the gentle grafter-第13节

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years；　right　in　the　heart　of　the　wisest　old　village　on　earth；　ought　to
know　what　he's　about。　I　guess　I　can　tell　a　gentleman　from　a　con　man　or
a　flimflammer　when　I　meet　him。　I've　got　some　odd　change　in　my　clothes
enough　to　start　the　game　with；　I　guess。'

〃He　goes　through　his　pockets　and　rains　20　gold　certificates　on　the
table　till　it　looked　like　a　10；000　'Autumn　Day　in　a　Lemon　Grove'
picture　by　Turner　in　the　salons。　Andy　almost　smiled。

〃The　first　round　that　was　dealt；　this　boulevardier　slaps　down　his
hand；　claims　low　and　jack　and　big　casino　and　rakes　in　the　pot。

〃Andy　always　took　a　pride　in　his　poker　playing。　He　got　up　from　the
table　and　looked　sadly　out　of　the　window　at　the　street　cars。

〃'Well；　gentlemen；'　says　the　cigar　man；　'I　don't　blame　you　for　not
wanting　to　play。　I've　forgotten　the　fine　points　of　the　game；　I　guess；
it's　been　so　long　since　I　indulged。　Now；　how　long　are　you　gentlemen
going　to　be　in　the　city？'

〃I　told　him　about　a　week　longer。　He　says　that'll　suit　him　fine。　His
cousin　is　coming　over　from　Brooklyn　that　evening　and　they　are　going　to
see　the　sights　of　New　York。　His　cousin；　he　says；　is　in　the　artificial
limb　and　lead　casket　business；　and　hasn't　crossed　the　bridge　in　eight
years。　They　expect　to　have　the　time　of　their　lives；　and　he　winds　up　by
asking　me　to　keep　his　roll　of　money　for　him　till　next　day。　I　tried　to
make　him　take　it；　but　it　only　insulted　him　to　mention　it。

〃'I'll　use　what　I've　got　in　loose　change；'　says　he。　'You　keep　the　rest
for　me。　I'll　drop　in　on　you　and　Mr。　Tucker　to…morrow　afternoon　about　6
or　7；'　says　he；　'and　we'll　have　dinner　together。　Be　good。'

〃After　Whiskers　had　gone　Andy　looked　at　me　curious　and　doubtful。

〃'Well；　Jeff；'　says　he；　'it　looks　like　the　ravens　are　trying　to　feed
us　two　Elijahs　so　hard　that　if　we　turned　'em　down　again　we　ought　to
have　the　Audubon　Society　after　us。　It　won't　do　to　put　the　crown　aside
too　often。　I　know　this　is　something　like　paternalism；　but　don't　you
think　Opportunity　has　skinned　its　knuckles　about　enough　knocking　at
our　door？'

〃I　put　my　feet　up　on　the　table　and　my　hands　in　my　pockets；　which　is　an
attitude　unfavorable　to　frivolous　thoughts。

〃'Andy；'　says　I；　'this　man　with　the　hirsute　whiskers　has　got　us　in　a
predicament。　We　can't　move　hand　or　foot　with　his　money。　You　and　me
have　got　a　gentleman's　agreement　with　Fortune　that　we　can't　break。
We've　done　business　in　the　West　where　it's　more　of　a　fair　game。　Out
there　the　people　we　skin　are　trying　to　skin　us；　even　the　farmers　and
the　remittance　men　that　the　magazines　send　out　to　write　up　Goldfields。
But　there's　little　sport　in　New　York　city　for　rod；　reel　or　gun。　They
hunt　here　with　either　one　of　two　thingsa　slungshot　or　a　letter　of
introduction。　The　town　has　been　stocked　so　full　of　carp　that　the　game
fish　are　all　gone。　If　you　spread　a　net　here；　do　you　catch　legitimate
suckers　in　it；　such　as　the　Lord　intended　to　be　caughtfresh　guys　who
know　it　all；　sports　with　a　little　coin　and　the　nerve　to　play　another
man's　game；　street　crowds　out　for　the　fun　of　dropping　a　dollar　or　two
and　village　smarties　who　know　just　where　the　little　pea　is？　No；　sir；'
says　I。　'What　the　grafters　live　on　here　is　widows　and　orphans；　and
foreigners　who　save　up　a　bag　of　money　and　hand　it　out　over　the　first
counter　they　see　with　an　iron　railing　to　it；　and　factory　girls　and
little　shopkeepers　that　never　leave　the　block　they　do　business　on。
That's　what　they　call　suckers　here。　They're　nothing　but　canned
sardines；　and　all　the　bait　you　need　to　catch　'em　is　a　pocketknife　and
a　soda　cracker。

