The Preacher of Cedar Mountain: A Tale of the Open Country

  CHAPTER XXXIX

  Jim's Bet

  Jim Hartigan had as little interest in money as any Indian. All thethings he loved and the pleasures he sought were the things that moneycould not buy. He wanted to ride and race, be alive, to love and beloved, to get the noblest animal joys, and soar a little--just alittle--in the realm of higher things. Money as a power had not beenlisted in his mind, till a chance remark from Belle gave a whollydifferent trend to his thoughts.

  "Jim, if I had about a thousand dollars, I think I'd be tempted to riskit. I'd go to Deadwood and start a produce commission business there."

  That was all she said, and it was spoken lightly, but her words sankdeep in Hartigan's mind.

  "A thousand dollars might, after all, spell heaven"; and he pondered itlong and hard. As mere business, it would not have held his thought anhour; but as a way to bring the happy time more near, it filled his mindfor days, but he told her nothing of it. It was in the blacksmith shopthat the next step was suggested. John Higginbotham had the floor; as heentered, Jim heard him say to some one in the crowd:

  "I'm no betting man. As a deacon of the Church, I cannot countenancebetting. As an insurance agent, however, I am quite ready, in allfairness, to negotiate your risk. You simply take out a policy onthe--ah--event, reflecting your judgment of the probabilities You payyour premium--100 per cent, or whatever it is--and I, as your agent,place this risk with some established company, or responsible personsufficiently furnished with capital, to assume the liability. Then, asin the case of fire, or marine, or other insurance, the event decidesthe issue, and the insured draws his insurance in accordance with theterms, less the modest 5 per cent, that I receive for my perfectlylegitimate trouble and expense."

  Jim had never seen it in that light before; he rather liked the idea.After all, he was heart and soul in the race His joy in Blazing Star washardly less than it had been; and why not manifest it in a way whichheld in it the possibilities of the wealth he needed? Why not take outan insurance policy on Blazing Star's winning? He thought of it more andmore, and a few days later when he was depressed for once, Belle out oftown, and the gloomy prospect of college before him, he drew hisprecious five hundred dollars from the bank and took it to JohnHigginbotham to deposit as his premium on insurance that the white men'shorse would win the race. He had a feeling that Belle would not approve.But he did not tell her about it, for he wanted to surprise her when heshould walk proudly up and put in her hand the one thousand dollars thatwould surely be his. He felt sure, but not happy; his judgment said "goahead"; his instincts called a halt; but he went ahead.

  Next day he went to Higginbotham. Hannah was there and a look from thedeacon kept the Preacher quiet on the matter. When a chance came, theformer said: "'Tain't so easy now, Jim. Every one knows the white men'shorse is going to win, and there are no more even takers. I'm afraid thebest I can do is offer you a two hundred and fifty dollar insurance witha five hundred dollar premium down, and your premium back, of course, ifyou collect the insurance, less my regular commission."

  "All right," said Jim, a little disappointed "let it go at that," andaway he went.

  Hannah did not usually take a daily part in the office unless John wasaway; but something about Hartigan's visit prompted her to look morekeenly through the books. It was her first knowledge of the new kind of"insurance" and she and John talked it out.

  "All the companies are doing it now. It's no risk for us. We'll get overtwo thousand dollars in commissions anyhow." But Hannah was not content.She went over every item and presently she came on Hartigan's fivehundred, offered two to one.

  "Humph!" she said, "does Belle know about this insurance business?"

  "I don't know," said John uneasily.

  "She ought to know."

  "If she makes him withdraw, we lose our 5 per cent.," said John, knowingquite well that that would hit Hannah very hard.

  "I don't care," said Hannah, "I'm going to tell her."

  It gave Belle a decided shock. It also explained to her Jim's peculiarbehaviour during the last two days. Here was where his horse mania wasleading him. She was not deceived by the glib terms of "insurance," noras to the certainty of scandal, but she did not know what to do. Herfirst impulse was to go direct to him; and yet, that would put her inthe position of a spy with a charge of treachery. No, that would bestupid. It was such an assumption of mastery, and such an exposure ofHannah's business impropriety as well that she hesitated; then, in aflash, she said:

  "Hannah, I have two hundred and fifty dollars of my chicken money in thebank; I was saving it for something very different. I'll take that'insurance.' But not a word at present of who it was that took it. Ifyou must give a name, say his insurance was taken up by 'Two Strikes.'"And in her heart she thought: "It is not my road; it is not a good road;but it is his road, and I'll take it till I bring him back."