Posted on November 1, 2025November 1, 2025 by YarriThe Gambler’s Gift (continued . . .) An instant before impact, Janno’s sixth sense made him hit the escape button . . . Seconds later the high-tension wires blew the plane to pieces. The result was inevitable—a court martial. You are indicted on two counts. Firstly, you did fly dangerously and without due caution. Secondly, you did fly while knowing yourself to be medically unfit. How do you plead to these two charges ? Guilty to both, sir. In view of your excellent record, no further disciplinary action will be taken. But you are removed from the list of air fleet pilots. Never to fly again . . . Never ! What am I going to do ? Meanwhile, in the fishing village on the coast, the gambler Nastor, now recovered from his accident, was continuing with his “faith-healing” among the simple fisher folk. How is the little fellow ? Much better, sir. Every time you see him, he improves. Alone, Nastor was quite frank with himself. No one ever gets better, but it makes them feel better, to be in contact with me. A pity it can’t go on for much longer, because it’s more profitable than being an unsuccessful gambler, but they’ll see through me in the end. He tested again the strange power that had followed his being struck by lightning. But the way I can attract metals as if by magnetism . . . that’s genuine enough ! One day, Nastor chanced upon a vagabond and immediately an idea sprang into his mind. See here, fellow, do you want to earn yourself a few zersts ? Certainly, good sir— provided I don’t have to work for it. Working’s against my conscience, you see. That evening, when Nastor received his “patients”, the vagabond limped forward on crutches . . . I’ve been crippled since birth, sir, and they say you can cure me. We’ll do what we can, friend. He laid his hand on the vagabond’s shoulder. Did we say ten zersts or twenty ? We said ten. I’ve changed my mind. It’s worth twenty ! Indeed, Nastor got twenty zersts’ worth of excellent acting. I can walk ! I’m cured . . . cured ! There were tourists present in the village that day. One of them—a Trigan City newspaperman on holiday—made a visual record of the event. I’ll get a picture of this. We could use it in the paper. This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 720 on 1 November 1975.
