his affair. For perhaps ten minutes he looked on while the sheep-
shearing proceeded.

After a time there came a lull and the dealer raised his voice to
entice new patrons. Meanwhile, he paused to roll a cigarette the
size of a wheat straw. While thus engaged there sounded the hoarse
blast of a steamer's whistle in the offing and he turned his head.
Profiting by this instant of inattention a hand reached across the
table and lifted one of the walnut-shells. There was nothing under
it.

"Five bucks on this one!" A soiled bill was placed beside one of
the two remaining shells, the empty one.

Thus far Phillips had followed the pea unerringly, therefore he
was amazed at the new better's mistake.

The dealer turned back to his layout and winked at the bystanders,
saying, "Brother, I'll bet you ten more that you've made a bad
bet." His offer was accepted. Simultaneously Phillips was seized
with an intense desire to beat this sharper at his own game;
impulsively he laid a protecting palm over the shell beneath which
he knew the little sphere to lie.

"I'll pick this one," he heard himself say.

"Better let me deal you a new hand," the gambler suggested.

"Nothing of the sort," a man at Phillips' shoulder broke in. "Hang
on to that shell, kid. You're right and I'm going down for the