ough
to understand his point of view.

Haney went on. "I know all the tricks. I lairned them, not to use in the
game, but to keep them _out_ of the game. I had too much faith in me
luck to ever weaken."

"Did you never lose?" asked Ben.

"Many the time, indeed, but only for a short streak. Take this mine, for
instance. A man comes into me house full of confidence in himself,
plays, and goes broke. The fury of the game bein' in him, he says: 'I'll
put me prospect hole against five hundred dollars.' 'Roll the wheel,'
says I, and I won his hole in the ground. 'Twas me luck. That prospect
turned out a mine. 'Twas his luck to lose. He was a full-grown man; he
knew the game and went into it with his eyes open. Truth was, he
considered the mine a 'dead horse,' and was hopin' to take a fall out o'
me. Me little girl here is disturbed about the way the mine came to us,
but she needn't be. 'Twas all in the game. I'm sayin' 'twas in the game
that another crazy fool should blow me to pieces--I don't complain. I
take me chances. Now"--here he faced Ben, and his grave tone
lightened--"as I understand it, you're not a rich man?"

Ben flushed a little. "No, I haven't earned much so far; but it's up to
me to get busy."

"And ye expect to marry soon?"

This question sent a thrill to the heart of each of the three young
people listening--a thrill of fear, of doubt. And Ben said, slowly,
perceiving Haney's fatherly good-will: "Yes, we expect to set up
housekeeping, as the old-fashioned people say, as soon as Alice is a
little stronger."

"Very well, then," Haney went on like one who has made his point,
"here's _your_ chance. Your fee with me will pay your coal bills anyway.
We're likely to take a good dale of your time, but you'll lose nothing
by that."

Bertha, with big yearning eyes fixed upon Ben's face, waited in a quiver
of hope as he replied: "Of course, Captain Haney, I can't subscribe to
your defense of gambling, and if you were still a gambler, in the strict
sense of the word, I couldn't accept this position, for it is something
more than legal. But as you have given up all connection with cards and
liquor selling, I see no reason why I should not accept your
offer--provided I can be of service in the manner you expect." He looked
across the table at Bertha, and reading there the same entreaty which
she had expressed in the garden, he added, firmly and definitely: "Yes,
I will accept, and be very much obliged to you."