Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-03-22

| minutes heartache OF a man like him.
I used to think she had brains if any
Of them did. | used to think that
| Barbara Allison was something be-
sides fluffy little fool. Why can't he
see for himself that she's just as
worthless as most Of the rest of them?'
And from there, without knowing
how truly funny such argument sound
ed coming from his lips, he would soar
to wonderful heights Of profanity. But
save for the pleasure which he took In
the pyrotechnics his outbursts made lit
tie impression upon Fat Joe. The lat
ter maintained sort Of placid superb
ority, perhaps because he had learned
early that this attitude aggravated
Garry's RACES, perhaps because he was
SO very certain Of his man.
II wouldn't go to getting all stirred
up like this SO early in the game" he'd
reply with UNMARRIED calm. "Shucks,
it's too early to begin counting either
mans pile Of chips"-either man to
both minds meaning Steve and Wicker
sham without the naming of names
"YOu are too liable to premature en-
! thusiasmS or diScOura gements, Garry
| That's why l mostly manage to beat
| you as easy as he beats me whenever
we throw a hand or two. Amt you
never going to learn that a man must
| gamble bit On the cards still waiting
to be dealt!"
And again, confidently:
"He's Worried-Of course he is! He
amt enjoyin' his meditations a little
bit these days, but he's enjoyin' 'em
more all BY himself that he would be if
we were up there with him, forcin' him
to look everlastingly like four aces
when it's deuceS at present he's hold
ing. He's worried, and that's why
| don't grow nervous myself, because it
| is only the man who is too sure who
is awful likely to finish broke. Don't
you waste any pity on him yet, and
wouldn't let him hear me passing I'M
| complimentary words concerning his
girl either if | was you. Lightning
amt particular where it strikes When
it's been long time cooped up. Every
man to his own taste in such matters,
says |. And ShuckS, man, can't you
| tell just from SEEM 'em together that
| they was made for each other? If a
| man quit every time a woman began
to put him over the jumps we'd have
| a dangerous decrease in marriage Ii
| cenSes staring us in the face. He's
! just learning to care more for her,
that's all, and caring a lot about any
! body never was q comfortable state to
| be in. It's entirely too uncertain and
unsettling But you wouldn't enjoy
not caring about anybody at all your
self, would you?'
Garry admitted that he wouldn't.
"Well, then, don't waste your time
| plying him." A cold CLEAN tiickered
in those bleached blue eyes. Don't
you suppose I'd have taken apart long
| ago this animated ice chest who is
making all the trouble just to see What
makes him SO cold if | didn't know
| I'd be spelling the big show? Couldn't
you see without my tellin' you that I'd
| rise up some day and leave him look
ing like a premature blast after all
| I've learned he's plannin' to slip Us
if | wasn't sure that he's going to get
it, worse than | could ever give it to
him, from that girl herself? Well,
| would. He makes me SILVER, that
man; makes me crawl and itch to take
his head in one hand and his throat in
| the other and exert Il little strength
in opposite directions. Give our entry
time. The game is running dead
against him at present, I'll admit, but
he's outstanding his chips He amt
| drawing wild and squandering his
chances. And he's only begun to play"
Before snow came that fall Steve
had recovered his outward confidence
at least. He had begun to hope again
while he waited and labored prodi
! giOusly against the coming of spring
| But in his heart he was no longer sure.
He could not summon back that serene
self surety which toward the end had
| shaken even the girls certainty in her
self. He could no longer argue con-
vincingly with a vision Of her, as he
had often argued with Barbara herself,
that his way would be her way in the
end, for he had begun to realize the
width of that gulf which he knew must
seem to exist between them, If not to
hey then to the eyes of others of her
world.
1t was his memories which gave him
consolation those long nights, but they
also gave him doubt. Remembering
the daintiness of her as she had come
to him the night of her party, recalling
the things to which she had been &C.
customed since she had opened her
eyes on the first light Of day, he began
to ask himself. as every man like him
had asked who ever loved a woman
how in any fairness he could expect
her to accept the little which he could
offer in return. To Steve and Fat Joe,
to the men of his gang, his confidence
was that of the old, old Steve who ten
years before had cooked his head at
one of Ailison's switch engines ana
promised gravely, Ill hev to be git
fin, ono Of thap1 for rnvSolf Soma -