The Red Cloud chief., 1922-01-19

swer. "You go It blind ut an old horse
sale, as q 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 q dollar for it.. II all depends on
the bidding. / once sold an old horse
to a chap and he took IL home and
opened It up, and what dye suppose
he found insidc?'
"Bots," replied Mr.. Gibncy, who
prided himself on being something of
a veterinarian, having spent II few
months Of his youth around u Every
stable.
"A million dollars I'm Confederate
greenbacks." replied the a%uctioneer.
"Of course they didn't have any value,
but just suppose they'd been u. So
THAT'S right" agreed Mr.. Gibney.
81 suppose the swab that owned tho
horse starved 1t until the poor animal
fggered that all's grass that's green.
AS the Teller says, Truth is sometimes
stranger than fiction II yOu throw
In a saddle and bride cheap. I might
he induced TO invest in one Of your Old
horses, shipmate."
The auctioneer glanced quickly OF
Mr.. Gibney, but noticing that worthy'S
face free from guile. he burst ont
laughing.
"My sea-faring friend" he said
presently, "when we use the term odd
horse we use 1t figurativcly. See all
sl,tc frngnht ~taral bnr,g wall that'.
lever been called for by the consign.
ees, and after it's in the warehouse
u year and isn't called for, we have
an old horse sale and auction II off
to the highest bidder. Savoy"
Mr.. Gibney took refuge in Il lie. "Of
course, | do. I was just kiddin' 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 Gun
nlngly dove-tailcd and wlre-strapped.)
81 was n bit interested In them two
boxes. an seem as this Is n free
try, l thought I'd just step in an make
n bid on them" and with the words,
Mr.. Gibney walked over and busted
himself in an inspection of the two
crates in 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 s%un.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
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-
ton 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.. Glbney was annoyed. He
disliked being stared at. so he said:
Hello. Blumenthal, my bully boy
What's a%ggravatin' yOu?"
Blumenthal (since Mr.. Gibney, ir
elected to christen him Blumenthal
the name will probably suit him n:
well as any othcr) came close to Mr.
Gibney and drew him aside. In
hoarse whisper he desired TO know !
Mr. Gibney attended the auction will
the expectation Of bidding on any o
the packages offered for sale. Seek
ing to Justify his presence, Mr.. Chine,
advised that it was his intention T.
bid on everything in sight whereupol
Blumenthal proceeded TO explain (
Mr.. Gibney how impossible It woul'
he for him. arrayed against the Fort.
Thieves, TO buy any article at n req
sonable price. Further: BlumenthH
desired to inform Mr.. Gibney that hi
(Mr. Gibney's) efforts 10 buy in III
"Old horses" would merely result /
his running the prices up, for no bene1
icent purpose. since II was ever TN
practice of the Forty Thieves to pei
nit no man to Outbid them. Perhan
Mr.. Gibney would be satisfied with
lulr uhy > pFOIlt WITHOUT lrouDiilS I'M
> self to hamper the Forty Thieves an
interfere with their combination, an
, with the words, the king surreptitiou'
ly slipped Mr.. Glbney a fifty-dolli
greenback.
Mr.. Gibney's great fist closed ovt
2 the treasure, he having first, by n CO
+ glance, satisfied himself that It WI
really fifty dollars. He shook hand
( with the king. He said:
+ "Blumenthal, you're II smart ma
| am quite content with this fifty
keep off Your course and give yon
wide berth TO starboard. I'm sens
g BILE enough to know when I'm licke
$ an II fight without profit amt in II
h line. l didn't make my money TIL
g way, Blumcnthal. I'll cast off my lin
and haul away from the dock" III
d suiting the action TO the figure, NJ
Gibney departed.
It He went first to the Seaboard DIR,
Il store. where he quizZed the druggl
d for five minutes, after which he 60
tinucd his cruise. Upon reaching Il
A.in lao ..nnnaIn1 a., rnIntA I'm al