Steadman

“ But Ralston, feeling confident of his position, pushed in a brown—the first thousand-dollar bet he had ever made. The gamblers were watching them with interest.
"I win," said Steadman, shoving over a brown chip and throwing down a flush. "All sky blue."
"Sorry," answered Ralston, "three ladies and a little pair."
"Curse the luck," growled Steadman. "One more hand and I quit."
"Quit?" cried one of the men. "Why, the game's young yet. Nobody's won or lost anything to speak of. Don't go now! Mr. Sackett wants to play and he's got a lot of our money. We're entitled to our revenge." ”

“ Ralston had no time to study the men about him. He had recognized Steadman immediately, but it was apparent that Steadman himself was in no condition to recognize anybody. The boy sat limply in his chair with his head down and his eyes rolled toward the ceiling, apparently incapable of speech or action, yet suddenly returning to life and to complete lucidity at irregular intervals. Farrer he knew by reputation. The other three men were probably professional card sharps masquerading under the guise of men about town. ”

“ This time Ralston held nothing and declined to play, while Steadman won a small amount with two large pair. Each man had lying before him a pile of greenbacks held in place by a heavy paper weight of brass surmounted by an ash receiver, Steadman's pile being composed almost entirely of one-thousand-dollar bills. ”

“ One was of a young man—almost a boy—with a narrow, high-bred face, dark eyes, sallow, with a mouth curved like a woman's. The other was Dick Ralston, taken about five years before, although the high cheekbones, the gaunt energy, the mature thoughtfulness suggested a man much older. That she cared for Steadman there was no doubt in her own mind. Had she refused to admit it definitely heretofore, the fact that he was now on the verge of social and moral annihilation made it no longer a matter of question. She felt that Steadman's honor was at this moment the most vital thing in her existence. ”

“ He reached for the cards, but Steadman struck his hand away.
"Touch those cards if you dare!" he shouted, his eyes glaring. "Leave my cards alone!"
"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" exclaimed Farrer soothingly. "Of course, Mr. X can refuse to play if he likes. It's his privilege. Won't you change your mind? Well, take out your chip—nobody objects. Count it a dead hand."
"My chip stays in and I stay out," muttered Steadman.
Ralston saw a furtive look pass between two of the others. Farrer dealt the remaining cards and picked up his hand, grunting as he looked at his cards. The man next him swore softly. ”

“ But a new pack on a declaration that the game was going to end struck Ralston as curiously unnecessary. The air in the room was beginning to make his head swim, and a glance at his watch disclosed that it was half after five. It was time for him to get Steadman away, but how to do it?
"Hundred-dollar ante," said Farrer, shuffling the cards ostentatiously and dealing himself a jack. They each put in a blue. Steadman was helplessly fumbling his chips, counting and recounting them. Silence fell upon the table as Farrer tossed the cards accurately to each player. ”

“ The room swam before his eyes, and he groped for a chair. With the partial accomplishment of his object, and the consequent physical and mental relaxation, the fatigue of the pursuit and the nervous strain which he had been under took possession of him. He found the chair and sank into it, shutting out the light with his hand. Steadman called McCullough, who quickly brought him something to drink. Somewhat revived, Ralston staggered to his feet eager to escape from the warmth of the overheated room and to finish his task.
"Come along, Steadman. We haven't much time. Less than an hour." ”

“ Men were climbing upon tables to see what was going on. There was a deafening hubbub from the main hall, into which the crowd from the other room was pouring. Ralston was thinking as quickly as he could. He saw his whole public career shattered by a single blow. He saw Ellen's anxious face and heard her words: "Please find Steadman." He ground his teeth. The only clew to Steadman lay like a log before him, struck down by his own hand.
Some one in the back of the room shouted: "Send for the police—a man has been shot!" ”

