The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-10-30

chair--without being overheard by
others-that women faro players were
always "hoodoo" to his game.
This burst of enthusiasm ON the part
of the faro players failed to produce a
ripple of concern upon the sober counte-
nances of tho men who occupied chairs
at the short card table Their sphynx-
like attitude and strict attention to the
business in hand furnished incontrover-
tible proof of the assertion that nothing
short of the presence of death or the ne
cessity for the indulgence in deadly
combat could disturb a frontier poker
game.
The young woman, who by her bold
play had Gre d a sensation among the
faro players and shocked her female
companions, regretted her performance,
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
hearing any further murmurs of APP
prevail from the men or chance words of
disapproval from her friends, placed the
palms of her hands to her ears. In do
ing this she cast shadow on the glass,
thus aiding her exterior view. The men
at the faro bank had resumed their play.
The rattle of the chips and the ticking
of the clock echoed through the room;
the barkeeper olattered about; the rou-
tine 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 grace
full, erect and silent-a model for a
sculptor Instantly a score Of eyes were
turned upon her as If by some common
instinct Each person so attracted had
felt the inspiration of her presence and
discovered the artistic 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 uttering another sound, pointed
with the Strengthened forefnger of her
left hand toward the glass, while her
right hand covered her eyes, as if she
would shut out some unwelcome sight
She stood there speechless while the
men opened the door and lifted the half
frozen and unconscious form Of a girl,
some II years of age, into the room
The quiet barroom was instantly the
scene of most pathetic excitement
Rough hands, guided by tender hearts,
placed the wayfarer on an improvised
bed of coats and shawls that was ar
ranged hastily on pool table, while the
ladies, with a keen sense Of the require
ments, bent their energies to restoring
the girl to consciousness and physical
comfort They were soon rewarded by a
sensible expression of appreciation Of
their kind offices.
Interest in the stranger, who was
still too weak to account for her pres
ence there and had fallen into deep
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 to
the apparently careless playing of Sher-
if Smith, whose official eye had been
distracted from the game by the APP
pearance of peculiar pallor on the face
of Poker Joe since the features Of the
strange girl had been exposed to the
view of the persons present. The sheriff
was evidently permitting his mind an
indulgence in something quite foreign
to the game Of poker. The fact that
while Poker Joe's face had assumed
such an unnatural hue his hand was as
steady as clock gave the sheriff still
more uneasiness Mr.. Brick Geary, find
ing his occupation at dealing faro gone,
had turned over his deadlock, trans
ferred the bank roll to his pocket, and
after satisfying himself by scrutiny of
the sleeping girls face that she was not
on his list of acquaintance walked over
to the poker table, and, IN accordance
with the ethics Of that game, asked the
privilege Of Sitting in. Poker Joe,
with an effort at such vulgar sarcasm as
is INDUCED in by men of his class sug-
gested that, as there was already five
parties" in the game, Mr.. Geary might
perhaps be contented with playing Sher-
If Smiths hand until that gentleman
should have time to recover from fit
of nervousness that had overtaken him.
"Clare seems more interested In that
maverick girl than in this game Of
draw" he added, with sneer, as the
sheriff, acting upon the gamblers sug-
gestion, arose to relinquish his seat to
the faro dealer.
This last remark gave the sheriff de-
sired opportunity to test his suspicious.
You have my permission, " he said
coolly. "to keep your mouth shut now
until call OH you to say something "
Poker Joe pushed back his chair
angrily, turned his cards face down
with his left hand and dropped his right
to the waistband Of his trousers, from
which protruded the handle of u six
shooter, and spat his cigar TO tho floor.
With that bullying air for which no was
noted he said:
II don't know whether that calls to
be official or unofficial, but IN bet you
three to one You don't win it--either
way You hear mep'
The sheriff stood facing him, and
without expressing upon his face n
shadow Of his thoughts replied calmly:
"I'm inclined to the opinion, Joe, that
it'll be an official call when mako it,
but there's no rush. Keep your scat for
the present, and don't get nervous, and
don't try to run any bluffs. f."
The gambler arose, white with rage,
and shaking the long, slender index fin
ger of his left hand under the nose Of
the sheriff, while his right rested firmly
on the handle of his six shooter, said
angrily;
81 demand that whatever accusation
you choose to mako against me shall be
made directly. I'll have none of your
insinuationsl"
Itwould have been very embarrassing
for the sheriff to DO Obliged to explain
his suspicious at that minute. He had
by some power Of intuition connected
Poker Joe with the strange girl, and
Immediately upon forming this sus-
picion his impressionable mind reverted
to tho Denver tragedy. 1t would have
taxed tho skill of an intellectual acrobat
| to reason, upon the mere suspicion Of
Poker Joe's relation TO the girl, that he
was in any manner connected with the
murder. But Sheriff Smith was not
reasoning; he was merely acting upon
the impression that there was something
unusual affecting the gambler, And this
suspicion of an unusual affection of
Poker Joe's mind impressed the sheriff
with the notion that the gambler was
guilty of some crime or misdemeanor.
He was about to express this opinion,
but he was happily prevented, not by