. I asked him what limit
he was going to deal. He said, "If any of you put too much on a
card, I'll tell you." A good many of the passengers changed in,
and he had a lively game. I stood alongside of him, so I could
look down into the deck; and when I saw white show, I would copper
in the big square, and my partner would play the other end and
middle open--for when the white showed, it would be an ace or deuce.
In this way we got the old fellow rattled. He changed decks every
deal, but had the same bad luck. We finally broke him, and then
won his tools. We returned the latter, paid his passage to
Shreveport, and gave him $50. After breaking up the faro man, I
said, "Gentlemen, I have a game here in which I only need three
cards." I opened out, had a fine play, and took in all the money,
watches, and pistols that they had. We were then ready to light
out, as we had won $2,000 from the old faro dealer, and about
$1,200, besides the watches and pistols, at monte. We bid the boys
good-bye, and got off at Baton Rouge.

STOLEN MONEY.

I landed at Natchez one evening just after dark, on the steamer
_General Quitman_. Some one told me that a lady had been robbed
of $3,500 that day by some smart thieves. They had watched her go
into the bank and draw the money, and then walk over to her carriage,
a short distance from the bank. One of the crooks took off his
hat, put a pen behind his ear, ran over to the carriage, and said:
"Madam, you must excuse me, for I have made a mistake in the money
I gave you. You need not get out, but sit still; I will go back
and rectify it." She handed him the money, never to see it or him
again. After we backed out from Natchez, I opened out my wheel in
the barber shop. The passengers came in and played until 1 A. M.,
when I closed up. While I was packing up my wheel, a fellow came
to me and said, "I've got a man with me who has got about $1,700,
and I want him to lose it. He loves to play poker; do you think
you can beat him?" "Oh, yes," I replied, "I can come pretty near
doing it." He said, "I want half, as he is a thief, and no good.
I had to divide $3,500 with him that I got in Natchez to-day."
"Well, bring him to me, and I will try it;" and he did so. I was
not long in doing him up for his part of the stealings. I divided
with the other thief, and then opened out my rouge et noir game.
The other fellow dropped in, and I won his part of the money, so
I had it all. I