Year: 1878

sgainst Dan Sturdivant, eh? Or maybe you
want little coaxing. Some of you must
play with me. can't stand such treatment.
Come, let's see who it will be-"


He glanced around the crowd as if to select
his victim. For the first time / noticed the
gaze of one of the group fixed steadily upon
him. He was stranger to me, and was
dressed in plain suit Of homespun, and his
face was partially concealed by wide
brimmed sombrero which was drawn over it,.
He was a small but powerfully made man,
and in the decided expression OF his well
intensity OF purpose:


"Are you Daniel Sturdivant, the gam.
bler?" he asked in a calm tone, without
rising.


Sturdivant flushed darkIy and gave the
stranger fierce glance.


"Some persons call me so behind my
back" he said, Insolently; "but no one
would dare apply that term to me before my
face"


Nevertheless" said the stranger, II want
an answer-yes or no"


"Well, theIf'' said the gambler, angrily,
II am. What of it2''


Simply TINS" replied the stranger, 81
have heard it said that you claim to be the
best card player in the southwest 1 have
come two hundred miles 10 prove you a
liar"



and thrust his hand into his breast as If to
grasp weapon.


STOP" said the stranger, ''if you shoot me
you will simply prove yourself afraid OF me.
Take pour seat at the table and will make
my word good"


There was something in the calm, stern
manner of the stranger that seemed TO rem
der the gambler powerless. He hesitated for
a moment and then said bullyingly:


''I never Dlav with a man whose face Il can
not see."


Never mind my face" said the stranger.
"If you are not afraid of losing, you shall see
it when am done with you"


"But how do I know you have money
enough for such sport?' persisted Sturdl-
want. you look Seedy enough, my line fel-
low"


large pocket book, 81 have $4,000 there; If
you can win it you shall do So"


With an oath Sturdivant placed himself at
the table and babe his challenger do like
wise Those of us who bad listened to this
singular dialogue now gathered around the
table expecting to see scene OF more than
usual interest. The stranger had not yet
raised his hat brim and none of US had seen
his face, but we all felt from his general air
and manner that Daniel Sturdivant had at
last met his match. IL did not take long TO
show that the stranger was an unusually
good player. For an hour or more the play
ing went on in silence. The stakes were
high and the contest marked with rare skill.
Stnrdivsnt exerted himself as he had never
done before, but in spite of his efforts he
lost steadily By the expiration of the time
indicated above he had lost two thousand
dollars. 1 noticed the flush upon his face
deepen, and a strange light came into his
eyes. At last. with all exclamation of
triumph, he drew toward him the heap of
notes.


''That was we'll DONE" said the stranger
"YOu are an expert at cheating. But go on
/ can beat you whether you play openly or
dishonesty"


Sturdivant said nothing but dealt the
cards again. The hand was played, and
Sturdivant was about to seize the stakes,
when the stranger laid down a card and
checked him. The gambler uttered sharp
cry and sat motionless with his ewes fixed on
the card, worn and faded ace OF hearts with
dark red stain across the face. Sturdi-
wants face worked convulsively as he gazed
at it, and the spectators gathered more
closely around the two, wondering at the
strange scene.


In Gods name who are your gasped
StuTdIvant, his eyes still fixed on the card.


Look at me-" SAID the stranger, quietly.


AS il powerless to resist, Sturdivant raised
his eyes to the speaker. The stranger had
o.
bling man with eyes that fairly blazed with
fury. Sturdivant uttered a groan and sank
back in his chair, with his face white and
rigid. The stranger with one sweep gath
cred up the money from the table and thrust
it into his breast


THAT ace of hearts is an unlucky card for
you, Daniel Sturdiyant" he said, coldly.
"You played it once when you thought il TO
your advantage. Now GCd hep you, for
that Dlay Is returnedl'


As he spoke he raised a pistol which we
had not seen, and before we could stop him,
aimed it deliberately at the trembling man
and fired. The gambler fell heavily upon
the table. a corpse. and the bright blood
stresmed over it, hiding the fatal card from
sight.


Gentlemen" said the stranger, rising to
his feet, as we stood paralyzed with horror
at the dreadful scene, that man ruined my
wife and tried TO murder me. i have been
hunting for him ten years"


He walked slowly by US down the stairway
to the lower deck. Just then the steamer
touched at a landing and he sprang ashore
and vanished in the dark woods.


| never learned the history OF the mys-
ferrous affair for the dead gambler WAS be-
yond human questioning, and l never saw
the stranger again; but shall not soon for
get the impression it made upon me at the
time.