The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-01-27

twenty-five cents up" was the an
swer. "You go It blind at an old horse
sale, as rule. Perhaps you get some
thing that's worthless. and then again
you may get something that has heaps
Of value, and perhaps you only pay
half dollar for It. It all depends on
the bidding. once sold an old horse
to chap and he took 1t home and
opened It up. and what dye suppose
he found inside"
Bots" replied Mr.. Gibney, who
prided himself on being something Of
veterinarian, having spent few
months Of his youth around livery
stable.
"A million dollars in Confederate
greenbacks," replied the aucti0neer.
"Of course they didn't have any value,
but just suppose they'd been U. S.2'
''That's right" agreed Mr.. Glbney.
II suppose the swab that owned the
horse starved 1t until the poor animal
figgered that all's grass that's green.
As the Teller says, Truth Ia sometimes
stranger than fiction II you throw
In a saddle and bride cheap. might
be induced to invest In one Of your old
horses, shipmate."-
The auctioneer glanced quickly ut
Mr.. Gibney, but noticing that worthy's
face free from guile, he burst out
laughing.
my sea-faring friend" he said
presently, "when we use the term old
horse we use 1t figuratively. See all
this freight stored here7 Well, that's
never been called for by the consign-
ees, and after It's in the warehouse
year and isn't called for, we have
an old horse sale and auction 1t or
to the highest bidder. Savey7"
Mr.. Gibney took refuge in lie. "Of
course, do. was just kiddln' you,
my hearty" (Here Mr.. Gibney's
glance rested on two long heavy sugar
pine boxes, or shipping cases. Their
joints at all four corners were cum
ningly dove-tailed and wire-strapped.)
II was bit interested In them two
boxes, an seein' as this Is free coun-
try, thought I'd just step In an make
bid on them" and with the words,
Mr.. Gibney walked over and busted
himself In an inspection of the two
crates Inf question.
The fact Of the matter was that so
embarrassed was Mr.. Gibney at the
exposition Of his ignorance that he
desired to hide the confusion evident
In his sun-tanned face. So he stopped
over the crates and pretended to be
exceedingly interested In them, haul
ing and pushing them about and read
ing the address Of the consignee who
had failed to call for his goods. The
crates were both consigned to the Gin
Seng company, TIA Dupont street, San
Francisco. There were several Chi.
nese characters scrawled on the top OF
each crate, together with the words
In English "Oriental Goods"
As he ceased from his fake inspec.
tion Of the two boxes, the King Of the
Forty Thieves approached and sur
veyed the sailor with an even greater
amount Of distrust and suspicion than
ever. Mr.. Gibney was annoyed. He
disliked being stared at, so he said:
"Hello, Blumenthal, my bully boy
What's aggravatin' your"
Blumenthal (since Mr.. Gibney, In
the sheer riot Of his imagination
elected to christen him Blumenthal
the name will probably suit him as
well as any other) came close to Mr.
Gibney and drew him aside. In o
hoarse whisper he desired to know II
Mr.. Gibney attended the auction with
the expectation of bidding on any OF
the packages offered for sale. Seek
Ing to justify his presence, Mr.. Gibney
advised that II was his intention to
bid on everything in sight; whereupon
Blumenthal proceeded to explain tt
Mr.. Gibney how impossible 1t would
he for him. arrayed against the Forty
Thieves, to buy any article at rea
sonable price. Further: Blumenthal
desired to inform Mr.. Gibney that his
| (Mr. Gibney's) efforts to buy In the
"old horses" would merely result In
his running the prices up, for no benef
icent purpose, since II was ever the
practice of the Forty Thieves to per
NIT no man to outbid them. Perhaps
Mr.. Gibney would be satisfied with Q
fair days profit without troubling him
self to hamper the Forty Thieves and
interfere with their combination, and
with the words, the king surreptitious
ly slipped Mr.. Glbney ffty-dollal
| greenback. .Dg
Mr.. Gibney's great FIST closed oveI
the treasure, he having Arst, by COY
glance, satisfied himself that II wal
really fifty dollars. He shook hands
with the king. He said:
-Blumenthai, you're smart man
I am quite content with this fifty Il
keep OF your course and give you I
wide berth to starboard. I'm sensi
BILE enough to know when I'm licked
an . fight without profit amt In m!
line. didn't make my money tina
way, Blumenthal. I'll cast on my line
and haul away from the DOCK" an,
suiting the action to the figure. MI
Gibney departed.
He went FIRST to the Seaboard druI
i store, where he Quizzed the druggis
for i've minutes. after which he con
tinued his cruise. Upon reaching tn
Ma 0rie No procoeded Ia relate IN de