Gambling in
By JOHN IRVING DAY
Garnering the Gold by a Unique Method, Originated
and Practiced by "Doc" Fioyd
ERE'S hoping that you get
even, alderman." Doc Floyd
raised a goblet of sparkling
burgundy, across the brim
of which he glanced and
smiled at the member of
the High Rollers' club who
was host at a dinner he
was giving In part pay
ment of a bet that there
was not a man In the coun
try with $5,000 who could
be beaten out of that amount on the
ancient "gold brick" game. The din
ner end of the bet was merely a pal
try side issue for the" big ex-alderman
had also wagered $5,000 and lost that,
too.
Doc Floyd had asserted that even
'n the twentieth century the time
worn "green goods game" could be
worked.
"Have you got the nerve to tell me
that you can put over the old green
oods thing." was the amazed demand
of Alderman Mehanty. "I'll bet Just
one more bundle of $5,000 and again
a dinner for the crowd that it can't
be done. Why the biggest sucker in
the country would take your flash
bank roll away from you if you tried
to work that."
"Well, maybe he would," returned
Floyd, but I'll just bet you it can be
done and will let Clcland do the rough
work and I'll Just go along to oversee
it. I may have to find the man, but
I'll let Jack do the trimming."
"And I'll take half of Floyd's end
of the bet that they put it over," broke
in Col. Powley once more. Is It a
bet?"
"It is. I'm game' for another try,"
replied tho alderman.
"How about it. Jack? Can we do it?"
quired Floyd of a tall, cold eyed dy
Bpeptic looking person who had sat
silent, sipping his wino and pufllng a
big cigar throughout the banterlug con
versation. Jack Cleland merely grunted his as-
sent. He was the one pessimist of the
party, but always dependable and a
handy man to have In any deal.
A bell clanged, a gate slammed and
the conductor and a belated passenger
climbed aboard tho Twentieth Century
Limited train which was leaving the
La Salle street station. Chicago for its
IS-hour spin to New York. The big
engine throbbed and the long train of
rolling palaces slid out of tho shed
without a jerk or tremor, as easily as a
trim sail boat propelled by a gentle
breeze. At the forward end of the
train, the buffet car, a comfortable
small club on wheels, already was
more than half filled with passengers.
Seated on one side of -the car Doc
Floyd was contentedly pulling a cigar
ette while on the opposite side of the
aisle, Jack Cleland pulled at a strong
cigar, and neither man glanced at or
seemed to know of the presence of the
other. All was quiet save for the
businesslike conversation of two
showmen. The vestibule door opened
and Into the car came Solomon Rosen
berg, wise man of the w?st In which
section he had Imbibed the air of free
dom in speech and manner.
Acquaintances are almost as easily
made in the smoking car of a train as
on shipboard and here was Floyd not
20 miles out of Chicago drinking with
a person whosa natural propensities
for "butting in" with strangers could
not be overcome. Within ten minutes
after they had met, Solomon Rosen
berg was narrating the story of tho
most recent happenings of his life
and riding to a swift and certain fall.
Oh yes, Solomon was a wise one. He
knew it and was proud of it. Floyd
hud listened to his talk and wondered
the while, whether there was a chance
to take some of Solomon's easily got
ten wealth and also lower his stock
of conceit. He concluded that it might
be well worth while to cultivate his
uew acquaintance. It wa3 at least worth
trying, so he ordered another boitlej
which further mellowed the talkative
one, whose tones by this time had dis
turbed a commercial traveler who sat
near him running over columns of fig
ures in his sales book.
The traveling man appeared slightly
annoyed as he glanced toward the
wine drinkers. Suddenly he seemed
to think of something and placing his
memoranda In his pocket he turned to
Floyd and his companion and asked if
they cared to kill the time with a
small game until the call came for
dinner In the dining car.
"Sure," was the reply of Solomon,
answering for Floyd as well as him
self. "My friend and I will play If
you'll dig up some one else."
A telepathic thought seemed to
travel from Floyd to Jack Cleland who
was looking at the party from the op
posite side of the car. The others
also seemed to notice his presence at
the same time and it appeared a mere
chance that he was invited to make
the fourth mau in tho game.
The play was not resumed after din
ner, Cleland saying that he had lost
about all he could afford, but the party
atuck together and when It came time
to retire for the night, Solomon,
Floyd and Cleland had all agreed to
niako their headquarters at tho Hotel
Astor during their stay In New York
and see more of each other. The
drummer had told them that his homo
vas in the city but that he hoped to
look them up during thMr stay.
n
Green Goods
"What's th? game, Floyd?' Inquired
Jack Clelanu who had visited his
friend's room !:i the hotel ten minutes
after they had reached the big Proad
way hotel.
