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Show 310 IUCHARD llURDlS. perhaps, we see not the hand that feeds us, and fancy all tl1e while that it is our own. You will be provided ·when you least look for it i and to conv ince you of the truth of what I say, let me tell you tlwt it is not in goodly counsel alone tlmt I would serve you, I will help you in other mnttcrs-I can help you to the means of life-nay, of wealth . Hal do you start? Do you wondCl' at what I say 1 " ' onder not-be not surprisedbe not rash-refuse not your bel ief, for of a truth, and by the blessing of God, will I do for you all that I promise, if so be that I can find you pliant nnd ·willing to strive for the goodly benefits w!Jich I slwll put before you." "\Vhat! you would make me a preacher, would you 1 You would have me increase the host of solemn bcggnrs that infest the country with stolen or silly exhortation~. stufl'ed with abused words, and full of oaths and blnsphcmy. But you arc mistaken in your man. I would sooner roL a fellow on the highway, than pilfer ft·om his pockets while I preach . None of your long ta lks for me - tell me now of some bold plan for taking Mexico, which, one day or other, the southwest will han to take, and I mn your man. I care not how bold your scheme there is no one so perfectly indifferent to the dnnger as he who can not suffer the loss of a s ingle sixpence by rope or bullet." "You do not say, my friend, that yon would willingly do such violence as this you speak of, for the lucre of gaiu. Sure· ly, you would not willingly slay yom brother for the sake of his gold 1" . "Ask me no questions, reverend sir," I re1Jlied, moodJ!y. "I am not in the humor to be catechized." "And yet, my friend," he continued, "I much fear me that your conscience is scarcely whnt it shoulcl be. This ';as my surmise to-day, as I beheld you with those tmllO ly cards m yo~r hands. Did I not sec you, while giv ing them that sort of d1s· tribution which is sinfully styled slndlHng-did I not see yon practising an art which is commonly lJCltl to Lc unftt ir atnOI~g men of play 1 IIa! my son-am I not right 1 have I not smitten you under tho fifth r ib 1" . 1 "And what should you, a preacher of tl1e gospel, as you cal yourself, what should you know about shuflling 1" u Preacher of the gospel I am, my friend," was his cool reply. DEEPER I~ THE PLOT. 311 "I am an C.\']Jounder of the Holy Scriptures, though it nwy be nn unworthy one. I have my license from tlte Alabama conference, f~r _tho year 18-, which, at n. convenient season, I am not nnwJIImg that you should sec. Y ct, though I am a preacher of the blessed word, I l1ave 11ot, :md t_o my shnme be it spoken, be~n always thu_s. In my youth, I am sad to say, I was n_mch g1ven to cam:tl mdulgencc, nnd mnny were the evil practJ~ es ?f my LodJ~· and many the evil devices of my heart. In tlus tunc of my 1gnorance and sin, 1 wns a great IoYer of these deadly instruments of evil; and, among my fellows, I was accounted a proficient, ~ble to tCI.lch in all the arts of play. It was thus that I ncqtured tl~e knowledge-knowledge which hurts~to se~ when thou clcsJgncdst a tr ick in wl1ich thou didst y:t f:Hl, to ~vm t.IJc money of thy fellow. I will show thee tlHlt tnck, my fncnd, that thou mayst know I tell thee 11 othin but the truth!' g . Here was a proposition from a p.1rson. I closed with him llll:itantly. "You will do me a great service, I assure you." "But,_my fr iend, you would not make use of thy knowledge to despoil thy fellow of Lis mouey 1" "Would I not 1 For what else would I know the art 'l" '.'But, if I could teach thee other and grouter arts t!Ja 1; tJ1ese -if I could show t~1ee how to make thy brother's purse tiline own, at once, and wtthout the toil of doling it out tlollnr by d lIar-! fear me, my friend, that thou wouldst apply this kno\\~1- e.dge also to purposes of ev il-that tl10u wouldst not regard t11e sm:ulness of such performances, in the strong desire of lucre winch I see is in thy heart-that thou wouldst seek an early ch~nce to put in prac~icc :he information which I give thee." em And. wherefore give 1t me, then 1 Of a certainty I would ploy 1t, as you see, to increase my means of life" "Alas! my friend, but thy necessity must b~ great, else w~!lid I loo_k upon thee with misgivings and much l10rror." Great, mdeed! I tell you, rcvcrcml sir, but that for your ~~~ng, it i~ ten to one I had sent a bullet through my own ' or buried myself in the wntcrs of the Higby" H Thou surely didst not meditate l.lll act so hcin~us." u Look here !" and I 8howed him my pistol as I spoke. He |