〃'Now；　this　cigar　man；'　I　went　on；　'is　one　of　the　types。　He's　lived
twenty　years　on　one　street　without　learning　as　much　as　you　would　in
getting　a　once…over　shave　from　a　lockjawed　barber　in　a　Kansas
crossroads　town。　But　he's　a　New　Yorker；　and　he'll　brag　about　that　all
the　time　when　he　isn't　picking　up　live　wires　or　getting　in　front　of
street　cars　or　paying　out　money　to　wire…tappers　or　standing　under　a
safe　that's　being　hoisted　into　a　skyscraper。　When　a　New　Yorker　does
loosen　up；'　says　I；　'it's　like　the　spring　decomposition　of　the　ice　jam
in　the　Allegheny　River。　He'll　swamp　you　with　cracked　ice　and　back…
water　if　you　don't　get　out　of　the　way。

〃'It's　mighty　lucky　for　us；　Andy；'　says　I；　'that　this　cigar　exponent
with　the　parsley　dressing　saw　fit　to　bedeck　us　with　his　childlike
trust　and　altruism。　For；'　says　I；　'this　money　of　his　is　an　eyesore　to
my　sense　of　rectitude　and　ethics。　We　can't　take　it；　Andy；　you　know　we
can't；'　says　I；　'for　we　haven't　a　shadow　of　a　title　to　itnot　a
shadow。　If　there　was　the　least　bit　of　a　way　we　could　put　in　a　claim　to
it　I'd　be　willing　to　see　him　start　in　for　another　twenty　years　and
make　another　5；000　for　himself；　but　we　haven't　sold　him　anything；　we
haven't　been　embroiled　in　a　trade　or　anything　commercial。　He
approached　us　friendly；'　says　I；　'and　with　blind　and　beautiful　idiocy
laid　the　stuff　in　our　hands。　We'll　have　to　give　it　back　to　him　when　he
wants　it。'

〃'Your　arguments；'　says　Andy；　'are　past　criticism　or　comprehension。
No；　we　can't　walk　off　with　the　moneyas　things　now　stand。　I　admire
your　conscious　way　of　doing　business；　Jeff；'　says　Andy；　'and　I
wouldn't　propose　anything　that　wasn't　square　in　line　with　your
theories　of　morality　and　initiative。

〃'But　I'll　be　away　to…night　and　most　of　to…morrow　Jeff；'　says　Andy。
'I've　got　some　business　affairs　that　I　want　to　attend　to。　When　this
free　greenbacks　party　comes　in　to…morrow　afternoon　hold　him　here　till
I　arrive。　We've　all　got　an　engagement　for　dinner；　you　know。'

〃Well；　sir；　about　5　the　next　afternoon　in　trips　the　cigar　man；　with
his　eyes　half　open。

〃'Been　having　a　glorious　time；　Mr。　Peters；'　says　he。　'Took　in　all　the
sights。　I　tell　you　New　York　is　the　onliest　only。　Now　if　you　don't
mind；'　says　he；　'I'll　lie　down　on　that　couch　and　doze　off　for　about
nine　minutes　before　Mr。　Tucker　comes。　I'm　not　used　to　being　up　all
night。　And　to…morrow；　if　you　don't　mind；　Mr。　Peters；　I'll　take　that
five　thousand。　I　met　a　man　last　night　that's　got　a　sure　winner　at　the
racetrack　to…morrow。　Excuse　me　for　being　so　impolite　as　to　go　to
sleep；　Mr。　Peters。'

