Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-10-19

| wager her money the bottom cards in
the deadlock would come out. The
other ladies', being duly shocked by
the boldness Of the novice, shrugged
| their timid shoulders and, hitching
their chairs nearer to the big box
stove, fastened their eyes more intent
iy on their newspapers. Several of
the players, who had entertained an
opposite opinion of the position Of the
cards, suddenly shifted their bets to
follow the venturesome young woman,
whom they accepted as their mascot.
The turn was made during an almost
breathless silence. The barkeeper
paused in the center of the room with
a tray full of refreshments. The rat
tie of chips ceased. The clock for once
seemed to hold the monopoly of dis
turbance
The king queen had won.
A shout of appreciation of the girls
Judgment broke upon the stiffness of
the room, affording Mr.. Brick Geary,
the genial red-haired dealer, an oppor-
tunity to remark to the man in the
lookout chair without being over
heard by others--that women faro.
players were always a"hoodoo" to his
game.
This burst of enthusiasm on the part
of the faro players failed to produce q
ripple Of concern upon the sober coun-
tenances of the men who occupied
chairs at the short-card table. Their
sphynx-like attitude and strict atten-
ton to the business in hand furnished
incontrovertible proof of the assertion
that nothing short of the presence of
death or the necessity for the indul-
gence in deadly combat could disturb
a frontier poker game.
The young woman who, by her bold
play, had created sensation among
the faro players and shocked her fe-
male companions, regretted her per-
Torrance, and, feeling hot flush
creeping across her temples, hastily
arose and moved to the door. Through
the glass Of the upper half of the door
she could see the soft snow falling
gently to the earth. She pressed her
burning forehead against the cool
glass, and, seeking to shut out of hear
ing any furthur murmurs of approval
from the men or chance words of dis
approval from her friends, placed the
palms of her hands to her ears. In
doing this she cast a shadow on the
glass, thus aiding her exterior view.
The men at the faro bank had resumed
their play. The rattle of chips and
the ticking of the clock echoed
through the room; the barkeeper
clattered about; the routine of the
place was resumed.
The unhappy young woman stood
like statue Of penance, the curved
lines of her handsome figure marked
in strong, dark outline against the
door She was of artistic mold--tall,
1.-THE and graceful, erect and silent-a
model for sculptor. Instantly score
of eyes were turned upon her as if by
some common instinct; each person SC
attracted had felt the inspiration OF
her presence and discovered the mr..
tistic beauty of her pose.
Almost simultaneously the company
was startled by scream, half of pity,
half of terror, The woman shrank
back and, without turning her face
from the door or uttcring another
sound, pointed with the Strengthened
forefnger of her left hand toward the
glass, while her right hand cosered
her eyes, as if she would shut ont some
unwelcome sight. She stood there
speechless while the men opened the
door and lifted the half-frozen and nm
conscious form of girl, some seven
teen years of age, into the room. The
quiet barroom was instantly the scens
of most pathetic excitement. Rough
|, hands guided by tender hearts PLACED
the wayfarer on an improvised bed o.
coats and shawls that was arranged
hastily on a pool-table, while the
, ladies, with a keen sense of the re
quirements, bent their energies to re
storing the girl to consciousness anC
physical comfort. They were soon re
warded by sensible expression of APP
probation of their kind offices,
Interest in the stranger, who was
still too weak to account for her pres
ence there and had fallen into deey
sleep, had taken such firm hold on the
: men that the faro bank was deserted
and the poker game was twice inter
rupted. This interruption was due t.
the apparently careless playing o
Sheriff Smith, whose official eye haC
been distracted from the game by tn,
appearance of peculiar pallor on the
face of Poker Joe since the features o
: the strange girl had been exposed t.
the view of the persons present. Thu
sheriff was evidently permitting hi
mind an indulgence in something
quite foreign to the game of poker
The fact that, while Poker Joe's fac,
had assumed such an unnatural hue
= his hand was as steady as a clock, CAV,
I the sheriff still more uneasiness. Mr.
Brick Geary, finding his occupation a
> dealing faro gone, had turned over hi
deadlock, transferred the bank roll t.
his pocket, and, after satisfying him
self by careful scrutiny of the sleeping
girls face that she was not on his lis
of acquaintances, walked over to thu
poker table, and, in accordance will
the ethics of that game, asked the priv
{ ilege of Sitting in" Poker Joe, will
an effort at such vulgar sarcasm as i
INDUCED in by men of his class, sug
gested that, as there were already fiv,
: parties in the game, Mr.. Gear.
might perhaps be contented with play
ing Sheriff Smiths hand until tina
gentleman should have time TO recove
= from fit of nervousness that hau
overtaken him.
Glare seems more interested in tina
maverick girl than in this game o
G draw" he added with sheer, as tn
IL