"Well, old top, you know what we
are on here for," was the reply.
"You've got to sell an order of green
goods to some one. You are lucky
because I've already found your mau
for you. It must be some one, so why
not our friend Solomon? He's already
delivered himself."
The trio met in the lobby of tho
hotel a few moments later and Solo
mon insisted on having just one drink
before they parted company for the
day and then also Insisted that they
dine together that evening. The only
dissipation Cleland would Indulge in
that evening after dinner was the the
ater to which he consented to accom
pany Floyd and Solomon. After the
theater, however, Floyd was Indeed
the gay man of law away from home
fur a good time and he put Solomon
through such paces as to endear him
to the heart of that boisterous person.
This journey through the tenderloin
was followed by another. Solomon
liked the gay life but was beginning
to have a pain in his porketbook, so
thnt when the third evening after his
arrival in Gotham, Cleland proposed
another game of cards, saying that he
wanted revenge for his loss on the
train, there was ready consent on tho
part of the westerner, who proposed to
make some one else pay his expanses
If he could. Cleland already had fouud
the drummers telephono number und
Invited him to dine and join them In
another little friendly game.
Again Solomon won, but his win
nings were small. The salesman, also,
was allowed tp carry away a few dol
lars for his evening's work. Floyd,
however, made a heavy winning and
Cleland lost $2,000, playing with tho
feverish recklessness that conies to
the average loser at cards. The game
broke up when the sulesinan an
nounced that he would have to quit
and get a few hours' sleep before ap
pearing at his place of business. Lie
land went off to his room with a
grouch, refusing even to take a
"night cap" drink. Solomon, however,
readily accepted Floyd's invitation to
take In some of tho all-night restaur
ants. "I wonder If our friend has left town
without Baying goodby," remarked
Solomon to Doc Floyd two days after
the poker game In which Cleland had
lost his money to Floyd. Ho hud not
appeared since that time.
"I wonder?" replied Floyd. "Let's
inquire of tho clerk ut the desk and
see If he's gone." Acting upon this sug
gestion they learned that Mr. "McCie
land," the name under which Cle
land was known to them, was still In
town, and vn fact was in his room ut
that moment.
"Let's go tip nnd see what ails Ulai,"
vil -i -Hi Inn
1 11 jm,MmmLMiwms&,m
I'liil I f r B It Ml IVllfTi? VI U i
. y-mm vi i t n ,w m m y
Jjgyl h ,ff fgw
proposed Floyd. "Maybo ho's not feel
ing well."
In his room tho two callers found
Cleland pacing the floor with a wor
ried look on his face. It was anything
but a cordial welcome which ho gave
them.
"Not ill. I hope," said Floyd. "We'd
missed you for a couple of days and
thought we'd look you up. Haven't
cut us out, have you?"
"To tell you the truth, fellows, I
haven't felt very cheerful since I made
that losing. I'm only a salaried man,
you know, und can't really afford to
play that kind of a game, even If my
salary is a big one. It isn't that I'm
worrying about just now, though, for
I've got a chance to get more than
even. My conscience will hardly let
me do It though, and besides I've got
to have more money than I've got to
put the deal through."
"lluck up, and tell t.s about it" broke
in Solomon. "And say, kid, don't let
your conscience put too much weight
on you. Throw It away and get rid of
the handicap, but don't do anything
to get Into Jail. I don't mind telling
you that there aro two or three places
In this country rlfiht now where I
don't want to go for fear the Jail doors
would open quick to get me. Our
friend here is a lawyer. Let him ad
vise you."
"I wonder If I should tell you?" re
plied Cleland, brightening perceptibly,
polished actor that he was.
"Yes, go ahead and out with it," re
turned Floyd. "You know we lawyers
hear some strange stories now and
then and can't afford to be too partic
ular as to our clients."
"Well, I'll tell you on one condition,"
agreed Cleland. "That condition is
that you come In on the deal with
me. I haven't got enough capital to
put It through, anyway. There's no
danger in it, and It's u sure way to
make a big haul."
Poth Floyd and Solomon agreed to
'come in on any deal where they could
"IT TOOK HALF AN HOUR TO
see a sure and quick profit, and asked
for particulars.
