Luck and Pluck 54

Luck and Pluck 54

"You have done wisely, Mr. Hall," said Mr. Bradley. "I have no further

business with you."

 

"I shall leave Wilton to-morrow, Mrs. Berry," said Hall. "I must ask

you to get somebody else in my place."

 

"I will pay you to-night whatever wages are due you" said the lawyer,

"in behalf of Mrs. Berry."

 

"But how shall I manage about the store?" asked Mrs. Berry.

 

"I will take charge of it, aunt," said John, promptly, "if you will get

some one to assist me."

 

"Very well, John; but I am afraid it will be too much for you."

 

"Never fear, aunt; I haven't been in the store long, but I've learned a

good deal about the business."

 

Hall was paid, and that was the last that was seen of him. He went away

in the stage the next morning, and it is to be hoped that he has found

out that honesty is the best policy.

 

After he had left the room, Mr. Bradley advanced to Mrs. Berry, and,

grasping her hand, said, cordially:--

 

"I congratulate you on the new and improved look of your affairs."

 

"It has lifted a great weight from my mind," said the widow. "Now I

feel sure that I shall be able to get along, especially with John's

help. He was the first to suspect Mr. Hall of attempting to cheat me."

 

"You ought to be a lawyer, John," said Mr. Bradley. "You have shown

that you have a good head on your shoulders."

 

"Perhaps I may be one some time," said John, smiling.

 

"If you ever do, my office is open to you. Good-night, Mrs. Berry;

we've done a good evening's work."

 

The next day John undertook the chief management of his aunt's store.

He engaged James Sanford, who had had some experience in another town,

to help him, and things went on smoothly for a few weeks. At the end of

that time John received an important letter from Hampton.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXX.

 

A DANGEROUS ACQUAINTANCE.

 

 

While John was attending to his aunt's interests at Wilton, important

events were occurring at Hampton.

 

It has already been stated that Ben Brayton was accustomed to spend

most of his time in lounging at the tavern, or in a billiard saloon

close by. It was at the latter place that he had the privilege of

forming an acquaintance with Arthur Winchester, a young man from the

city of New York (or so he represented). He was dressed in the extreme

of the fashion, sported a heavy gold chain, wore a diamond ring, and

carried a jaunty cane. I cannot guarantee the genuineness of the gold

or the diamond; but there was no one in Hampton who could distinguish

them from the real articles.

 

The appearance of Mr. Arthur Winchester created something of a

sensation among the young men of Hampton, or at least that portion

who aspired to wear fashionable clothes. Mr. Winchester's attire was

generally regarded as "nobby" in the extreme.

 

They exhibited an elegance which the highest efforts of the village

tailor had never succeeded in reaching. Forthwith the smart young men

in Hampton became possessed with the desire to have their clothes made

in the same faultless style, and Mr. Winchester was accommodating

enough to permit the village tailor to take a pattern from his garments.

 

Among those who gazed with admiration at the new-comer was Ben Brayton.

He was the first, indeed, to order a suit like Mr. Winchester's, in

which, when obtained, he strutted about proudly, arm in arm with the

young man himself.

 

Various circumstances served to strengthen the intimacy between the

two. In the first place neither had any weighty occupations to prevent

their drinking or playing billiards together, and it chanced after a

time that this became a regular business with them.

 

Ben Brayton was an average player, and appeared nearly equal to his new

friend. At all events, in the friendly trials of skill that took place

between them, Ben came off victorious perhaps a third of the time.

 

"Come, Ben," said Winchester, one morning, "this is slow. Suppose we

make the games a little more exciting by staking a little on the game."

 

[Illustration]

 

"You're a better player than I am, Winchester," said Ben.

 

"Not much. You beat me pretty often. However, I'll give you twenty

points, and stake a dollar on the game."

 

"I don't mind," said Ben. "A dollar isn't much."

 

"Agreed."

 

The game was played, and, counting the twenty points conceded, Ben came

off victorious by five points.

 

He pocketed the dollar with a sense of elation.

 

"Will you have another?" he asked.

 

"Of course I will. I'm bound to have my revenge."

 

The second game was played, and likewise terminated in Ben's favor.

He pocketed the second dollar with satisfaction. He had never found

billiards so interesting.

 

"Come, Brayton, this won't do. I didn't think you were so good a

player. You'll clean me out at this rate."

 

"Oh, I only happened to be lucky," said Ben, in high good humor. "Shall

we try it again?"

 

Of course they tried it again, and spent nearly the entire day in the

same way. Fortune veered about a little, and Ben came out minus three

dollars.

 

"Never mind, Brayton, you'll get it back to-morrow," said Winchester,

as they parted.

 

So Ben thought, and the furor of gaming had already taken such

possession of him that he got up unusually early, anxious to get at the

fascinating game.

 

So matters went on for a week. They never exceeded one dollar as

stakes, and played so even that Ben was only ten dollars behindhand.

This he paid from his allowance, and so far from being satiated with

the game could hardly restrain his impatience till Monday morning

should give him a chance of playing again.

 

It is perhaps needless to say that Ben had fallen into dangerous

company. Mr. Arthur Winchester was really a far superior player, and

eventually meant to fleece Ben out of his last dollar. But he did not

wish to arouse suspicion of his intentions, and "played off," as the

saying is, and thus had no difficulty in luring Ben on to the point at

which he aimed.

 

At the end of the second week Ben was only five dollars behind.

 

"You're gaining upon me," said Winchester. "You're improving in your

play."

 

"Am I?" said Ben, flattered.

 

"Not a doubt of it. I don't like to boast, but I am considered a

first-class player in the city, and, by Jove, you're almost even with

me."

 

Ben listened with gratification to this praise. He didn't doubt that

Winchester was the first-class player he represented, and in fact he

was a superior player, but he had never yet put forth his utmost skill.

He had only played with Ben, suiting himself to his inferior style of

playing.

 

Gradually Winchester suggested higher play.

 

"A dollar is nothing," he said. "Let us make it five."

 

Ben hesitated.

 

"That's a good deal to lose," he said.

 

"That's true, but isn't it as much to win? Come, it will make our games

more interesting, and you're as likely to come out ahead as I am."

 

"That is true," thought Ben.

 

"I'll tell you what," he said; "give me twenty-five points, and I'll do

it."

 

"Anything for excitement," said Winchester; "but we're so nearly

matched that you'll beat me twice out of three times on those odds."

 

Ben did beat the first game, and the exultation with which he pocketed

the stakes revealed to his experienced opponent that he had the game in

his hands.

 

Towards the middle of the afternoon Ben stood one game ahead. He was

flushed and excited by his success.

 

"I'll tell you what," said Winchester; "let's give up child's play and

have the real thing."

 

"What do you mean?" asked Ben.

 

"Let us stake fifty dollars, and done with it. That'll be something

worth playing for."

 

Ben started in surprise. The magnitude of the stake took his breath

away.

 

"I haven't got the money," he said.

 

"Oh, well, you can give me your note. I'll wait, that is, of course if

I win; but I am not so sure of that as I was. You're a pretty smart

player."

 

Ben did not hesitate long. He was dazzled by the idea of winning fifty