Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-07-23
THE HAND WHICH WON.
An Indignant Womon's Raid
On . Gambler.

From the Vicksburg Herald.I
- It was one of the handsomest packets o
the nver, and among the passengers boun'
DC for Vicksburg were = Georgian and hi
y wife, who have relatives in Mississippi.
'n He was large-sized. handsome IoOkinl
se man, and she was pleasant looking littl
y woman, with blue eyes and short chesuu
70 lcurls, One would have said that Oh
ID would have screamed at tilt of the boat
'l[ He sat smoking with other gentlemen
Is after she had retired to her state-room, ani
: the cabin was entirely clear of ladies'
) when some one proposed game of cards
T. In ten minutes after half \ dozen met
e were shutting cards over cabin tables
and the Georgian was matched against Z
II stranger TO oil on board. He was quiet.
courteous, well-dressed msn, and had
u been taken for a traveller in search Of
e health. He was lucky with his cards, but
he did not propose playing for stakes. 1t
was the ncttled Georgian who proposed it.
al He called himself q champion hand at po-
ker. and when he found that he had met
his equal he determined TO test the stran-
gers financial metal.
2 They had fifty dollars on the table when
the captain looked into the cabin. He
caught the Georglan's eye and gave HIM
to understand that his opponent was q
S|riyer black-leg, but the other gentlemen
had dropped their cards and crowded
|around, money was up, and the informa
ton had come too late. Besides, the
Georgian was doing we'll enough, and bel
fattered himself that he could teach thel
courteous blackleg . lesson.
1t was very quiet group around the
table, and after the play had continued
for fifteen minutes the gentlemen spoke inl
whispers, and some of them were remind |
ed of old times on the Mississippi, when
gamblers had the full run of every boat.
The Georgian had luck with him from
the start, and while he looked smiling|
and confident, the gambler appeared to
grow excited and uneasy. His money
was raked across the table until the Geor-
|gian had $200 in greenbacks before him.
The stakes had been light up to this time,
10th men seeming to fear each others skill.
The Georgian proposed to increase them, 4
and the gambler agreed. In ten minutes !
the hs later sshs5i he'd biz i Sseo back Luck had
a. the Georgian became nervous a's|
hands trembled as he held up the cards,
and his face was wet with moisture.
"Come, gentlemen!" said ono OF the
group. ''le,'s have general hand 1of Ii
amusement, and then turn in" l.
The Georgian looked up with dxed il
glance, and replied: X
Il have lost $400; he must give me
tair showl"
The play went on. The heap Of green
hacks at the gamblers right hand grew
larger. Once in . while the Georgian
won. but he lost $40 for every one gained
He finally laid down his cards, pulled
ror Of bills from his breast pocket, anc
counted out $500. This was bis pile. In
less than ten minutes every dollar OF II
had been added to the gamblers heap.
.Geutlemen, will you smoker" asked
the gambler, ~ he turned around ana
Idrew his cigar case. /.
They knew his true character in spite Of
Ibis disguise, and they refused.
II am sorry for my friend." he consin'
ued. biting At the end of cigar, but you
will agree that the play IVES far
The Georgian had passed ont on the
promenade deck. The gambler turned n
his stack of bills and was counting them
when there was sharp exclamation, the
sounds of brief struggle. and the little
woman with blue eyes and chesnut cur'e
entered the cabin. She was balf undress
led. a shawl thrown over her shoulders.
and she had revolver in her hand.
No one had seen her leave her stateroom
end crosa the cabin. No one knew that
her husband had the revolver IN his hand
|.a she softly came upon him. "Go back!'
|he whnpered-"I am coming IN mo
!mentl"
With swift motion she seized the wesp-
lon. wrenched it from his grasp, and rs
lshe came down the cabin to the table q
which the gambler sat, and around which
half . dozen men yet fingered, her blue
eyes were full of fire.
The gambler looked up.
1he hammer Of the revolver came upI
with double click.
A white arm stretched out. and the muz-
zle Of the revolver looked straight INTO theI
gamblers face.
He turned pale; the men fell back.
| For half minute the deep silence was
broken only BY the faint splash OF the
\ paddle. wheels.
"0o!" she said.
He looked into her flaming syes - II ne
could bluff her.
"0ol"
He rose and reached for the money.
..Ieaye III" she Whispered, making .
Ithn,etenirs motion with the revolvef.
i He retreateG back.
] She followed. =,
4 Foot by foot be backed across the cao'n'
tha mussle OF the revolver always on .
nre Nth his faca He backed through
the door on the promenade deck ana 'ne
. trailing vas there.
! ..Jump!" she whispered.
Tia toat was running along w'fn'n
lthree HUNDRED feet Of the shore. Over TN
I'm 10 the vster was terrible leap.
"You cas Aave The money" he se'o.
i. .Jump!" che repeated.
81 win noe!'
q The arm came up little, and the Ign'
from The cabin showed him bold. sssanRe
. nldstermined look on her faca He surnee
sAivssed, end was over the raa'
olleapine fas ous asd unable 70 suppress
lcrv Of alarm, - 10 1bls himself going down