The state herald., 1919-12-19

4 moment or two before he realized
that his money was gone. Then. re-
gardless Of those about, he rushed
through the crowd. fiinging bystand-
ers right and left. and plunged into
the night.
He walked down q street until IL
lost itself on the prairie; then he fol.
lowed prairie trail fur Into the cOun.
try. The air was cold and few drops
Of rain were falling In It. but he was
unconscious of the weather. He was
In rage through and through. Slop.
eye was now a dream. a memory,
gone-gone. Everything was gone !;
only his revolver and II few cents re-
mnined. He grlpped the revolver
again. With that he was supreme. No
man In all thai town OF men schooled
in the ways OF the West was more
then his equal while that grip lay
In his palm. At the point Of that
muzzle he could demand his money
back--and get It.
Then he laughed. Hollow ana
NhPty ~ wv "Eht bh'
1t was laugh. and II saved his spirit.
''Why. you fool" he chucklcd. you
came to town for to learn somethin'.
didn't you? Well. you're learnin'.
Sixty dollars throw. Education
comes high. don't It? But you
shouldn't kick. He didn't coax you
In, an gave you every chance to back
away. You butted In and got stung.
Perhaps you've learned somethln'
worth sixty dollars"
In his innocence OF the ways Of the
game 1t never occurred TO him that the
friendly stranger who had showed him
how to play II was friend Of the
sharper. and probably at this moment
they were dividing his sixty dollars
the price Of old Slop-eye-between
them.
Early next morning he was awake
and astir. The recollection OF his loss
sent sudden pang through his morn
Ing spirits. hut he tried TO close his
mind to II.
"No use worryin over that" he said.
jlngling the few coins that now rep
resented his wealth. That's over and
gone. traded sixty dollars for my
first lesson. Maybe II was bad trade
bu, anyway amt goIn' to squeal."
lie whistled ms he finished dressing.
ate his breakfast cheerfuily. and set
out In search Of employment.
Almost the first person he met was
the stranger who had scliooled him In
the gambling game the night before.
There was something attractive about
his personality; something which In.
vited friendship and even confidence.
and yet beneath these emotions Dave
felt sense Of dlstrust. as though part
Of his nature rebelled against the &C.
quainianceship.
'"Thut was the rOttenest luck you
had last night" the strungcr was say-
Ing. II never saw the beat Of II. I
was hopln' you'd stay and raise him
next time; you might have got your
money bnck tim, way"
'Oh. ! don't mind the money - said
Dave. cheerfully. Il don't want II
hack. In fact. ! figure II was pretty
well spent"
Lots more where II came from.
~h;' laughed the other. You're from
the ranches. I see. and I suppose the
price Of steer or two doesn't worry
you u hairs worth"
From is right" Dave replied. I'm
from them. mn ! nIn't goin' back. As
for money-weii. I spent my last nickel
for breakfast. ~ I've got 10 line NJ u
Job before noon"
The stranger extended his hnnd.
shake" he said. Il like you. You're
M squenler. anyway. Ny name Is Con.
ward. Yours?"
Dave told his nnme and shook
hnDds. Coward offered his cigarette
box. and the two smoked for u few
moments In silence.
what kind Of u job do you wnnti''
Coward nskcd nj length.
ANY kind that pays u wnr-." snid
Dave.
Il know the fellow hat runs mn
employment agency down here" Con.
ward answered. Lets 20 down. Fer.
hnps ! cnn pu, you In right"
conwnr,i spoke "a the manager Of
III. employment agency and Intro
duced Dave.
Nothing very choice on tap iosiny."
said the employment mnn. "yo. can
handle horses. I supposef"
II .u-ss I cnn.' snid Dave. "soinr."
- cnn place you delivering coni.
Thirty dollars n month. aud you board
with the boss"
"ill take H." said Dave.
The bos. proved 10 be- IN. Thon,ns
M-iford. n" owned half n dozen
tennis nnd was engaged In the enrinre
business. specializing IN c"nl. Tie wis
man N big frnmc. big bend. nnj n
vocabulary npproprini. to the pufe
poses To which he applied II. Among
his other possessions were u wife. M.
..lli.t..... ....t a. .....t l.....