Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1889 — TARRYING WITH FLUIDS [ARTICLE]

TARRYING WITH FLUIDS

BY JOHN STEPHENS.

James Drummond sat at thedining-table of the Grand Pacific Hotel. His neighbors, two gentlemen of strikingly handsome appearance, made ’themselves particularly agreeable. A waiter brought a telegram addressed to James Drummond, the address on which be read in an audible voice. The two gentlemen exchanged 'Significant glances. One of them, Col. Lamont, a large ■portly man with a fund of anecdote and an unctuous laugh, renewed his attentions to Mr. Drummond, at whose jokes he gave the ready compliment of the laugh. The other guest at the table was Charles Burrows, tail, thin, and refined, with a pleasant smile, though into his eyes at ■times would come a hungry, keen look ■that was not altogether pleasant. Both gentlemen were evidently old friends, and judging by their conversation -were capitalists who had many dealings ■together in cattle and real estate. Whenever Drummond asked a question or made a remark they listened witu respectful attention. He came to the conclusion that they were by long odds the most •pleasant and well-bred gentlemen he had •met since his arrival in the West. After a cigar in the office a game of cards to pass away the time was suggested ■by the Colonel, to which proposition Drummond readily acceded. It was a pleasant game, and after a few amusement Mr. burrows pulled out his watch and remarked: “Colonel, business before pleasure. You know we are to be up early to-morrow to meet William-on at the stock yards and -close that deal.” “Ye«, I had forgotten about that. Mr. Drummond, we shuli be- pleased to meet yon some othor evening, when we have no early engagement in the morning, but .you will have to excuse us now, and give •as our revenge at some other time.” Drummond retired with his winnings, which were not very extensive, and left, his ■card-table eompamous cogitating evidently over some important matter of "Colonel, I think, by the looks of things, that the game is working to peifectiou.” “Veq Charlie, and that was a good move of yours to dismiss him early. Business before pleasure, you know.” At this recollection the Colonel gave a hearty laugh, and, lighting a cigar, proceeded to deal from the pack of cards. “I have got it at my finger ends—can do it every time,” he exclaimed. ■"Yes,” was the response from his comrpnnion, “you are all right if you keep •sober; but you make a most bungling mess •of it when you indulge in iquor. The Colonel tiltea his cigar and ex--claimaed, “Now, Charlie, give us a rest -on lecturing. Didn’t I tell you he was • the man? You saw by the telegram that ibis name was James Drummond. He is ifche cattle-king of Montana and takes a pride in his prowess at the card table. Few of the men in the Rockies, I am told, can get away with him. But it’s my opinion that with your aid, my dear Charlie, we will show him the higher mathematics of poker and give him a college degree •that will cost—well, considerable." “There is one thing that struck me as -unaccountable,” said Burrows, “that when we got into a discussion on cattle, 1 mentioned the stock-yards, and the deal we were having on hand, he took but ilittle notice and conducted himself like a ■man who was in no wise interested.” “There he showed his shrewdness,” said £he Colonel. “You don’t think he was going lo enter into anv discus-ion with us when he supposed by our conversation that we were in the same trade. These cattlemen are not in the habit of giv.ng their business away. ” Here a tap was heard on the door, and in response to the cheerful “come in” of Mr. Burrows the door opened and a beautiful girl of about ten came bounding in And threw herself into his arms. “Oh, papa!” she exclaimed, bieathlessly, Mrs. Randolph has asked me to go to the •matinee to-morrow afternoon. May I go?" “Yes, you may, but don’t let your foolish little tongue run away with your good sense, and you mustn’t let late hours and •dissipation take the bloom off your which you acquired on our ranch in Mon*tana.”

“Oar ranch in Montana!” exclaimed the igirl, in astonishment. “Charlie,” said the Colohel, in a distone, “that game wont work. '.There is too much truth in those eyes. ” “Yon were too young, my dear, to re’member,” continued Burrows, taking no notice of the Colonel’s remonstrance, “but you had many happy r’avs in the far West on our ranch, where the cattle, like those of Sciiptnre, were on a thousand hills. If Mrs. Randolph asks you any questions -about me, say that your father is a large -dealer in cattle, and what I tell you is so, - because I say it’s so.” The girl looked incredulous, but kissing . her papa good-night, said, artlessly: “I don’t recollect, papa, of being on a ranch, but I know I was there because dear, kind old papa knows best where I was long ago. ” After she was gone the two men put on their overcoats and left the hotel by the Jackson street entrance. Next evening at dinner f Drummond found himself in the company of the interesting companions of evening, and, after cigars, accompanied them do their rooms. The game was a little more interesting