“ Of what he should eventually do Ralston had no clear idea. It was obvious that the gang were not yet through with Steadman, and, moreover, that until Steadman wanted to go away he would stay where he was. He must fight for time and await his opportunity.
Farrer sat with his back to the door, the two chairs to his left being occupied by the gentlemen introduced as "Brown" and "Jones." Next to them and facing Farrer came Steadman, with "Robinson" between him and Ralston, who sat immediately to the right of Farrer and filled [Pg 213] the last seat. ”

“ Poor Colonel Gunton! I admit that his eccentric bidding startled me for a moment.
“You can understand Steadman's fury when, after all his plots and risks and expenditure, his silly dupe brought him back the identical imitation stone that had been made to deceive old Taubery. I don't believe that the Trojans could have been more astonished when the Greeks emerged from the wooden horse, than was Steadman when he took out the diamond from the toy and found it to be the imitation!”
“And who is Steadman?”
“A very dangerous fellow, Mr. Phillips. ”

“ I'm a dead one now!"
"Get up there!" returned Ralston. "I'll put you at the head of your company in forty minutes. Get up, I say."
"Don't be an ass, Rals'on!" snarled Steadman. "I'll do as I choose. I tell you it's too late!"
"It's nothing of the kind. Why, man, your uniform's all ready for you. They haven't started yet. Buck up!"
"You seem awful interested, it strikes me."
"Never mind that. Just be thankful some one cared enough to give you the tip. Come on now."
"I tell you it's too late. How the hell can I go—to war?" Steadman laughed in a sickly fashion. ”

“ Pearl had gone to the back of the room to speak to the old gardener from Steadman's farm, a shy old man, who just naturally sought the most remote corner for his own. Her affectionate greeting brought a glow into his face, that set Pearl's heart throbbing with joy:
"It's good to see you, Pearl," he said, "you look like a rose to me, and you don't forget an old friend."
Pearl held the hard old gnarled hand in her own, and her heart was full of joy. The exaltation of the day she rode home was coming to her. Love was the power that could transform the world. ”

“ She realized that she could never marry Steadman disgraced, yet she felt now that she loved him, and that could she see him and watch him start for the front with his regiment, she would promise him what he had asked.
She took Ralston's picture in her hand and held it to the light. It trembled a little. She knew she could have cared for him—but he was so stern, so strong, so capable. He had never treated her save as a sort of younger sister. She had often wondered if he cared or could care for any woman. ”

“ The Confederate authorities were equally anxious to retain possession to recruit their armies, secure the supplies which the country afforded, and bring every possible influence to bear upon the people to induce them to cast their fortunes with the South. To this end Colonel Porterfield, upon assuming command a few days prior to Steadman’s occupation of Parkersburg, had issued a high-flown proclamation to the people of Western Virginia. ”

“ True, but she had, of course, read about them, and about their author, and about their certain immortality; yet she was distinctly more interested in the tidings of Tom Steadman, a wretched dipsomaniac, than in the unparalleled news about Dale Bannister. In her heart she thought the Doctor a cleverer, as she had no doubt he was a better, man than the poet, and the nearest approach she made to grasping the real significance of the situation was when she remarked:
"It will be nice for him to find one man, at all events, who can appreciate him." ”

“ Steadman you will supply [Pg 36] him with a detachment of two guns, with the proper officers and men.
G. B. McCLELLAN,
Major General.
On this day the Fourteenth Ohio Infantry went by boat to Parkersburg, Virginia—the state of West Virginia had not then been formed—being the first Union force to occupy that place. Col. Steadman took possession without meeting any opposition worthy of mention. It was now reasonably certain that the artillery would very soon follow to take part in the campaign. Every man was directed to hold himself ready to be up and away at a moment’s notice. ”

“ Accepting the theory of the government that mere threats, unaccompanied by acts of a threatening nature, were irrelevant to the question of defendant's guilt, it is not easy to understand how the acts themselves could be made pertinent without testimony tending to show the reason why House had armed himself, and, with other parties, was scouring the country for Steadman. ”

