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Show MISTOOK HIS MAN. A Cautious American Tourist and His Traveling Companion. A cautious American, traveling from Paris to Nice some years ago, found a stranger in the compartment in which he had secured a berth, "Are you Mr. -?" said the stranger. , The American, in surprise, answered affirmatively. "Ha!" said the stranger, "I inquired at the booking office who was to be my traveling companion." The American realized that this was no ordinary man, and soon found himself him-self almost hypnotized b ythe stranger's stran-ger's commanding eye. When the man proposed cards, the American suspected that he was a professional pro-fessional gambler. He made many excuses, ex-cuses, finally saying that he cared for none of the games which his compan-i compan-i ion suggested. "All right," was the discomforting reply, "we'll play anything you like." When the American mentioned an obscure ob-scure French game, which he hoped the other would not know, and found his suggestion taken up eagerly, he was more than ever suspicious. "But," asked the American, "do you know how to play it?" "No," was the reply, "but you can teach me." The American now had little doubt that the man was a card expert, looking look-ing for a victim, but, as no suggestion of high stakes was made, he concluded to venture, and after some hours' playing play-ing had seen nothing on the part of his fellow passenger that loked like cheating. cheat-ing. But w hen next morning his companion compan-ion suggested that they play again to while away the time, the American grew suspicious again and pleaded a headache. When they entered the station at Nice, the man handed the American his card. It bore the name of Lord Russell of Killowen, lord chief justice of England. Youth's Companion. |