St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-06-22

steadily. and I saw Harry's mouth
which had become little tremulou
with drink. set firm As he called for on.
card. Ny estimate Of his hand VA
that he held a bob-tailed straight fiusl
open at both ends. for | reckoned tha
he wouldn't have raised on two pairs
as hc had done. and it proved that wa.
right
For orce in his life Mort dealt III,
cards high. and the first one or tn,
pack fell face up. 1t was the eight o.
hearts
Never in my life have l seen emo
tions so portrayed in mans face rs il
Harry Randalls. BY the rules Of tn,
game he could not claim the faller
card, but was required to take the mex
one. Despair. doubt and a sudden re
solve showed themselves in his face
one after another. and then the young
mau's eyes were fixed on the pack from
which Mort Henry had half pushed The
next card.
1T seemed impossible that Harry
could have seen it. yet I would have
sworn that he did. as his face lighted
up. and then would have sworn that he
didn't. rs it blazed forth in anger the
next instant.
II take that card he said. pointing
to the eight of hearts.
The card is out by the rules said
the doctor.
Don't be a fool. Harry.'I put il
I d. sup IL
expression.
Mort Henry dealt the next card.
which fell face down.
II beg your pardon for that Slip he
said. steadily. The second card Is
yours.
'''What is il to YOU cried Harry,
reaching for the eight. What have
you TO do with it? You're not in this
hand. and he put his hand ont for it.
Rules said the other. briefly, set
thing his hand over the others. Tho
heart is out of the deal
The young man burst ont: You've
got all my money. and now. when
you're not even in the game, you're
trying to cheat me-
AZ luC WOtO CuC0V I -" AuVA Y =
eyebrows come down to a straight limo
as he turned full face to the young
man, still keeping his hand guarding
the card. Then both men reached be-
hind them. and the other three of Us
had risen and were standing with the
prospect of murder before us. Harry
spoke first Have you ever listened
through telephone when the receiver
was out Of order and the voice clacked
and ratified in your ear? That's the
way Harry's voice sounded to mo when
he spoke:
Fair play. Its an even chance.
Put down your gum He laid his on
the table rs he spoke. Mort did tho
same. ] believe l tried to say some
thing. but i. wasn't a success
you've ruined my hand and me-
said Harry, his voice steadying as he
spoke. looking straight into Mort's eyes,
which returned the gaze as straightly.
Its a matter Of life and death TO me to
win or lose that pot. and Id shoot you
like a dog for what you did
He pulled his hand away from the
card and Mort seized his own pistol.
but dropped it again on seeing that the
other made no movement to pick up
his weapon.
Now continued the young man,
there's the card. I've got a right to
call for my card face up when it's dealt.
II that card is a heart. as the other
was. we'll play the hand out. IL it's
not, Mort Henry. it will be death for
one of u.s."
- For Gods sake. boys. don't do
this. the doctor found voice to say. 4
turn that card for any thing
IN earth
t..Tll turn it. said Mort. without
trernor.
"Thcre lay the two loaded pistols,
md the two cards. one face down. the
other face>up. The only sounds could
hear were 4 drumming noise in my
head. the short breathing of Smith
and the DOCTORS foot shuhling on the
door With his left hand Mort picked
up the card and turned it, at the same
instant seizing his pistol with the
right. right The card waA the three OF
Thank God. said somebody. Per.
haps it was my own voice l bexr,l. ]
don't know. The first thing 1semem.
ber distinctly is hearing Harry Say:
: 90 on with the play. gentlemen
and then made small bet mechanic.
ally. for | should have known better.
Smith dropped, and the doctor. after .
long hesitation owing to the fact that
he had Yood straight. saw me. but
both of us dropped when Harry pushed
his whole pile into the center.
Three of kind isn't much good
against flush. nor is . straight. Har-
~, with a long breath, scooped in the
pot. and threw down four clubs-king.
queen. jack and ten. and the three oi
hearts He had blufRed.
will ever play he said. rising. Mort
ask your forgiveness. Will you shake
hands with me"
"'Yes.' said the other. after = mo
ment's hesitation. L will. and con
gratu!ate you on the greatest bluff ]
ever saw made. Even il my life wa.
involved in it. he added. in an under
tone. rs he grasped Harry's hand.
That ended the game. Afterwar6
Harry Randall explained his play Il
me. He had sized up the doctor ~
holding a straight. and he wasn't much
afraid of the threes that Smith and ]
held
''Of course he didn't want the heart
that was turned mp. rs it would all
neither the flush nor the straight. but
he caught glimpse Of the next card
IS Mort Henry half dealt it. and saw il
was red.
This meant the ruin Of his hand,
but in that moment the lightning fash
II an idea came to him. and he re-
solved on his blum that risked his life
Ind Mort's. 1t was an even chance for
him. tor he knew only that the card
VAS red, and II il had been . diamond
there would have been a tragedy.
I'm spite of my coolness in thinking
Il oil out. he told me. 1 was furious
md would have shot without hesita.
tion had the heart not turned. Wher
Il did turn. of course you fellow.
thought that I had filled. The blufl