St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-10
LOOKING FOR RUTH HUNTOON.
4 Thrilling Story in Which John Morrissey
Figured.
BY Inspector Williams.

Here, Moses, just skip over to the table
and let me know how the ace is run
ming"
The negro was absent but an instant.
Lost once un three Oh 'em lef' in de
box" he said when he returned.
Thanks. Tell the dealer to put
| coppered marker for five hundred on it
! for me while l count out the cash."
You see, Darlington" added, 81
am one of those who believe in sys-
tenn and in luck. l never make but
| three bets in one evening at faro, and
| never 20 near the table till Pm
| through
Ace loses an you win. boss.'' cried
! the negro, running up breathleSsly at
| that moment.
Thanks" said, rather pleased, and
. when the negro brought me the money
| l offered him a double eagle for his
| trouble.
Excuse me, pard,' said Darlington,
| interrupting, ''but it's against rules to
fee the walters here. | prefer to give
them all the pay they get myself. Now,
| viii you tell me why you have for two
years wished to make my acquaint-
! ance?"
Certainly. WANTED to pick quar-
{ rel with you"
"Eh? What? Quarrel with me?''
l nodded, and Darlington for once in
his life was utterly taken aback. Pres
emily he threw back his head and
laughed heartily.
Let me see, what do they call you
for short? Billy? All right. Well,
Billy, L like you. You're tenderfoot.
but you've got sand"
''Thanks. Just call that nigger, will
you. I'll take another flyer on that for
luck. How are the aces now. Moses?"
Its de call-turn, boss, an dere'S one
ace lef' in de box. De poer three all
done lost.'
Good" l said. Put this 5OO-chip
on it to lose out"
Luck was with me, for the ace did
lose out, and L won the second bet.
Darlington looked curiouSly at me as
| pocketed the winnings, and said care
lessly:
"WiIl you try little game of draw?"
"Thanks, no. Fact is. don't care to
play much tonight. I'd rather look
on"
We remained for an hour or more en-
gagged in conversation. Then Derring-
ton was called away to join in a game of
poker.
Three of the party who made Up the
game had entered the room together
about half-hour before, and at the
ilIht DeIIluRIOU cdlleu my attenJl0n TO
one of them with the remark:
Here comes fellow who's been on
still hunt for my gore for the past
three years, and he hasn't got it yet.
It's a year since 1 saw him, and |
shouldn't be surprised if he tried to
wing me tonight"
The man indicated was nearly as
large as Darlington. He had black.
beady eyes. and wore long, pointed
beard Of the same raven hue.
Looks ugly," commented.
rs" replied Darlington.
The stranger approached the spot
where we were cOnversing.
''Hullo, Jack" he said gruffly, "Want
leetle game O. draw ?''
For dollars or for blood ?" asked Der
rington coolly, leaning back and placing
his hand in his pocket.
''D0llarS-nOW."
Yes, I'll join you"
They adjourned to the other end of
the room, and the game began.
remained seated where Darlington
had left me, but kept my eyes fixed
upon the poker-players, There had
been an ugly glitter i'll Black Bob's
eyes when he had made the request for
the game, Which foretOld trouble of
some kind.
An hour passed, and then there came
sudden lull in the game. Several of
us rose and approached the table.
Black Bob raised his voice so that
everybody i'll the room could hear him.
and said:
Them as amt engaged a-makin' or
a-losln' their fortunes, please step this
way"
Then, as the throng gathered around
the table, he continued:
Them as knows me, knows Pm
squar. Some of you knows, moreover,
that Daredevil N me hev leetle rile
IN our drink fur few years, an pro-
pose to settle it now by a sQuar' deal O.
poker. L make him this proposition in
the presence of We ali, an that is that
we stake our lives on the next deal"
A pin could have been heard to drop.
so silent was every one in the room as
Black Bob ceased speaking.
"Ihe terms that propose are these,'
he continued. Its my deal. an I'll
chuck out the cards as usual Well
discard an draw, an then We'll make
showdown. The feller that wins will
have the right to let daylight T lamp
light into the cuSS that loses, 'thout his
maxim a move to defend himself. Is
that plain enough? It's his luck ag'in
mine. Is anybody klckin'?'
ringtOn.
me?"
Deal the cards." was the cool reply.
Il never was bluffed out of good hand
yet" ''->
Black Bob picked the cards up from
the table as he sank back into the chair
from which he had risen to make his re-
marks. In seating himself he stumbled
as though he had miscalculated the
position of the chair. There was not a
person in the room except myself who
deemed the movement intentional, but
| did.
had position in front of the group.
near the table, and had watched every
move that the desperate made with the
closest scrutiny.
When Black Bob stumbled | saw that
it was no accident More, saw that
when the man fell he held the cards in
his right hand, and that when he re-
gained his equilibrium they were in the
left hand. Not more than a single sec
ond had elapsed, ,and Black Bob's hands
had not touched each other
There was only one conclusion. By
deft Slight-of-hand the mad mad sub
stituted another pack for the one with
which they had been playing.
Inc zeal began, and each man his
first five cards when calmly laid my
hand upon Black Bob's shoulder.
'Wait, Darlington: don't look at your
cards YETI said slowly, while the des-
perado turned to NE with an angry
frown upon his face, and let his hand
drop upon the butt of his revolver.
Don't draw" [ said. II have the
drop on you through my pocket. Where
is the pack that you dealt with last?'
Black Bob turned livid with rage.
Several started forward to interfere.
but word from Darlington stopped
them.
Then, before any one realized what /
was about to do, before an instant had
passed, | thrust my hand deep into the
only pocket in which Black Bob could
have placed the discarded pack, and |
drew forth the missing pack.