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shooting grounds, and Abner decided to make a detour and see if he could find any of the village reformers and determined, if possible, their plans for the night. So when he neared the Negro huts on the outskirts of Irontown, he turned out through the woods to the bare circles on the ground used by the gamblers. He had not gone far before he was rewarded by a warning whistle form an outpost.

Abner looked about until he discovered the fellow and then approached him with a fraternal wink.

"Anything on for to-night?" he inquired.

"They usually is," returned the fellow distrustfully.

"Big game?"

"Of its kind."

This alarmed Abner and he asked in a different tone, "What sort o' game is it?"

"I reckon you've heard the rule, 'Ast no questions an' hear no lies,'" returned the fellow with sour philosophy.

Abner passed by him to a circle of gamblers who were very elaborately doing nothing in the presence of a stranger. Abner glanced over the group and was relieved to see two or three faces he knew.

"Willie Purvis," he nodded at one of these, "lemme see you a minute."

Willie arose from his haunches stiffly and followed Abner into the bushes. They paused behind a huckleberry bush.

"Look here, Willie"—Abner's tone was serious and confidential—"have you boys made up to do anything to my gal to-night?"

Mr. Purvis became ill at ease. "Look here, Ab, I ain't got a thing in the worl' to do with this. I think it's tom-foolishness. I say if you chase all these women out o' town, the men'll jest foller 'em."

"Good God!" exploded Abner in a hot undertone. "You ain't puttin' my gal in that class! She's a nice gal, Willie!"

Willie waggled a sophisticated head. "They're all nice gals to somebody. If you don't give up yore nice gal an'