The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-27

I not to deceive anybody. most of all not myself; in short, to be fair. Brother. I thank you, if you really be- lieve 1 have succeeded to some extent.''
 We later found our clammers, the young man and his crone of a mother. up. betimes and hard at work, as evil looking a pair as ever I saw.
 They had already Joasted open and examined quite heap of shells by the time we arrived, and 1 inquired, pleasantly, if they had found anything. The man answered surlily that they had not, but something made me feel suspicious, since they had made so early a start. I saw him now and then wipe his hands on his overalls, and several times noted that as he did so his middle finger projected down below the others. as though he were touching for something inside his pocket, which lay in front, the over alls being made for carpenter, with a narrow pocket devised for carrying folded footrule. But could see noth- ing suggested in the pocket.
 seThat's too bad" said pleasantly. .'It looks as though I were going to lose my hundred. doesn't 1t? Still. the day is long"
 l work of the two as they opened the shells started by the heat. sweeping out the fetid contents and feeling in one swift motion of thumb for any hidden secretion of the nacre. Nothing was found while was watching. and ns did not much like the odor drew to one side.
 'sI think he's holding out on us!'' hissed Jean Laftte. '.Time and again seen the varlet make false moves. Let him have a care! The eye of Jean Laftte is upon himy'
 For my own part. I cared little for anything beyond the sport in my pearl venture, but no man likes to be .sdone,'' So joined, the guard over the pearl fishing.
 They. showed me a few pieces they had saved. srlinters and slugs of nacre, misshapen and of no luster, and sneer- ed at the net results, worth at most not so much as the days wages was pay. ing either. I cared nothing for the re- suits and smiled and nodded as took them.
 Thus the day wore on till nidafter- noon, when. such had been the zeal Of exhausted. They stood erect, straight ening their stiffened backs. and grinned as they looked at me.
 We'll said the old hag. .T reckon we're satisfied now that we know this business better'n you do. He told ye there wasn't no pearl in this river.'
 "No,'' added her hopeful son. ian, come to think of it. how'd ever know. you had q hundred dollars? I ain't seen it yet. But we've done, so let's see it now.''
 I quietly opened my pocketbook and took several bills of that yellow backed denomination and selected one for him. He took it at first suspiciously, then greedily, and I saw his eyes go to my wallet. 'tI forgot,'' said I. and took out two bills of $5 each, which handed to him.
 By goIly,'' said he, sod forgotl' :
 Why did you forget about your wages ?" asked, and looked at him keenly. He turned his eyes aside.
 This fresh water pearNf fsting.' z said I, s.has many points of likeness to the ocean pearl fishing in CeyIon.''t
 You beeh there2s he queried. "And why is itlike them?n
 tsIn several ways. It is, in the first place, all gamble. The pearl mer- chants buy the oysters as bought my musseIs, by the lump and as 8 chance, based on the law of average product. They rot the oysters as you do the mussels. The smell is the same, and many other things are the same For instance, it is almost inl-