〃And　so　this　inhabitant　of　the　second　city　in　the　world　reposes
himself　and　begins　to　snore；　while　I　sit　there　musing　over　things　and
wishing　I　was　back　in　the　West；　where　you　could　always　depend　on　a
customer　fighting　to　keep　his　money　hard　enough　to　let　your　conscience
take　it　from　him。

〃At　half…past　5　Andy　comes　in　and　sees　the　sleeping　form。

〃'I've　been　over　to　Trenton；'　says　Andy；　pulling　a　document　out　of　his
pocket。　'I　think　I've　got　this　matter　fixed　up　all　right；　Jeff。　Look
at　that。'

〃I　open　the　paper　and　see　that　it　is　a　corporation　charter　issued　by
the　State　of　New　Jersey　to　'The　Peters　and　Tucker　Consolidated　and
Amalgamated　Aerial　Franchise　Development　Company；　Limited。'

〃'It's　to　buy　up　rights　of　way　for　airship　lines；'　explained　Andy。
'The　Legislature　wasn't　in　session；　but　I　found　a　man　at　a　postcard
stand　in　the　lobby　that　kept　a　stock　of　charters　on　hand。　There　are
100；000　shares；'　says　Andy；　'expected　to　reach　a　par　value　of　1。　I
had　one　blank　certificate　of　stock　printed。'

〃Andy　takes　out　the　blank　and　begins　to　fill　it　in　with　a　fountain
pen。

〃'The　whole　bunch；'　says　he；　'goes　to　our　friend　in　dreamland　for
5；000。　Did　you　learn　his　name？'

〃'Make　it　out　to　bearer；'　says　I。

〃We　put　the　certificate　of　stock　in　the　cigar　man's　hand　and　went　out
to　pack　our　suit　cases。

〃On　the　ferryboat　Andy　says　to　me：　'Is　your　conscience　easy　about
taking　the　money　now；　Jeff？'

〃'Why　shouldn't　it　be？'　says　I。　'Are　we　any　better　than　any　other
Holding　Corporation？'〃



X

CONSCIENCE　IN　ART

〃I　never　could　hold　my　partner；　Andy　Tucker；　down　to　legitimate　ethics
of　pure　swindling；〃　said　Jeff　Peters　to　me　one　day。

〃Andy　had　too　much　imagination　to　be　honest。　He　used　to　devise　schemes
of　money…getting　so　fraudulent　and　high…financial　that　they　wouldn't
have　been　allowed　in　the　bylaws　of　a　railroad　rebate　system。

〃Myself；　I　never　believed　in　taking　any　man's　dollars　unless　I　gave
him　something　for　itsomething　in　the　way　of　rolled　gold　jewelry；
garden　seeds；　lumbago　lotion；　stock　certificates；　stove　polish　or　a
crack　on　the　head　to　show　for　his　money。　I　guess　I　must　have　had　New
England　ancestors　away　back　and　inherited　some　of　their　stanch　and
rugged　fear　of　the　police。

〃But　Andy's　family　tree　was　in　different　kind。　I　don't　think　he　could
have　traced　his　descent　any　further　back　than　a　corporation。

〃One　summer　while　we　was　in　the　middle　West；　working　down　the　Ohio
valley　with　a　line　of　family　albums；　headache　powders　and　roach
destroyer；　Andy　takes　one　of　his　notions　of　high　and　actionable
financiering。

〃'Jeff；'　says　he；　'I've　been　thinking　that　we　ought　to　drop　these
rutabaga　fanciers　and　give　our　attention　to　something　more　nourishing
and　prolific。　If　we　keep　on　snapshooting　these　hinds　for　their　egg
money　we'll　be　classed　as　nature　fakers。　How　about　plunging　into　the
fastnesses　of　the　skyscraper　country　and　biting　some　big　bull　caribous
in　the　chest？'

〃'Well；'　says　I；　'you　know　my　idiosyncrasies。　I　prefer　a　square；　non…
illegal　style　of　business　such　as　we　are　carr