Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-05-23
pack fell face up. 1t was the eight of

Harry Randall's. BY the rules Of the
game he could not claim the fallen
card, but was required to take the next
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.
ut seemed impossible that Harry
could have seen it, yet would have
sworn that he did, as his face lighted
up, and then would have sworn that he
didn't, as it blazed forth in anger the
next instant.
81 take that card he said, pointing
to the eight Of hearts.
1.-THE card is out by the rules said
the doctor.
snort Henry dealt the next card,
which fell face down.
~ beg your pardon for that Slip he
said, steadily. Tho second card is
yours.
what is it to your cried Harry,
reaching for the eight What have
you to do with it? You're not in this
hand and he put his hand out for it,
"'Rules, said the other, briefly, set
Ting his hand over the Others The
heart is out of the deal
1.-THE young man burst out: You've
got all my money, and now, when
you're not even in the game, you're
trying to cheat me-
AT the word cheat / saw Morris
eyebrows come down to straight line
us 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 me when
he spoke:
"i'Fair play. It's an even chance.
Put down your gun He laid his on
the table as he spoke. Mort did the
same. l believe tried to say some
thing, but II wasn't q success.
You've ruined my hand and me,
said Harry, his voice 'steadying as he
spoke, looking straight into Mort'seyes,
which returned the gaze as straightly.
its matter of life and death to me to
win or lose that pot, and I'd shoot you
| like dog for what Won 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 right to
call for my card face up when it's dealt.
If that card is heart, as the other
was, We'll play the hand out. If it's
not, Mort Henry, it will be death for
one of us"
For Gods sake, boys don't do
this the doctor found voice to say. L
wouldn't turn that card for anything
on earth.
"Ill turn it, said Mort, without o
tremor.
"There lay the two loaded pistols,
and the two cards, one face down, tho
other face up. The only sounds could
hear were drumming noise in my
head, the short breathing of Smith
and the doctors foot shutting on the
floor. With his left hand Mort picked
up the card and turned it, at the same
instant selling his pistol with the
right. The card was the three OF
hearts.
Thank Godp said somebody. Per-
haps it was my own voice | heard.
don't know. The first thing / rcmem.
Der distinctly is hearing Harry say:
go on with the play, gentlemen,
and then Imado II small bet mechanic
ally, for should have known better.
Smith dropped, and the doctor, after q
long hesitation owing to the fact that
he had q good 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-
ry, with long breath, scooped In the
pot, and threw down four clubs-king
queen jack and ten, and the three Of
hearts. lie had bluffed.
"'That is the last game of poker
will ever play he said, rising. Mort
l ask your forgiveness. Will you shake
hands with meP
eyes, said the other, after mo
ment's hesitation. 4 will, and con
; graduate you on the greatest bluff
ever saw made. Even if my life wa
: involved in it. he added, in an under
tone, as he grasped llarry's hand.
"That ended the game. Afterwarc
Harry Randall explained his play t.
; me. He had sized up the doctor a
holding straight, and he wasn't mucl
, afraid of the threes that Smith and
4 held.
: "Of course, he didn't want the hear
> that was turned up, as it would fl
: neither the flush nor the straight, bu
he caught glimpse of the next car
. as Mort Henry half dealt it, and saw
was red.
Ills viz rum Va iAio
: but in that moment the lightning fias
h of an idea came to him, and he re
o solved on his bluff that rislSed his lif
S and Morris. 1t was an even chance 70
S him, for he knew only that the car
was red, and If it had been damon
v there would have been tragedy.
It "'In spite of my GOODNESS in thinlzin
g it all out he told me, I was furious
e and would have shot without hesit;
Q ton had the heart not turned. Whe
it did turn, of course you fellow
J. thought that l had filed. The blu
y was safe to go unless the doctor ha
S held flush or full. Any way, ha
6 to take the chance, for If l had lost
would have gone home and shot m!
:, self.
h "That, gentlemen" concluded tn
IS westerner, twas what | called an G.
T.