they were
going to Winchester."

Palmer gave a little forced laugh: "Jake was your friend, was he not? I
thought so at least. Didn't you regard him as your friend?" inquired
Palmer.

"Of course I did," answered Alfred.

Palmer looked at Gideon: "I told you there was something behind this.
Didn't I tell you so, eh?"

Gideon seemed undecided; he both nodded and shook his head. Palmer threw
one limb over the other and rubbed his dirty hands together. "It was
like this: Jake was a partner of mine. We've been having trouble for
some time past. Yesterday he accepted a proposition of mine on condition
that I was not to mention it to you. He stated you were friends but he
did not desire to go into the minstrel business. He feared if you
learned he had received his money from me you would be after him
hot-foot to invest in a minstrel show."

Alfred's face flushed. He did not deny that he and Jake had conversed
many times regarding a minstrel show; Jake seemed greatly interested in
it. Alfred fell for Palmer's plausible story. Palmer exhibited that
which he claimed was a clear receipt from Jake.

When the party arrived in Washington Alfred was so taken up with the
thousand and one places of interest, he took note of nothing save
sight-seeing.

Lodging at a little hotel on a side street, Palmer had not been seen for
a day or two. To Alfred's inquiry, Gideon mumbled something about new
people.

Mrs. Palmer became more anxious-looking every day. Alfred overheard
Gideon mention Pharoah to the wife. Alfred connected the Biblical
character of that name with the remark. Thinking the matter over he
remembered hearing Palmer oftentimes refer to losses or gains at
Pharoah. He finally connected it with some sort of a game and made bold
to ask Gideon what Palmer had done about old Pharoah. Gideon, with a
surprised look, asked how he knew Palmer was sitting in.

"Oh, I heard he was after old Pharoah."

"You've got the pronunciation wrong but the facts right. Palmer was one
thousand ahead of the game. I begged him to cash in but that's the way
with all who play faro. He didn't know enough to quit the game when he
had velvet in front of him."

Palmer had lost all his money but the little savings of his wife. Gideon
had a few dollars, but that went also. Alfred had twenty-nine dollars
which he refused to loan Palmer. The landlord finally yielded to the
arguments of Palmer and Gideon and agreed to permit the baggage to be
taken t