The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26
PLEASANTLY THE
STRANGER SMILED
But the Smile Faded and Grew
Constrained as the Game
Went On.
AND HE LOST REPEATEDLY
~ DAVID A.. CURTIS.


THAT don't go in Arkansas City,"
exclaimed Joe Bassett in loud. angry
tones.
"Wny not?'' said the stranger very
quietly.
He seemed not to be greatly dis
turbcd, though 1t might have been
noticed tina his cyelids narrowed
slightly over a pair Of peculiarly keen
eyes and that a grayish glitter came
in the baby blue orbs under the lids.
Moreover. the smile hat seemed to be-
long on his pleasant features. while It
did no: disappear altogether. took on a
sinister expression that had not shown
before.
His composure remained absolutely
mistaken. Evidently he was not a
man to be agitated by a mere noise Of
any kind. Whatever he heard was to
him only a noise until he should get an
explanation of 1t. Even then ii was
not certain that he would b. inn
pressed greatly.
He had entered old man Greenlaw's
saloon in Arkansas City unannounced
aud unexpected some time earlier in
The evening. and though on entering
he observed the etiquette OF the place
by inviting the company 10 partake Of
refreshments at his expense, he
showed no great desire for stimula-
ION, pouring out a remarkably small
amount Of whiskey in his glass and
ink not even the whole OF thai
before setting his glass down.
Then he had seated himself with the
evident intention of making himself at
home and producing an excellent cigar
from his pocket Joined the others in
smoking the time away silently. II he
saw the sidelong glances cast at him
and at one another by his fellow
smokers he took no apparent notice of
them. but gave an excellent imitation
Of a man who has nothing to say.
The old a however. almost al
ways had something to say, and the
silence that ensued seemed after a
while to pail on his taste. rho etiquette
which the others had observed 70
carefully forbade him to ask any d.
rect questions of IA ang but he
was somewhat skilful at fishing, and
presently he said in a tentative way:
We uns done heer'd what they was
c'nsid'able Of a game on the boat
last night. Yo' all sho' was lucky to
b whar yo' cd see IL. Must "a been
right lively fight to finish up."
No one of his four friends who
heard this batted an eve. They had
not heard anything OF the game OF
the fight. but they understood VIVA,
the old man was driving at. So. per.
hans. did the bur all he said
was. Il didn't see IT,"
.wuth look!n' at" said the old mar
coolly. "Leastways it must a been
'cordin' to what they was a sayin'
But II yo' all didn't see il. yo' couldn',
q been settin' in
IL wasn't said the
"Kyind o. disheartenin' when a mar
misses a chanel like that" pursued tn.
old man, striving to convey the i'm.
preston that he commiserated the
stranger. II was onto "A boat one
night my own self when they was 9
game ! never seen. I'd been I'D 70
two nights. an / tuned in soon as
went abo'd. An I'm d~oggoned II the,
want a settin' that evenin' an two
suckers lose over a thousand afo' Il
broke up. I mought "a win quite {
hear If I'd a helt a hand
The stranger smoked right along
He did not seem to be interested.
'They's al'ays a chanct TO to 81
In at a other game. though. wen il
man does miss one what he mough'
. set into II he'd knowed about it,
continued the old man consolingly
after he had waited a while for 1
nibble. "Leastways they Is II
Arkansas CITY. When a man comes
hyar on business he's mighty hkel!
10 to look round 70 a game ater nel
lone nnished up. MO n ilkeiy 20 a.
mas no r less mpo business 10
70 tend to-
l nave, said the OUT III
AID no more.
Meooe ca ne o some sis'ahce,
said tne ola man desperately oe,n
20 NJ IL a Stranger an IN 'o'a"''
wei qualh'eo rouhu 'own'
RECKON ho'' saio ."e s'"hse'
unless you can cna'ee the t'"he 'ao'
on 'Ne rai'roau' Inc on'y business
nave on mana just no" 70 ws..'"s ~
~ heNt 'Iai" " so s"
'.on' n'aN1 "u.m :, -.
~ 10 ~ aoueu e''ss''y' uo
""s'ni"s ."o W w 49,"
ny W. a 80 s.o,atu
aa.," lie nnortnn,t