e; you were trying to steal it."

Three or four of his friends at that arose, and I knew that war
was in sight; so I slipped my big gun into my overcoat pocket, and
expected h--l. But just then somebody yelled "Monte!" and the mate
coming up, the facts of the case were stated to him, and he said,
"Everybody must keep quiet." Bill of course cleaned the crowd out,
and reached the wharf-boat with a large roll of the good green
stuff; but he did not keep it long, for Jack Armstrong, of Louisville,
was lying there in wait for him to play casino at $50 a game.

MONUMENTAL GALL.

There are some men who, when they are caught once, like burned
children ever after dread the fire. Others there are who have such
overweening confidence in their own smartness that their lives are
nothing but a series of losses. Canada Bill and myself were nearing
Magnolia, about a hundred miles above New Orleans, when Bill opened
up his three cards. It was not long before a crowd gathered about
to witness the sport. One large man in particular watched the play
as a hawk does a chicken. This I was not slow to perceive; so
turning to Bill, I said, "What'll you bet I can't turn the baby?"

"$1,000 that no man can turn it."

I pulled out a roll that looked like $1,000, though it was not;
for we had been playing bank, and were nearly busted.

Bill won, and I lost. Then he said, in his screechy voice, "By
golly! you see I've got two cards to your one, and can win every
time."

The big fellow was getting terribly worked up, for he knew that
the corner of the baby card was turned up. Then he commenced
getting out his money, and I was soon by his side.

"Can you guess it?" I innocently asked. "If you can, tell me, so
I can get even."

But he was too selfish, and proposed to win it all. He offered to
bet $100, but Bill wouldn't have anything but a thousand-dollar
bet. Up went the money quicker than you could say Jack Robinson.

The result is easily foreshadowed. The man turned up the wrong
card. He made a grab, however, for the money, but I was in a second
between him and the stuff, so that Bill got there first.

"There's going to be trouble, Bill," I whispered. "Get off."

He lost no time in obeying. The train was just leaving the station.
The fat man followed, and chased Bill around the car. Bill jumped
back; so did the fat man. Then Bill slid off again, but the fat
man was at his heels. This could not last long. Bill's s