Omaha daily bee., 1885-10-13
HOW HE WON.
The Card That Fell out of the T'rou
sPpS lC0.

sers leg.
Correspondence New York Sun: Butch
was II grand scamp, u brave, reckless
%ruilian, but he had some very good
points. For instance, he could make cN-
ccllcnt hoc-cakcs and he was cheerful
and companionable, and could tell high,
ly interesting lies. We became attached
to each other, and, though | knew
he was II murderer and II thief,
and that he was selling whisky
to the Indians and smuggling
opium across the line from British Co
lumhia, | did not care. | was Young and
careless, and besides, as ! said, he could
make excellent hUC-cakcs. One evening,
rs we sat side by side on the sandy soil,
leaning against the house and smoking
our aitcr-Suppcr pipes, and | was lis
tcning To Il remarkable lie about Il bear
that frightened all the other bears
out OF an extensive mountain range
by traudulcntly using u long pole
to mark his height on the trees, II group
OF Indians, driving cattle before them,
rode from behind u rocky point that was
thrust into the waters of the Columbia.
Instantly Butch Sprang to his feet and
ningIy-dcviscd harness that held two
navy ~siN-shooters in Il handy position
under his arms. He put on his coat. He
pulled ut the pistols to see that they wuro
loose and that there would be no hitch i'm
the performance if anything more than "A
rehearsal should lie required. In Il few
minutes the party of horScman drew rein
in hunt of the cabin. There were three
young bucks from Moses camp in the
Grand Coulee. Butch greeted them
chccrlully and helped to corral the cat
tie. Thcn he told me that these men
were the selected poker-playors of the
Columbia Plains Indians; that they had
been stakcd by the tribe to play with
him in hopes of winning Il number of
cattle. Yes, he said, the cattle were the
stakes.
Before the first hand was dealt Butch
quietly informed the Indians that Eng
lish and Chinook only could be spoken al
the table, and that the first Indian who
spoke in his own (and oButch unknownl
tongue would have the top of his head
shot off. The braves c%hcrrfully agreed
to this condition. Then the relative. value
OF COWS, calves, and steers was agreed
upon. They decided to play ia
bic, stakes. The, checks were pistol
balls were equal in value to a calf, or TO
Il musket ball. Three muskct balls
equalcd Il cow in value. a heavy Cal
ifornia blanket was thrown over Il rough
table. A candle was thrust in u tomato
can that was filled with beans, and the
game began. The strong wind ceased
blowing. The silence of the plains was
broken only by the mysterious groan-
ing and signing Of the mighty river
sea Sc H ioGF' after faa' i hour '' Based d. and and
not a word was spoken by the players.
With faces rs Interchangeable rs bronze
the three Indians played, and, favored
by the dim light and the fact Of Butch's
having but one eye, how they did cheat!
The luck varied, as it always does in u
poker game. Now they would be ahead
of Butch.
l dropped asleep, and when | awoke it
toward me. saw some cards thrust un-
der his coat collar. | knew he was wait
ing for the end to come. One of the In
dams deIt. Butch picked up his cards,
raised his hand to scratch the back of
his neck. adroitIy exchanged the cards
he held for those III reserve, and then
thrust the cards he had received below
the back of his head to the Indians, |
and he winked a wink OF great sngacity
at me. He talked to me for nm instant
and then turned to the table. He was an
aged man. The ludian to his left bet n |
calf. The next n straddlcd it. The |
went n cow better, and Butch saw
it all and raised the pot two cows better. |
All staid. All stood pat. Then the bet.
began in earnest. 1t went on until
were stakod. Then came the show
down. Butch had four queens |
and an ace. The Indians all had tours, |
they had stolen, Of course. They
loudly. They struck their
with the palms of their hands to
surprise. Then they babe us
.ood-by, and mounted, and singing as