The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-11-08
CHAPTER l-continued.


p
"Don't call me Liberty. Call me
Lib-just Lib; that's enough. But let
me tell you something. Never in all
my life have I ever come as near be.
Ing rich man us was just now.
had won-by George, had so much
money stacked up In front Of me that
q mulatto from the North called me
'marster.' And then cog slipped. We
could have split and had small for.
tune apiece"
"Blundering fool again?" BRACE in
quired.
eyes, sir, and I was the fool.
wanted to be a rich man-and came
within one Of 1t. You know, some
times Fortune hesitates as to whether
she shall crown you or slap yOu."
I'm your case. she didn't seem to
hesitate long, Lib"
mo the hair-tangled bag! And
then do you know what she did just
as I was forced to get up from the
table In as hot fever as ever
at me. Now, I'll swear to that. But It's
all over. A fellow has his little day
and then stretches out and let's the
undertaken measure him."
Eyes, Lib, and I'd advise him tt
bring along extra tape when he comes
after YOU"
Shottle attempted to smile, but the
fever within him was still so hot thai
his effort ended in a grim Tightening
of the mouth.
"That's all right, Virgil. but 70,
must remember that you are one ou
of a million. How fellow can los,
$500 at poker and get up from thu
table with money still in his pocket Il
beyond me. However, 1t means tina
you haven't got poker in your blood
which Of itself Is marvel. But wan
to tell you that every man Is food To-
some sort Of desperate passion. If 4
isn't gambling, it may be love. How
about that"
Hasn't caught me yet" answered
BRACE, stoutly, even though the pic
ture Of the girl in the passageway wa
at the moment floating bright befor'
his minds eye. "Of course" he add
ed, II may marry. Liberty; that sOr
Of thing runs In our family. you know
But I don't think the subject very In
teresting."
II grant you. In this we wall
shoulder to shoulder. But there l
something Of yital interest. Just nov
II lost"
"Yes, and q very natural thing.
brace agreed.
mo, 1t wasn't natural. 1t was un
natural that should lose just at tina
time. 1t was an accident. Listen t.
me for just minute. Anybody ca
do the natural and expected thing.
dog or cat or any other animal a
ways does. 1t is doing the thing tina
nature didn't intend that marks tn
progress of civilization. Now. I hav
proposition to make that may seer
unnatural. Perhaps no man you eve
met before would make it. But yo
never met such man as l am. he
fore. You couldn't look forward an
see me. Could your"
81 didn't" BRACE chesrfully admit
ted.
"And II would have been hard ia
you to believe that exist, which
don't. according to the belief Of som
Of my folks. Now then. what are W
| getting at2 Another stake? No
am not going to ask you to risk an
more of your money. But this Is m
proposition: You let me have 500
u win. I'll pay back all owe. An
n don't. I'll belong to you-you
/ roperty. body and soul but wit
lis understanding, ] am not to pc
Srm any mental service In publ
nd II Is further understood an
Sreed upon that II by any chance
AN raise 500. am to have the priv
iege OF buying my freedom. The FRI
500, you understand. was stake an
cot q loan. Before you decide. weiC
the advantages Of owning q man.
will b. your Greek. your enslaved ph
,osopher. be your Epietetus and tut
you. mill. We will revive the ethics
ancient society. Won't that prove TIL
history really does repeat itself?" :
"YAs," answered brace but don
} escs any more whether history =
pea&s herself than do that a star
peeiag mas repeats himself"
sNOW my dear friend soon to be a