit tens som'
one has been circulating about here
lately"
And 1t was. The greenhorn had theil
ragged stun, and they had his coun
terfeits.
81 say, John" said Burch. I'VE warm
ed a serpent in our bosom, didn't wer
"You bet
mo, sir; never againr ..-LA