Cinder Path Tales

MY FIRST, FOR MONEY 21 there could be no question of their possessor's determination. I knewmy work was cut out for me with a big pair of shears; that I had met a man as good if not better thanmyself, and I must doall I knew to win. That I was to win I had now determined, — a grand, good condition of mind for a contestant to possess. Simmons observedme as critically as I did him, and I think that themore he saw of me the less he liked me. The contrastbetween us was as great as possible. I was as fair as he was dark, severalinches shorter, and al­ though without any superfluous flesh,much larger boned and muscled. Indeed I was built more like a " quarter-miler" than a sprinter. I must have bettered his weight by several pounds, and had not the top-coat covered me, andmy nervousness shown itself, I question if he would have tried his little bit of brutality upon me. While thesurvey ofmy opponent was most comprehensive, it was the work of seconds. He suddenly produced a roll of dirty bank- bills, and shook themin my face witha "See here, young fellow, I go you one hundred to fifty you're a loser." I opened my mouth to decline thebet, but my wordswere drowned by a torrent ofmingled abuse, invective,and I know not what of" billingsgate." It ended