The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

% q _ of J Me ee Tie ae ‘ oe va , + a idl . ‘ 9 al ~ i od ‘ " | NA i ivrret pe ah ie an ws (Oe a i hi woos. ir ri ales , b — Ae ' * a Wy mt - 4) c? yi Py ‘ oF fe x ytd . 4 f.! re-rith ‘ ’ * af ‘) 4 4 + #° a \ ¥, Ti i y ¥ _- i i ; A : ’ * neg ey : ' »* ‘ } THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. 83 It seemed as if the game might be the very same one. The oaths, the exclamations of chagrin or pleasure, the shuffling of the cards, seemed the same done over again. And no wonder. ‘The same men played the same game day after day and month after month, except when a more unfortunate rascal than his fellows was caught by the law and retired from society for a time. , | Even then the vacant place was filled and the game went on with a laugh for the comrade who was taking his enforced vacation. So they sat one warm, summer afternoon. ‘“ Ah, good-day, mes amis. At it still, eh?’ ‘‘ Bras-de-Fer! Bras-de-Fer!”’ The welcoming shout rose, and every man turned in his chair to hail the masterful fellow who lost his money so cheerfully. } One man only sat still and said nothing. | It was Tete-de-Fer, who was wondering what had hap- pened to bring the detective there. Bras-de-Fer caught his eye. | | ‘ “« Aha, my iron-headed comrade, you are here, then! They told me you had been studying the banking system too hard, and were sick abed in consequence.” A quickly hushed laugh followed this reference to Tete- -de-Fer’s capture and imprisonment. . The crowd dared to langh when Bras-de-Fer joked, but. they stopped when ‘Fete-de-Fer glanced angrily around the table. “Yes, Tam here; and I may as well tell you I do not like such jokes.” aya The men about the room looked at each other. ‘Tete-de- Fer was more dreaded, though less feared, than Bras-de- Fer. The two had always been friendly. Were they going to have arow now? They waited for the strong man’s an- swer. ‘It was a joke then, eh? I’m glad to know that, for I was afraid, when I looked at your head, that you really had had a bad fever.” Tete-de-Fer’s head still showed the marks of the prison barber. | | Nobody laughed this time, excepting Bras-de-Fer, who _ seemed to enjoy his jest very much. Everybody looked to eat kt) Goimicbooks:co