to him, and about nine o’clock he found himself about $250 out of pocket, but fortunately a waiter brought a telegram which required his immediate presence at the Sherman House on a matter of business. He arose, and explaining that he could not afford himself the pleasure of spending a longer time in such agreeable company, bat promising to take his revenge next evening, bowed himself out. “Deuced unlucky,” growled the Colonel. “I was in the best possible shape and could deal ont any hand to order. I could see he was getting hot at losing, and I was on the point of proposing in a careless way to double the stakes.” “Wo have got him fast,” responded Burrows, “and to-morrow night we will open the game in good earnest. Funds are getting short, as I have some bills to meet, and we must replenish our bank account. Suppose you let me have $200?” The Colonel consented, and Burrows, after placing it in the bureau drawer, put the key under a mat on the mantlepiece. “Guess I’ll go down to Jim’s, on Clark street, ” yawned the Colonel, ‘and try my luck. ” “ See that you let the fluid on the sideboard alone and you will be sure to come out all right.” “There, you are lecturing again,” pettishly responded the Colonel. “Don’t you suppose that I’m man enough to do a thing when I say I’ll doit?” “ Give me your hand on it and I’ll go with you. ” This the Colonel did, and after a lengthened period the two men returned with considerable winnings, and to the S2OO in the bureau over S7OO as Burrows’ share was added. “Now,” he soliloquized as he retired for the night, “I have enough to send Ada to school and pay her bills. She won’t have to live longer with her crabbed aunt whom she detests. This is a great relief to my mind. Now I’jn in magnificent shape to tackle the cattle king to-morrow night. I hope the Colonel will keep to his promise, but I didn’t like the longing looks he cast on the sideboard this evening. ”

After transacting business Drummond returned to his hotel and turned into bed sincerely hoping that luck would befriend him when next ho played with his interesting friends. The Colonel, who had all his life indulged in stimulants, felt their need. He awoke about noon and atter breakfast strolled down to the gambling den where he had spent the previous evening. Luck favoied him at first, but he soon lost Leavily. The tempting sideboard allured him. He drank. Kept on drinking and losing. His was a temperament that one drink acted on him like a lighted match to a hay stack. Soon every cent wus gone. After watching the other players gloomily for some time he sprang up with a fiown, as if he had formed a disagreeable resolution, returned to the hotel, passed Drummond, who wasstmding in the porch, with a burned bow, went to Burrows’ room, unlocked the bureau and look SSOO, leaving but $450 in the drawer. Drummond stood watch at the Postoffice in a contemplative mood, and in an abstracted way g.zed at a girlish figure crossing over, bite looked up and waved her hand gracefully to some one in the hotel, and while so doing did not perceive the rapid approach of a team driven by a man evidently in an intoxicated Btate. Drummond at once saw the danger, and, da Ling over, felt the hot breath of the horses in his face, but was just in time to seize the girl and drug her out of the way, hut not before the muddy wheels had soiled her dress. He bore the terrified child into the hotel, and at the ladies’ entrance encountered the pale face of Mr. Burrows, who, exclaiming, “Thunk God, my girl is safe!” turned to her rescuer and was profuse in his thanks.

Speaking to the clerk shortly afterward, ho mentioned the occurrence, and asked the official if he would mention the affair to tie reporters, stating in effect that James Drummond, the great Montana cattle king, had rescued the daughter of Charles Burrows, a prominent ranchman of the same State, from being run over, and that both were guests of the hotel. “James Drummond, of Montana, ” said the clerk, “left here two days ago. We have a James Drummond stopping here but he is a commercial traveler who represents a New York iron firm. There he is coming out of thn waiting-room.’’ Mr. Burrows was dumfounded at the information. The game of fleecing a cattle king could not be played, and all he and his partner had accomplished was to get $250 out of a drummer, who could ill afford such a loss, nnd who had rescued his child from a horrible death. “The strong hours conquer ns,” said Schiller. Reparation must be made, and he quickly devised a plan to accomplish liis object. 11c had nearly SBOO in the buroau, and the Colonel had almost as much. He had sufficient to pay his bills and send his daughter to school. He determined to invite Drummond up that evening and by methods at which he was an expert allow him to win back the $250 he had lost. He noticed at dinner that the Colonel was very flushed,and uneasy, and showed evident signs that he had been indulging. “His condition chimes in excellently well with my plan. I shall row have no difficulty in carrying it out, ” he said to himself.

The Colonel took a hand and intimated that the time had come for business. Somehow his combination failed to work, and Drummond was soon a winner to an amount equivalent to his previous losses. The Colonel, with nn oath, threw down the cards and staggered to his room. This broke up the game and Burrows, after again thanking Drummond for saving his child, bid him a kindly goodnight, remarking: “My dear fellow, we must not play any more. The Colonel and I can aftord such trifling losses, which only tend to make the game interesting, but you are not in a position to take such risks.” Drummond retired, feeling the force of the remark, and after his departure Burrows examined the bureau-drawer and found that he had but little over S2OO left. He rushed to the Colonel’s room and demanded an explanation. The Colonel confessed that he had fallen from grace, but tried to soothe the matter by informing Burrows that they would work Drummond next evening for a big stake. “Look here, Colonel,’’said Burrows,in a hoarse voice, “all connection with us ceases from this time. You go your way and I’ll go mine. That man is not a cattle king but a commercial traveler. This as-

ternoon he saved my child. I saw you were intoxicated to-night, and worked your combination in his favor. My act and your breach of promise has left me but S2OO to face the world on; but I would do precisely what I have done to-night if it left me penniless. ”