VENEZUELA.
162
sum
about imarmed, with, doubtless, a considerable
in your
possession, and yet safe, secure, and even unapprehensive?"
At the
&c. &c.
to pledge the orator in two
To
escape from
was forced
expii'ation of the harangue, I
more tumblers
iDersecution, I
tliis
of bitter ale.
made a rush
the
to
gaming-table and pretended to be immensely interested the play.
A
handsome bold-looldng
who
fellow,
m
was, they
an American colonel, but who had probably assumed
said,
that character for the nonce, and
who seemed
to be master
of the concern, immediately began to explain the
me, and assm'ed
won
a large
me
sum
game
that a gentleman, a friend of his,
Hereupon a
that morning.
tall,
had
dirt}'
Yanlvee-looking individual, with an ominous obHquity vision, mtei-posed,
saymg
:
the seven hundi'ed dollars, and
Guess
began with nothing.
I'll fix
to try his line of play, for I saw
you
gratis, if
how he done
friends soon found their allurements thrown
me
so they left
alone
;
plaj'ing at the
rage.
five
liis
drawmg
face distorted
or six persons,
one another on the
him was the cause the
away upon me, was pre-
brawny peasant, who had been
his machete,
floor,
a rush
violent, that
he
who cm-sed and belabom^ed
each imagining that the
of his upset.
confederate
them, who had
made
and his eyes blazing with
His spring was so sudden and so
overthrew
taught
A
My new
end of the table farthest from me, suddenly
started to his feet, and, at the colonel,
you'd like
it."
and, indeed, their attention
sently fully occupied.
of
" Guess you're talking, stranger,
won
of the gentleman that
to
man
next
But long experience had
gamesters what to
do.
One
of
evidently been watching the jDOor losing
wretch, clutched hold of his shoulders, and another, seizing his
wi'ist,
twisted the machete out of his hand, while the