he related the following incident to me.  It happened that he was playing a game of poker in Leadville, with a notorious and unscrupulous gambler, and that at one time when there was a large amount of money on the table, this gambler deliberately displayed four aces, when Duncan held an ace which had been dealt to him in the first hand.  Upon accusing the gambler of attempting to cheat him, that worthy drew a pistol and attempted to intimidate him.  He was too quick for his opponent, however, and quick as a flash, he had fired upon him, and the man fell.  Hastily gathering up the money that was upon the table, Duncan succeeded in making good his escape from the house, amid a scene of confusion and uproar impossible to describe.  He showed me,” continued Mr. Miller, “a considerable sum of money, in proof of his assertion, and of course I have no reason to doubt his word.  He further informed me that his trunks were in Chicago and that he was desirous of obtaining them.  I provided him with pen and paper, and he wrote a letter which purported to be written in St. Louis and addressed to myself, stating that he was in that city, without a dollar, and requesting me to send for his trunks at Chicago, promising to repay me at an early day.  I did not understand this proceeding, particularly as after writing this letter, he gave me twenty dollars, to pay for having his trunks sent to Des Moines, and requested me to allow them to remain in my house until he should send for them.  That this letter was intended to mislead some one, I have no doubt; but I was at a loss to understand how it could succeed in its purpose if I retained possession of it.  At his request then I inclosed his letter to me to the landlady at Chicago, and I know nothing further about it except that Duncan’s trunks arrived to-day and are now in my house, awaiting his disposition.”

“How long did Duncan remain in town at that time?” asked Manning.

“I think he left the next day,” replied Mr. Miller.  “He left my house on the following morning at any rate, and I learned afterward that he went away with an old friend of his, who is a brakeman on one of the roads here, on the same day that he left my house.”

“Do you know who the man was that he went away with?” now asked Mr. Wallace.

“Yes; his name is Bob King, and if I am not mistaken, King obtained a leave of absence from the railroad company for a few days in order to go with Duncan.  They hired a horse and carriage and started off in the direction of Grand Junction.  King was absent several days, and then returned with the team, stating that Duncan had gone west.  I thought this very strange, as, if he had ran away from Leadville, it would certainly be very unwise for him to return.  However, I heard no more about him, but I have seen Bob King frequently.  He comes in several times a week, and you can most likely find him about some of the boarding-houses around the Union Depot.”

This was all that could be gained from Mr. Miller, and after receiving that gentleman’s promise to inform Mr. Wallace, in case he should hear anything of Duncan, the two men took their leave of the accommodating and loquacious grocer.