"It's perfectly simple," explained
Cleland. "I once did a young fellow a
good turn and kept him out of a lot of
trouble. He's tho trusted messenger
in the Nineteenth National bank here
now. This bank Is the clearing house
for a lot of smaller hanks and also
gets the biggest part of the city's de
posits. They get thousands of dollars
In old and dirty money every week
which they turn In to the subtreasury
on Wall street, getting new Mils in re
turn. This young friend of mine has
been the messenger and made the ex
changes. Ho says they never even
open the sealed packages of bills thnt
he takes to them and which have been
certified to by the officers of the bank.
The Ktibtreasury simply O K's the
amount on the buck of the package
and forwards It with a lot of similar
bundles to Washington, where the old
and dirty money Is never counted, but
Just ground up and destroyed. He has
thought the whole plan out and says
ho can substitute a phony package for
the one with the old bills In It. He
has to have some one In the deal with
him, for he would never dare to try to
get rid of the old money. I saw him
this afternoon nnd to-morrow he will
have to make his regular weekly trip,
and the package already Is made up
with :JO,000 In good money In It. All
he wants Is half for his titan and I
can give him $15.0)') in $100 and $500
clean bills an J take the jacka. 1
only have about $7,000 to my namo, so
I will have to get some one to go In
the deal with mo. You two can coma
In for $.",000 each. Are you on? And
wait a minute, you needn't agree right
now, but meet me at ten o'clock In the
morning and go with mo to the Nine
teenth National and see my friend for
yourself."
The two agreed to meet Cleland on
the morrow und said good night. "And
what do you think of It?" Inquired
Floyd as they went down on the ele
vator. "I'm a little afraid of It."
"Well, h.fg look Into it, anyway." re
turned Solomon. "If there's a chance
to pick up some easy money, , I
want it."
On the following morulng they were
convinced that the deal was a good
one when they went to tho Nineteenth
National with Cleland. and visiting
the safety vault section of the bank,
met Danny Roberts as that young man
came out of a small compartment In
his shirt sleeves with a package of
papers In his hands und a pencil be
hind his ear. Danny looked the part
of a busy clerk and they heard him
whisper nervously to Cleland that "It
whs all right." He added that ho
would be at tho appointed place at
precisely 12 o'clock.
The appointed place was a small
dingy o.llce of a dilapidated build
ing on New street. Cleland ex
plained that It was tho office of a
friend v ho dealt In curb stocks and
was soldo n in, but allowed him free
use of the place. The trio wore wait
ing when Danr.y Roberts, carrying a
suit ease, entered. He immediately
took from tho case two packages, ex
actly alike in appenranco and as to
outer signs and seals. Quickly cutting
one of them open, he disclosed largo
bundles) of money. It took a half hour
to count this out nnd ascertain that
there was $30,000 In the lot. Fifteen
thousand dollars In large bills wero
placed In the hands of Danny, who
hurried away.' In five minutes tho
old Mils of perfectly good money
WW
COUNT THIS."
were divided Into three packages of
equal amounts and tied up into neat
paper-bound parcels on the roll-top
desk.
.Just at that moment there was a
knock on the locked door of the of
tlee and Cleland slammed down tho
top of the desk nnd kicked the waste
paper underneath before ho went to
answer the summons.
"It was only a customer looking for
my friend," he remarked, as he re
turned und raised the top of the desk,
disclosing the three neatly tied par
cels. "Y'oii fellows had better take
your bundles and separate. Wo will
all meet at the hotel for dinner."
Solomon and Floyd, acting like two
conspirators, agreed to take separate
conveyances uptown to their hotel and
to meet there later and drink to their
good luck.
Two hours later, when Floyd had
not put In appearHiiee. Solomon began
to feel nervous. Ho was afraid some
thins had happened to Floyd nnd Cle
hind, but for another half hour he
did not suspicion anything further,
and then he suddenly decided to go to
his room and investigate his newly
acquired wealth.
"Stung!" yelled Solomon when he
undid the parcel and found a tightly
bound package of tissue paper with a
dollar bill on each outer side. "And 1
never once thought of the old greeo
goods game!"
tCopvUM. bv V. n. rimpriian.)
lv.'oji Tlulii Ir Un it lit. tain.)
Angel Paradise
Dy Ccorge Edwin Hunt
(Copyright, by J. H. Upplncott Co.)
Lonesome Llnthleum ui.a I sat In
comfortable leather chairs before the
open fireplace in the dub rotundu.
The talk had been of Paradise
Paradise, Arizona, where Lonesome
had spent some years as cow-puncher
nnd miner before he made his
stake. In his hand was a letter from
Pig Pill Jerultian, an old comrade of
those days, now known as the Hon.
