Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-06-24

yoSif pay, rlrz," 'sald QmgG IN nus
large, careless way. You're worti.
two hundred Il week to me-"
f'lt when three weeks later the
CRATER was told it was four hundred
dollars a week OF nothing, he frowned
plnehd the pink roll OF flesh under
his chin with his chubby fingers, and
rocked himself gently in his swivel
chair .I'll tell you what. Fitz I'm
about to tackle the biggest thing Eve
ever attempted. I'm launching upon
the grandeSt little mail-order scheme
IN America | expect to spend Il cou-
pie O. hundred thousands in advertis-
ing. If it goes through as l certainly
think it WILL I'll do the level thing by
you--"
That's not the point" broke in the
petitioner. do / or do l not get my
-four hundred-now?"
You do not" Quiggs palms de-
seconded firmly upon the arms of his
chair. His big jaw acquired bel
llgerent aspect.
Aii't dli Whit 10 KNOW. ltZ-
hugh stood up briSkly. This is
Wednesday. You therefore owe me a
hundred dollars. III take it now"
Sit down, Fitz. Sit down and keep
cool. believe you're a game sport, in
spite of the low way you're acting. and
I'm going to make You a gambling
proposition. Some friends o. mine are
getting up a nice. quiet little game of
poker tonight, and I'm going to sit in
The pot'll run high-no limit. Be-
tween ourselves We'll cooperate in
this game. I'll finance the partner
ship with five thousand dollars. IF
we double that amount you get half
the winnings and your four hundred
week. II not, you'll still contrive to
scrape along on two hundred"
The poker game that night took
place in q South side hotel. 1t was
SlN-handed game. the players being of
the class commonly known as "nen
about town. Two were professional
gamblers another was a wheat pit
spectator, n fourth was wealthy sa-
loon owner. The remaining two were
Fitzhngh and Quigg. Playing com
menced shortly after eight. Compared
to subsequent betting. it was modest
at first. Il tive-dollar limit having been
imposed. About nine, however, the
limit was removed, and the game be-
gan to warm up. Another hour. and it
had reached the point where five-and-
siX-hundred-dolar pots We're the rule
and not the exception.
The Golden Goddess, Luck. smiled
upon FitZhugh from the very start
Perhaps it was his superior playing
that won her favor. Anyhow, he as
tonished his coadjutor by his skill at
the game. He was hundred differ
ent men. His fellow players never
knew how to take him-never knew
what he would do next. And while
they We're wondering he continued to
take their money from them as though
it We're only a matter of course that
he should
But as Fitzhugh steadily won Quigg
as steadily lost. When the game ended
at nine a. m. it was noticeable that
of the five men sitting around the pad
ded table beneath the pail of tobacco
smoke and the green-shaded electric
lights Fitzhugh was the only one who
showed no i'll sign of the thirteen
hours steady playing. He seemed as
fresh as when he started and appar-
entity was quite fit for another thr-
teenllour session. When he ''c:Shed
in" he was winner to the extent of
some eighteen thousand dollars The
professional gamblers had won few
thousands each. The rest had lost
Quisg, who had left the game, was
not to be found in the hotel rotuntla
While titZhugh was walking about
looking for him the wheat pit specula-
tor, a joval, red faced man named
Henry Hunt, clapped him heartily on
the shoulder and wrung his hand
"Old man, I'd give million if |
could bluff like you. Where did you
learn how"
1T comes naturally" smiled Fitz-
hugh.
Hunt glanced around and lowered
his voice. "Fitzhugh, Pm putting
through today one of the biggest
wheat deals I've ever handled,
and I'd like to let you in on it.
What time can see you, and where?"
ANY time at any place"
Meet me at Burton & Burton's,
then-brokers, you know, Board of
Trade-at eleven sharp. Don't fail.
It's big thing. SO long. Must hurry"
Upon certain of the casual acQuaint-
ances he had made in La Sale street
Fitzhugh had taken pains to create
the impression of being the scion of a
highly respected family unknown to
the newspaper columns but possessed
OF wealth. Hunt was one of those thus
deluded. Others he had impressed in ,
different wise. But every man who
met him believed him to be person
of means. 1t was an emphatic point
with him to see to that
In a secluded corner and a low tone
Hunt explained his project very CON
ciSely. .