Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-09-03

pretend to play the game and have de.
rived no pleasure from playing with
them. You see, I am reduced to work
Ing out problems"
II, too, sometimes amuse myself In
that way" said the stranger. and,
drawing a chair to the table on which
the board rested, he began to set the
pieces.
The first game the jailer checkmated
his adversary In eight moves. The
stranger seemed very much pleased
with his opponents plan of attack and
asked him to go over the moves again
that he might learn them. In the
second game the jailer had more trou-
BILE, but in the third he won easily.
81 think I would play better for a
stake" said the stranger, and, taking
a gold louis from his pocket, he laid it
on the table.
The jailer looked at the shining piece
covetously. He was very poor, but he
had enough to cover that louis, and
he covered it. The stranger played
badly and lost. Two other louis went
on to the table, and four louis were
transferred to the jaiIer. Two more
were ventured and lost. The jailer
won, and the stranger instead Of play
ing better for a stake played worse.
After several hours sitting fifty louis
had gone from his pocket to that of
the jailer.
Then the stranger Won a game. The
jailer doubled the stakes and lost
again. After this the stranger played
better and on certain games where the
stakes were doubled or tripled won
back nearly all he had lost. The jailer
began to get excited. In spite of GER
tain blunders his opponent seemed to
be constantly getting the advantage.
When at last he saw the fifty shining
gold pieces go back into the strangers
possession he was beside himself with
rage.
81 have no further stake" he said
"Have you not ome article.". said
the stranger, looking about him, shat
I would accept for a stalker"
But he saw nothing of any value.
The jailer urged him to accept certain
articles of furniture, but he declined
them all. Finally he said:
"Have you any prisoners?"
zone"
"On what charge is he confined"
Murder. He Is to be executed next
week."
"Ah. a lifer'
eyes; a life. The prisoner has Of
fered me money to release him."
"And why did you not accept?"
"It would be my ruin"
The stranger seemed lost in thought;
then suddenly he said:
81 will give you a chance to win 100
louis without taking any risk. You
are a good fellow, and I have learned
much about chess from you. I will
stake 100 louis against your prisoner
that / beat you three games in success
sion. In the first I will checkmate you
In ten moves in the second In nine and
in the third in eight moves"
The ~jailer's eyes were big with Won
der. "If you could do that you would
be GARNER, the great chess player of
Paris"
did l not say I wished you wellY'
"You are very kind, monsieur"
"Come, write out an agreement to re-
lease your prisoner on the terms I have
made" and the speaker began to set
the chessmen.
This was too much for the jailer.
The stranger was willing to present
him with 100 louis for the instruction
he had given him. On the terms it
was impossible that he should not win.
He had beaten his adversary most Of
the games. His losses had happened
to come on games where the stakes
were high. What the stranger now
proposed was impossible. When the
chessmen were set the stranger placed
100 louis on the table. and the games
began.
To the ~jailer's amazement his adver-
sary checkmated him in ten moves.
P~erceiving that something was wrong,
the beaten man would have backed
out, but the stranger reached for the
order for the prisoners release and
held 1t.
Proceed" be said. "If l lose a game
I will give it back to you"
The jailer's only hope being in the
opponents failure, he consented. The
stranger won. The jailer lay back in
his chair and gasped.
"Shall we play the third?" asked the
mar who had come to learn chess.
mo. You are GARNER. You can win
without moving a piece"
The stranger put the order for re-
lease in his pocket and showed the
hundred louis over to the jailer.
"I am ruined" said the poor man,
refusing to touch 1t.
The stranger took out a pocketbook
and drew from 1t a large number OF
bills. "Take this" he said, sand go to
Virginia. 1 will remain In your place
All -o,1 - eofoIu 0rrf of IRA