It was the eighth anniversary of his conversion.
Quick as a flash I jumped to my feet and said, 'Boys, I'll be back in an
hour. I've got to go!' My partner thought I had been caught cheating and
was going to cash his chips. I said, 'I'll be back in a little while.'
"I ran all the way up to the Bowery to the place where Ranney was
holding his meeting. The Mission was packed. There were a lot of
big-guns on the platform. No one saw me that knew me. Ranney was asking
for those testimonies that would help the other fellow. I got on my feet
and faced him. He turned pale. He thought I was going to set him out
then and there. He looked me straight in the eye and began to come
slowly toward me, and when I had finished we had one another by the
hand. This is part of what I said that night:
"'I make no pretense at being a Christian. I am a gambler. But the man
standing there--Dave Ranney--was once my chum and pal. We had a little
misunderstanding some five months ago, and I am here to-night to ask his
forgiveness. Forgive me, Dave. I just left a card-game to come up to
your anniversary and help make you happy. I know you don't believe I
meant what I said.
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