The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-04-08

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Roper. The general had cast aside
the mask OF suavity worn for so many
hours Selwood met his rudeness with
rudeness. playing poker" he re-
torted, Indifferent to results.
"What!" exclaimed Roper, kindling.
''Do you mean to say you're profess
sional gambler?"
"That sounds like 1t, doesn't it?"
"You insult me, sir!" exclaimed
Roper with an oath.
"You insulted me when you refused
to play with my cards. You called for
your own, didn't you? And l cleaned
you out with your own"
Roper flew into passion. "Do you
play with marked cards?" he thun-
dered.
Selwood was impasslve. Nobody
would need marked cards to play with
you, General" he returned. "T play
with marked cards when I play with
thieves-they furnish them"
Wentworth Carpyl" roared Roper.
"Come in herer' The two men ap-
peared at the door together. "What
do you means" he demanded with a
string of expletives, 'by running in a
professional gambler on me for gen.
tlemen's game Of poker?"
Carpy looked blank-but the look
was mostly assumed. HAS he cleaned
you, General?" he asked, with medi-
cal innocence.
wentworth" blurted out Roper,
'you told me he was your superinten-
dent here"
"Dash it, he u.s." returned Went
worth testify. Last time you were up
here you cleaned out Dave Tracy.
You weren't so blamed particular then
whom you played poker with"
Roper stamped about In tantrum.
'T've been played on-taken in by a
common card sharp I've been
robbed"
Selwood, who had been sitting as
an unconcerned listener, slapped the
cards with which they had been play
ing sharply down on the table. He
rose instantly and confronted Roper.
81 wouldn't call man of your
years a liar General. But you can't
crawl away after game with me with
any such word as robbed"
"Why you blamed old martinez"
shouted Carpy angrily.
"Hold on, Doc! Hold your horses!"
interposed Wentworth hastily 1.-THE
general is my guest-were gentlemen
here"
Carpy could not be suppressed.
every man on the Mountain divide"
he Numbered at Roper, would call
you liar If you called John Selwood
a crook"
Selwood put up his hand He was
white with anger: "Tll do the talking,
Doctor" he said. The men watching
him made no further attempt to in
terfere. Roper, sullen, glared at him.
"This man" - Selwood pointed to
Roper-"calls me a card sharp-he
has good reason to-a better reason
than he knows!" He was looking as
he spoke at Wentworth and Carpy and
directed his words to them. 81 want
to tell you, gentlemen, who that man
is"-his finger pointed remorselessly
at Roper. "And / want to tell you
who 1 am That man sent my father
to his death at the hands of Indians
That man tried to send my mother
and me to the same death. That man
put a stain on my mothers name. He
sent me out into the world without
a name. If that mans word Is good
he shot the words out like bullets
my father never married my
motherl"
"Damnation shouted Carpy, en-
ragged. "Why don't you kill him?"
Selwood went steadily on. 'Fll tell
you that, too. l came out on the Dr.
vide ten years ago. I was fifteen
years old. went to this man up at
the Fort-told him who I was-he
cursed me. The only man on the
whole trail that showed me honest
kindness was the old man who lies
down there in the tent-Dave Tracy.
teach me no trade but his own. He
never tried to make gambler of me
Il made one of myself liked it,
drifted into 1t, I expect to die in 1t.
/ don't excuse 1t. don't whine about
it. / know the cards-they know me.
They're false friends, like all friends
with you when you win, against you
when you lose. But don't forget
what that man has done to me and
mine. You ask me, Carpy, why don't
kill limits because his son, Lieut..
Henry Roper, was my father |"
An instant Of silence, terrible to
sustain, followed the astonishing
words. Roper, apoplectic with emo
ton, started and clutched at his shirt
collar.
Before any one could reach him he
fell heavily to the floor.
Wentworth and Carpy, with much
lifting and Juggling, carried Roper to
the bed in Carpy's room, and while the
doctor administered restoratives, Sell
wood, assured that no fatal issue
threatened, went downstairs. Went
worth Joined him presently with the
news that Roper. had recovered con-
seriousness and had been given soda
| tive.
Carpy came down within half an
hour and, accompanied by Wentworth,
went at Selwood's request to his room
There Selwood sat down before sup
ply Of champagne.
81 told you the bare fact of this
mans relation to me-" he began, ad-
dressing the two men. But you are
entitled to more. My father was Lieut..
Henry Roper; my mother was Annie
| Selwood; she was the daughter of q