William Jernlgun, member of con
gress from the sovereign state of
Montaun. Lonesome was reminiscent,
and when oLnesome is reminiscent it
behooved his friends to keep silence
nnd give heed. I knew my cue, and
this story wns my reward:
Tho Hon. William Jernlgan! Think
of It! Old long-legged Pig Pill Jernl
gan! Well, there's heaps worse ut
Washington. Did I ever tell you about
the time Pill and I made faces at each
other? No? It hnppened at Paradise.
You remember what Saturday was ut
Paradise. Town full of punches and
miners, the punchers and miners full
of liquor and devilment, and tho bar
tenders full of business. . PHI and I
had been up all night, bucking Three
Fingered Pete's furo game, nnd were
far from well. Pill made the bets and
I played look out for us. Things broke
bnd, und along about ten o'clock In
the morning we quit, nnd wero stand
ing at the bar. Pill had u grouch on
more than a foot thick, nnd at thnt
I think mine had his bent a block. So
It was Just perfectly natural that noth
ing cither of us said would suit tho
other. I expressed a desire for corned
beef hash and red pepper for break
fast, and what Pill said about my
gastronomic ideas was scandalous.
Thru Pill said he saw a fellow In a
stock company In Denver tho winter
before that was a better actor than
I'M win lioolh. I never know Kdwln
Pooth, but I resented Pill's slur on
his memory most deeply. Finally. Pill
said he could rope, throw nnd tie
more steers in ten minutes, j'lan'any
man in Arizona, and that settled It.
Stood There a Moment, Calmly Sur
veying Things.
I retorted some acrimonious. Pill was
not polite. Diplomatic relations were
busted, and one of us called the other
a liar. I don't remember which one
It was, but that makes no difference
now. ,
The room was full of the tyoys,
some playing cards arid Bouie at the
bar, where Three Fingered Pete and
Dutch Henry were 'serving drinks.
When Pill and I stepped back 'and
dropped our hands to our guns, they
all respected our feelings nnd acted
according. Dutch and Pete flopped
to the floor behind the bar. Seven or
eight of the boys broke for the safe.
Now, make no mistake but you
won't, because you knew those boys.
They wasn't afraid; you couldn't
scaro those fellows. Put they had
sense. If Pill and I had a difference
of opinion, that was our business, not
theirs. And If we wanted to settle
it by shooting holes In each other,
that also was our business. So they
durked.
I knew there wasn't any use trying
to fool around and shoot Pill in the
leg or arm. I'd seen Pill shoot when
he thought he had to shoot, and under
those circumstances Pill shot straight
and quick, mind you, mighty quick.
So I decided the only thing that
would leave me behind to herd the
elusive maverick nnd eat the base
born hominy and hog was to beat him
to it, and I had a sneaking notion that
I was just a little bit quicker on the
draw and pull than he was.
We stood there maybe ten seconds
it seemed to me like un hour look
ing each other in the eye, both crazy
mad. Well, my nerves would have
twisted up In little knots in about live
seconds more, and I would have prob
ably done something foolish and Hill
would have potted me. but Just before
I blew up a voice at the saloon door
said: "Hello!" roft and sweet, and
"retardo" on the "lo."
Now, if that had been a man's
voice neither of us would have paid
any attention to It, or else we would
have both turned in and licked the
everlasting duylights out of him for
Interfering with two gentlemen who
were trying to settle a scientific differ
enceaccording to how mad we were.
Put it wasn't. On the contrary, quite
the reverse. I saw Pill's glance waver,
nnd I knew Pill couldn't phoot a man
that wasn't looking, any more than he
could weur a stiff collar; so, my curi
osity being some aroused, 1 turned
toward the door.
I almost hate to tell you, it was so
lovely. There on the tor steu. Just
Inside the screen door, was the sweet
est, cleanest, prettiest girl bab you
ever saw. All dressed up In a white
lawn suit, with a blue sash, white
half-hose that showed her dimpled
knees and fat little legs, white shoes,
and a white bonnet with a lace frill
around the front, tied under her dim
pled chin with a big white ribbon.
(ee! but she was the prettiest little
thing thnt ever struck Arizona, bar
none. I took one look and said:
"Angel, angel!" You see, I went daffy
at once.
"Hollo!" she repeated as she looked
round the room. "It Is a game? Oh
I see. I spy!" Then she puddled over
to the end of the bar, pointed one fat
little finger at Pap Johnson behind
the ice-box, shouted gleefully: "I
spy!" nnd ran to Pill Jernlgan. She
slapped old PHI on his chap-covered
legB and said:
"One, two, free for you! Now you
are It! All the reB' is home free."
