The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-12

they found it absolutely impossible to nourish a grudge aga-nst captain | Scab Jolnny's boarding house, their host handed them grubby note from their enemy. It was short and sweet and sounded quite sincere: MT Glp- ney read it aloud: ''On Board the Maggie. Saturday night. Dear Friends:
 I am sorry. You hurt me awful with your Ridden when you took the Chesa peake away from me- To CT IS human but to forgive is dev1ne Alter to come back to work ever but Tor Gods sake don't give me the dead face when we meat agin. .ss Remember we been shipmates once.
 "Why. the pore or son of horse thief" MT. Gibney murmured. much moved at this profound abasement: "Of course we forgive him. It am manly to hold a grouch after the cui- brit has paid his fair price for his sins By an large,y1 got a hunch' Bart, that old Scrasgsy hao ms les-
 s1f you can forgive him, can, Gib" Well, he's certainly cleaned him m self handsome; aBrt- JelePhoGee Nqo Gebner ner sat a %eSSengn1 doWn snd pDS6 wFote: gnu "
 s.scraYgsy, old fanciful, we are square Forget it and and come to breakfast with | cafe. I'll order devi1ed ham kidneys for three. It's alright with Bart also
 Yours: 1 This note. delivered to Captain scraggs bv the messenger boy, lifted the gloom from the latter's miserable soul and sent him home with light ] heart 70 Mrs. Scraggs. Atthe Mari l fa touched to observe that both Gibney and McGuffey showed up arrayed In dungarees. wherefore Scraggs Knew his late enemies purposed proceeding to the Maggie imme ediatelX after breakfast and working in Nhe engine room all day Sunday. Such action, when he knew both gentlemen to be the possessors of wealth far beyond the dreams of avariee, bordered so closely on the miraculous that Scrasgs made a mental resolve to play fair in the future-at least as fair as the i limits of hds -- cross-grained nature would permit. He was so cheerful and happy that McsSuffey, taking ad- vantage of the situation, argued him into some minor repairs to the en- zine.
 About nine o'clock, as Mir. Gibney was on his way to the Marigold cafe for breakfast he was mildly inter ested. while passing the Embarcodero warehouse, to note the presence of fully a dozen seedy-rcoking gentlemen
 
 congregated in a circle just outside The warehouse door. There was an air of suppressed excitement about this group of Jews that aroused MT cross over and investigate, being of the opinion that possibly one of their number had fallen in a fit. He had once had an epileptic shipmate and was peculiarly expert in the handling of such cases.
 Now, if the greater portion of MT. Gibney's eventfu1 career had not been spent at sea- he would have known, fly the red flag that foated over the door, that 6. public auction was about . to take place, and ff1et the group of , ganization known the Forty Thieves whose business 1t was to dominate ,, the Kidding at all auctions, frighten off. or buy off. or ,outbid all competl- | tors and eventually gather unto themselves. at their own figures. all
 goods offered for sale.
 In the center of the group MT. Gibney, noticel, tall lanky individ- Id l.
 suing instructions in low voice to
 though MT. -Gibney did not know it. , As Mr. Gibney luffed tn view the kins . eyed him with suspicion. Observing } this. MT. Gibney threw out his mag ; and stepped into the wareh ouse for , all the world as if he owned 1t. \ An old man with glasses-the
 auctioneer-was seated on box mak- ! ing figures on q notebook. Him Mir
 Gibney addressed.
 ''what's all this here? ?" he Inquired { jerking hta thumb ever his shoulder at the group.
 5 cts an old horse sa1e," replied the [ auctioneer. without looking up. , MT. Gibney brlghtened. He glanced , around for 9he stock in trade. but ob- Serving none concluded that the old , horses would be led in, one at @ time through a small door in tho rear ot the warehouse. Like most sailors
 MT. Gibney had e. passion for horse back riding. and in spirit Of adven ture ho resolved to aequaint himself . with the ins and outs of an old horse l sale,
 "How much might a man have to give for one of the critters?'' he asked. "And are they worth whoop after you get them? ?"
 ''Twenty-five cents up.' was the answer. "You go it blind at an old horse sale. as a rule. Perhaps you get something that's worthless. and , the nagain you may get som nethtng | mat has heaps of value, and perhaps you only pay half dollar for it. It all depends on the bidding. I once
 sold an old horse to a chap and he took it home and opened 1t up, and l what dye suppose he found ins1de?' "Eots." replied MT. Gibney, who prided himself on being something of