New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-02-06


the thing called luck was on his side
Only at rare intervals did he lose. ant
then at times when the sum risket
was unusually small. The hands o
the dirty clock crept toward train
time. yet the pile of chips before hin
showed no signs of diminishing.
II came to him suddenly. that the
game was, for some reason. deadl,
duh. 1t seemed as if he and the silent
Sharp played at gambling. with a rose
wood wheel, an ivory ball. and make
believe chips for toys. Sharp's cigal
had accommodatingly gone out: but
unlike the gamblers Of fiction. he die
not hold il between clinched teeth
Any perspiration on his brow was due
to climatic conditions, and not to ex
citement over the game. To the land
lord of the Crystal Palace the whole
affair seemed a wearisome farce-one
that must not end too soon.
A weird suspicion shot through the
boys mind. At the same moment he
heard the aged clock wheeze out the
hour of two.
Watt" he cried. interrupting Mr.,
Sharp's m~onotonous chant. ITS just
ten minutes of train time. This is my
last stake-all I've got. About eleven
hundred there, | guess.'-he gasped
a little as he named the sum-"goes
down on the red"
Without comment. Mr.. Sharp spun
the wheel. 1t travelled with exasper-
ating slowness round the whirling
saucer. After ages of waiting. it
dropped.
"All yours said Mr., Sharp calmly.
This is my off day, Too hot to play.
Serves me right"
He waddled to his safe, hidden be-
hind the bar. With an unhappy grunt.
he stopped and brought forth a large
roll of bills. many of which had yell
low backs.
There's your twenty-five hundred"
he said in a moment, placing the roll
on the bar. You better count it your
self, to make sure. You see, | amt
: He stopped, for he had caught sight OF
thV IVY . ldSt.
With young Bill Stubs weird sus.
picion of a moment before had become
a bitter reality. He laughed-a harsh.
unnatural laugh. His hand shook as
he pushed the bills back toward Mr..
Sharp.
ITS not your money she wants." he
cried. ITS not your money she
watches for each night on that train
from the West. It's you.'
Mr.. Sharp turned a startled gaze on
the boy.
what dye mcan?" he asked.
I'm no fool the boy answered. Il
know well enough no man walks away
from here with twenty-five hundred OF
your money unless you want him to
have it. I'm no fool can see all this
pretty plain, You gave me this money
gave it to me! Yes: it's a little gift
from Henry Stubbs-a little gift from
father" =
What are you talking about"
whIned Benny Sharp. The wheels
straight. You won the money. You're
crazy! What are you taking about?'
God knows, there's little enough OF
the Henry Stubs she told mt Of in
you" broke in the boy. Il don't see
the keen eyes-nor the black hair. |
don't see the handsome face. don't
hear the talk out of books. I've got
nothing to go by-nothing-except
twenty-five hundred dollars you
made me a present Of. And that's
enough. | guess"
You run for your train," urged Mr..
Sharp. you got just five minutes to
catch"
Don't fool yourself" the boy inter
rupted. I'm not catching trains just
now. | think you're Henry Stubs.
and I'm not leaving Kiowa Junction
till get the truth"
You're a young fool" Sharp expos
81 amt your dad. All this is
a joke, IL we just had time to laugh. 1
your father. DO I look like a
wanderer from Indiana
to your"
Il should say not" answered the
boy. Not. | don't see 1t myself. But
tell me n thing; who else besides
Stubs would want to make me
a present of twenty-five hundred dol
Tell me that, II you can"
Mr.. Sharp stood for a moment; then
suddenly he snatched the roll of bills
from the bar and thrust it into the
hands of the boy.
I'll tell you!" he cried, his words
out in a torrent. I'll tell you,
then you hike for that train.
one other man besides Henry
Stubs might want to give you money.
How about Harding? How about
Harding-the dog who stole from your
lad the money he'd sweat blood for
who stopped him from keeping his
honest promise to go back to the WON
In be loved-who started him on the
Dad toto his death? Don't stare at
like that. You got a train to
,atch. boy. Go back to her. Stubs
S dead-he died in the Yukon. Hurry.
10 back"
The train was whistling over the
and the agent he'd started up
he track with his flag as Sharp
,ushed the bewildereG boy down the
For a second the young man
TODD gazing al him, and then, with
nut a word. he turnsd and ran toward
he station. Sharp stood watching
as he snatched the old carpet-bag
rom the platform and swung safely
board the train. lie remained watch
ng until the great black snake had
far out into the deserts blaze.
Then he returned to the barroom. a
alf smile on his notified face, and
shook Doc Rsywood-