Then sho threw both arms around
Pill's left leg and waited for the boys
to come "home." Y'ou ought to have
seen Pill. He looked at me sort of
dazed like, then looked down at the
baby, then looked away far off some
where, and Bald In a faint whisper:
"Well, I'm darned!" And if he said It
once he said it 20 times. Just stood
there like a human hitching post and
phonograph combined and said:
"Well, I'm darned!"
The boys all gathered round from
their safety corners, looking as sheep-
tsh as if tho teacher had caught them
chewing gum, but I was too much in
terested In Angel to pay any atten
tion to them then. I always was fond
of dogs and children and things like
that. I knelt down, so as to get some
where nenr on a level with that little
white bonnet, nnd asked:
"Whose little girl are you, honey?"
"Mamma's," was the prompt reply.
"I'd bet a stack of blue on that,"
said I. "Put what's your name?"
"Anna Louise, thank you."
"You're welcome. All right. I'll
believe that, even. Anna Louise goes
with me, but Anna Louise what?"
"Nulnn. Jes' Anna Louise."
"And where is mamma?"
"Oh, she's right over there;" and
she waved her hand vaguely around
to embrace 'most three-quarters of the
compass. Then Bhe proposed breath
lessly: "Le'B play 'Lunnon Bridge."
It's the mos'est fun!"
We told her we would like to but
thnt wo hud forgotten how.
Pill then Bwung her up on the bar
and gravely asked her w hat shj would
have to drink.. She wanted soda-water
and we all took the same, although
some of the boys objected.
When tho drinks were all In hand I
got on a chair and made an eloquent,
ornate and highly popular speech, in
which 1 said that never before had
I seen the wisdom of naming bur
thriving municipality "Paradise,"' and
that at times it had Beemed to me
the party or parties naming It must
have gotten mixed on their Scripture
or else have waxed sarcastic; but that
now a great light, the bright white
light of truth, had busted in on my
alleged Intellect, and Illuminated the
Inmost recesses of an ever sluggish
mind ("Hear, hear!" from the boys).
An Angel had come to Paradise, I said,
a sweet little angel straight . from
heaven, or St. Louis, or somewhere.
Her given name might be Anna Louise,
as she told us, but it so It was a mis
take. - Angel she wns. und An eel she
must be. And inasmuch as she had
no other name, according to her own
statement, a statement I presumed no
gentleman present would doubt (loud
cries of "No, no!" from the boys). I
took the liberty of giving her the
name of the fair city she had honored
with her presence, and proposed a
toast to "Angel Paradise."
Well, you never saw a toast excite
such enthusiasm certainly not one
drunk In Bodu-watcr.
As we finished the drink, the door
opened with some violence, and a chap
rushed In, clad in spats, a white waist
coat, a stiff collar, a derby hat, and
some other useless outer habiliments.
His glance fell on Angel, and he
yelped: "Me child, me child!"
Angel Btood there on the bar, wav
ing a chubbv .and. and said: "Hello
Iop!" '
After he had calmed down, he In
troduced himself as Mr. Haw thorne of.
Boston, who was touring Arizona for
his wife's health. Ho explained they
had stopped at the Cowboy's Retreat
for a few hours' rest, and Angel had.
wandered away.
So Pill turned to Angel and Bald:
"Come, sister, get on my shoulder, and
it's us for mamma." Then he swung
Angel up and strode out of the saloon.
Papa introduced us to mamma nnd
explained we were friends of his that
bad found Angel and looked after her.
They were Just starting for Tucson la
the hotel surry, and we were soon
forced to say good by to our little
Angel Paradise. The blessed little
baby patted old Pill on the cheek and
said: "I love 'oo," and then, seelug I
looked disappointed, which I was, Bhe
graciously said: "An" 'oo, too. An' all
of 'oo," as she took us all In with a
wave of the hand. And the last we
saw of her she was flirting mamma's
handkerchief from tho back of the
surrey as it disappeared in the dust
around the bend.
On our way back to Pete's, BUI
put his arm around my shoulders and
Bald: J
"Lonesome, I'm some fond of red
pepper on hash myself."
1 grinned a little and he went on:
','And Iorfeaome, como to think II
over, that follow was a rotten bad
actor, anyhow."
We had reached Pete's and wera
just going In when ho squeezed me a
ilttlo:
"Furthermore, Lonesome, when I
wus talkln' about ropln' steers I ex
cepted you In my mind all the time."
And we never did finish that fltfhA
rv
