Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-10-05
THE
OF SPADES
There Was Luck Under Ii
After All.

! There Was Luck Under It /
Is After All.
= By ClARISSA MACKIE.
uhxAxAxxAAxAAAAaGAasA1Gasas1sA1at
Fifty years ago, when the gold field,
Of California were being opened up, 6
party Of men were playing poker lr
San Francisco. There were Denton and
Andrews and Peterson and Green and
Chafree and Blake.
"See here, boys" said Patsy Denton
laying down four kings. whats the
use Of our wastin' our time here, none
Of us havin' any money, players on tab
with each other? l know ledge ul
In the mountains where there Is
deserted lead that I believe II dug ur
will show pay1n' dirt. What dye say
to our all goin' up there with picks
and shovels, dom the work that's
needed, and II we strike good ore We
can sell out, divide, come back here
and go on with the game to some pur-
poser
Every one of the party expressed
himself ready for the venture, and a
couple Of days later all were hard
at work developing an abandoned
claim which had some time before
looked we'll. but had at last petered
out. Denton claimed that the original
lead, which was very rich, had been
lost 1t was their business to find 1t
again.
The lead was not found, and the
natural result was that the men quar-
relied. One day Patsy Denton, who
was blamed for bringing them on O
fruitless errand, disappeared over the
edge Of the cliff. That night 1t was
proposed that 1t should be settled by
lot who should be lowered to bring
up the body. There were FIVE Of them
present. Four Of them regarded one
another furtively. The fifth man smiled
carelessly and shuf1ed brand new
pack Of cards
The lamp hanging over the rough
pine table shed its strong white light
over the occupants Of the room and
searched the four corners Of the shack.
The man with the cards rippled them
through his supple fingers.
Now, you fellows" he said, re
member our agreement. Ill deal out a
hand to each man. The one who gets
the ace Of spades will 90 down after
Denton's body"
The four grunted assent.
"You remember it's q sixty foot drop
down the precipice. We will lower
you with a new rope, but there's a
chance that the rocks will chafe the
rope, and It's long way to the bot
tom Of Death gorge"
The four nodded.
"Go ahead, Peterson" said Andrews.
Peterson dealt the cards rapidly, and
there was no sound except the futter
Of the pasteboards as they fell.
The four men watched, and each one
thought different things.
"If l get it." thought Dennis Green
morosely,-"I might as well give Peter
son my share Of the claim and be done
with It. I'll never come back again.
The ace of spades never brought me
no luck"
"If I get it." thought Chaffee, '1t'1 be
q good thing for the. world, I reckon, II
never come back. I sure am down
and out"
If 1 get it." Jack Blake thought rap
idly, "Tll never see Elsie again-not
unless I'm mighty lucky. Perhaps she'll
be happier with some fellow who hasn't
got the gold fever"
I'm glad 1 won't get it" exulted
Andrews. Good thing I fixed that
with Peterson!
The last card fell, and the men gath
cred them up, each one scanning the
hand with shrinking eyes.
'T'm outr' breathed Green sharply.
putting down his cards.
Same here" muttered Chaffee.
"And here" ended Andrews.
Jack Blake said nothing. He stared
at the ace Of spades In his hand Bis
face was pale. Presently he looked up
and saw them regarding him from un-
der lowered lids.
"I'm It'll" he laughed grimly and got
upon his feet. The others followed suit.
1t was plain to be seen that Jack
Blake was the least fitted for the dan
gerous task.
He was taller and broader and much
heavier than lis companions.
"Get your rope ready, Peterson" he
said, stretching his arms. II have a
letter to write before go. You'll send
1t, Peterson, In case I don't come
backw
"I'n send It," said the Swede care
lessly. he was out Of the contest
He had a crippled leg and walked with
a queer, hopping gait.
The conference had taken place In
Blake's shack. The others went out,
and Blake sat down before roughly
made desk. He destroyed some pa
pers, wrote a letter, which he left on
the desk for Peterson to mail II neces-
sary; then he wrote another one and
pinned It In his coat pocket.
"T don't suppose one Of those chaps
would go down after my body" he
muttered grimly, for he had had rea-
son to lose faith In his four partners.
The fifth one, Patsy Denton, was the
most decent Of the lot, and the day
before he had fallen over the brink Of
the precipice.
The claims which the six prospec-
tors had happened upon simultaneous
ly were located on the western slope Of
the Panamint range. They had found
gold. but the vein was petering out
'The fewer men the greater share
of honor" quoted Blake. "With Den
ton and I gone there will be fair
share for four. Divided by six 1t
would have skimped shares a bit
Hare goes! I may as we'll take q
chance going after poor Denton as to