“ He was at length startled by a loud rap upon the door, and quickly turning the sketch face downwards upon the table called to the visitor to come in. At once a young man entered, and cast a curious glance around the snug room.
"Mr. Steadman," he began, "you're wanted at the store. There's trouble on hand. Tim Fleeters had a poke of gold stolen from his cabin, and a miners' meeting has been called to see what's to be done."
"Certainly I will go," replied Keith. "Will you wait for me?" ”

“ Serge has, my dear Lucy, risen within these few last days to veneration. I have even neglected my bounden duty to my dear Sir Murdoch, in order to watch Mr. Serge in his solitary walks in the avenue. We understand each other. He talks to me of his idol Caroline: asks me a thousand questions about Mr. Hardcastle; and wonders that he never heard Counsellor Steadman mention so extraordinary a man! Then he stops, looks in my face, and says with a sigh, “What would I give to see my Caroline as healthy as you, Miss Cowley? But she is as good as you are. ”

“ I kept my eye on that Shepler land, though,"—something like life coming into his lack-lustre eye. "She's mismanaging the bottom fields terribly these late years. All in oats. But they'll bring in good returns some day, when they're properly worked. There's surface indications of oil along the creek, too."
"About your studies, Steadman?"
"I've read a bit here and there. I mean to go in training when I get my rights. Good God! the man I ought to be!"—suddenly putting his hand to his head. ”

“ I have no doubt of Counsellor Steadman’s having mentioned to Mr. Serge, the filial conduct of a young man who so completely won his good opinion, whilst he was with us.
The baronet, thinking it a good opportunity of paying off something from the score of “favours received,” persuaded me to take an airing with him after our guests were departed. We drove to Bishop’s-Auckland; for since Miss Leonora has made us acquainted with Mr. Type’s library, Sir Murdoch reads novels with the avidity and interest of a miss in her teens. ”

“ After a four-days' trip, without tents, we are once more in camp. Last Tuesday afternoon General Steadman ordered Colonel Bishop, of the 2d Minnesota, to take his regiment, a section of the 4th Regular Battery, under Lieutenant Stevenson, and six hundred of Johnson's 1st East Tennessee Cavalry, and proceed forthwith to Harpeth River. Anticipating a fight, I went with the detachment. As we passed through Nolinsville and Triune the few butternut inhabitants gazed with apparent envy at our well-clad soldiers. ”

“ To understand fully the force of the second error assigned, it is necessary to state so much of the evidence as exhibits substantially the case made out by the government. The evidence tended to show that the defendant and the deceased, Steadman, had agreed to go into the stock business together, and, upon the day of the murder, were endeavoring to rent a farm for the purpose of wintering their horses, and making a crop the following year. ”

“ So they got the parson to go, an' sich a laughin' an' shoutin' they made over it all at his expense. I didn't think so much about it then, but now it jist fairly makes me bile."
"Why, Mr. Steadman never said a word to us about it when he came to Siwash Creek," said Constance in surprise.
"Ay, is that so, miss? Waal, it's jist like 'im. Some 'ud have blabbed the whole thing, an' made a big story outer it. But not 'im. He's too much of a man fer that. He doesn't tell everything he knows, an' I reckon he has some good reason fer not tellin' that chap's name that died out in the Ibex cabin." ”

“ The dealer handed the remaining two men three cards each, Ralston took one, Farrer three, and the dealer one. Although our novice did not improve his hand, he raised a fifty-dollar bet made by the man upon his right by a blue chip. Farrer dropped out and the dealer raised Ralston another blue. The other two men dropped, and Ralston "saw" the dealer, who threw down a busted flush.
"Good work, old man!" exclaimed Farrer. "You're no sucker. Deal for Mr. X, there, Robinson."
"I can deal for myself, thanks," remarked Steadman, and indeed he managed to do so surprisingly well. ”

“ Then the organizer went to a telephone booth and called George Steadman, of Millford, requesting him to come at once to the city on important business.
CHAPTER XVIII THE WOMAN OF PURPLE SPRINGS None of us has lived long without discovering that everything he has he pays for; that every gain has a corresponding loss; that a development even of one of our own faculties, is at the expense of the others. ”