The daily Alaskan., 1921-12-08

'l suppose the SWbD lAal O"utu ts'" horse starved it until the poor animal fggered that alrs grass that's green. As ths fellcr says, Truth Is sometimes stranger than fctIon.' If you throw in a saddle and hridlc cheap, I might he Induced to invest in one of your old horses. shipmate."
 The auctioncer glanced quickly al Mir. GIhney, but noticing that worthy'S face free from guile, he burst out laughing.
 My sea-farlng friend" he said presently. when We use the term 'oli horse. we use It tiguratively. See an this freight stored here? Well, that's never been called for by the conSiCn .ees. and after its Tn the warehouse year and isn't called for, we have m old horse sale and auction 1t Of to the highest bidder. SaveyF"
 Mir. Gihupy took refuge in a lie. "O- course | do. | was just kiddn' you my hearty" lHere Mir Gibney's glance rested on two long heavy sugar pine boxes. or shipping cases. Their Joints at all four corners were cun- nIngly doye-taIei and wire straDDed) "I was bit interested In them two boxes. an Spein' as this Is a free coun try, thought I'd Just step in an mak0 bid on rhrn." and with the words Mir. Gihney walked over and busted himself In an inspection of the two crates m question.
 The fact of the matter was That sn embarrassed waS Nr. GlhnpT ar the exposition of hls ignorance that he desired to hide the confusion evident in his suntanued face. So he stopped over the crates and pretended Go be exceedingly interested .n Jhcm haul ing and pushing them about and re0l- Ing the address of the ruuSIguce who had failed 10 call for his goods. Tn" crates were both consigned 70 the Gin SenC company 7l4 Dupont street. San Francisco. There were several Ch.- .nese characters scrawled on the top Of each crate. together with rhe words, in English: "Oricntal GUols.'
 As he ceased from his fake Inspoc- tlon of the two boxes the King of the Forty Thieves approached and sur veyei the sailor with an even greater amount 0f dfstrust and suspicion than ever. Mir. Gihury was annoyed. He disllked being stared at, so he said: Hello, Rlumenthsl, my bully boy. What's aggruvatin' you?'
 Blumenthal (sInce Mir. Gibney In |" the sheer riot Of his imagination f elected 10 chris,en him BIumeuthuL the name will probably suit him as well AS any other) came close to NIT. Gibupy and drew him aside. In a hoarse whisper he desired to know fl NIr. Gihnry attended the auction with the expectation of bidding on any of the packages offered for sale. Seek ing to justify his presence, MT Gibuey advised that it was his intention to bid on everything in sight; whereupon Blumenthal proceeded to explain to Mir. G!bney how impossible ij would { he for him, arrayed against the Forty ! Thieves, to buy any article at a req sonable price. Further: Blumen-hal desired to inform Mir. GIhney that his 1 CMr. GIbney'S) efforts to buy in the "old horses would merely result in | hIs running the prices up, for no benef- | iceut purpose, since 1t was ever the | practice of the Forty Thieves tO per mil no man 10 Outhid them. Perhaps Mir Gibney would be satisfied with a | fair days profit without troubling him. self to hamper the Forty Thieves and interfere with their combination, and with the words, the king surrepttious- Iy slipped NIT. Gibney a ffty-dollar greenback.
 1 Mir. Gibney's great fist closed over the treasure. he having first, by coy 1 glance. satisfied himself that lt was really fifty dollars. He shook hands with the king. He said;
 "BlumenthaL you're a smart man. ] I am quite content with this fifty to keep off your course and give you R wide berth to starboard. I'm SensI- ble enough to know when I'm licked, an a fight without profit aln't in my ! line, l QlQn make my uOutE Iuus way Blumenthal. I'll cast of my lines and haul away from the dock" and sulting the action to the figure, Mir, GIbney departed.
 He went first to the Seaboard drug store, where he Qulzzed the druggist for five minutes, after which he con- tlnued his cruise. Upon reaching the | Maggie, he proceeded to relate in de tall. and with additional details sup piled by his own imagination, the story of his morning adventure.
 "Gib," said McGurey enViOUsly, you're a fool for luck"
 Luck" said Mir Glbney, beginning to expand, "ls what the feller calls a relative proposition"
 You're wrong, Glb," interpOsed Captain Scraggs. Relatives Is un- l lucky an expensive. Take, Tr in stance, Mrs. Scraggs' mother"
 "I mean, you luukhead" said NIT, Gibney, that luck is found where kz,tu. r-r,y. N, hrofp m lr1Nl- NO