The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-05
THE MORNING NEWS: SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 5 1896

was IN the act OF WuGn ne
checked himself as suddenly as If ne had
been shot. -
II raise" he began, and then was
stricken dumb. The bills were stin in his
grasp, and, instead of laying them down
he sat for a moment as rigid as a statue
while his face grew white.
The silence was intense. The colonel was
the only one in the party who showed no
excitement, but the lawyer who had
watched him up TO that moment with the
most acute scrutiny, no longer looked at
him at ALL Instead, he slowly withdrew
his hand, picked up his cards, which he
had laid, face down, before him, and look
ed them over again.
What is that for?" thought the editor.
HE is not looking to see what he holds.
He knows perfectly we'll. And he hasn't
been bluffiing. What stopped him 1 won
der"
No one spike, however, as the lawyer
laid his cards down again and looked
once more into his pocketbook.
"Ahar thought the editor. ITS the
amount that staggers him. That's queer,
too. I've seen him play higher than this
at the tables"
1t seemed to be the amount, however;
for the lawyer, finding no more money In
his pocketbook, counted out a thousand
dollars from the roll in hts hand and, lay
ing that on the pile in the middle of the
table, said:
81 call you."
His hand shook perceptihly, and for the
first time the coloners face relaxed. He
smiled grimly as he laid down four aces
The lawyers face had been pale, but 1t
grew almost CHASTITY as he showed his
hand He had caught the pack of hearts
in the draw and had won the pot.
The doctor watched him curiously, even
more so than the, others, though the en-
tire party was surprised. TO his profess
sional eye 1t looked as If the excitement
would eliminate in a fainting Mt. That
for a moment was indeed imminent; then
the magnificent nerve which had made the
lawyer famous stood him in good stead,
and he rallied by a supreme effort. Once
more his hand was as steady as clock
work as he reached outland drew the great
pile of chips and gold and bank bills to-
ward him.
1t was not, however, until after he had
done a strange thing that he could COM
mand himself sufficiently to speak. And
while he was doing 1t the others looked
on In silence. They had seen four aces
beaten by straight flush, but even the
excitement of that was in allegiance. Some
strange climax was coming, and none
could even guess what it would be.
First he counted out from the pile TWEEN
ty Observation-Disclosures bills, and, folding
them together with the money he had
held back on the last bet. he placed the
roll in his pocketbook, and. closing that
carefully, put it into his inside pocket
and drew a long breath-almost a gasp
as If of relief. Next he. counted out two
thousand more and pushed 1t over toward
the colonel, who looked at it and at him
in wonder. The remainder of the pot--a
goodly sunday in a, confused heap IN
front of him, and before Speaking he
looked at it steadily for a space wherein
one might count fifty. AT length he said,
raising his hand, as If registering an
oath: st
81 am done with poker. have nothing
to say against the game. You all know
how we'll 1 love to play. To my mind
there is no other sport that equals 1t.
None, l believe, so shows the skill and the
mettle of a man as this does Yet, low
ing the game as we'll, and admiring 1t as
much as 1 do, / give 1t up from this mo-
ment, forever. have stepped across the
border line of dishonor tonight. The
money 1 have just put back in my pocket
was given to me last evening by a client
to be paid out this morning, and If l had
lost could not Immediately have replaced
it. l had 1t in my possession simply be-
cause 1 had not had the opportunity to
deposit 1t, and in the excitement of the
game 1 forgot that it was not my own
The fascination that could make me do a
thing like that is one that l dare not risk
again. Then, as the last two thousand l
bet was not my own, j cannot touch the
money won with it. / have returned it
to the colonel, and as you, sir. would
money. it is as If it had never been at
stake and, consequently, 1t is yours"
The colonel bowed and picked up the
bills. aa'
"As to the rest Of this,,o continued the
lawyer. pointing to the pile which he had
not yet disturbed, 81 am in doubt. i GER
tainly won it, but am embarrassed at
quitting a friendly game with such heavy
winnings 1t is not a question of right,
but question of delicacy, and prefer
to put it to you, as a jury, whether owe
you satisfaction in any way
He paused, and still no other man spoke.
1t was as If each one was waiting for the
others. So the lawyer spoke again.
What am to do?'' he said. IT am in
the hands of my friends. "avgst
They all looked at the colonel, He was
the oldest in the party.
81 am no mans censor" said he, seeing
that he was expected to speak Neither
do / care to consider the morals of the
question, but have seen a man blow his
brains out over card table after he had
done what you have done, and lost, as
you, fortunately, did not II said then that
he did well. Having won with money that
was not your own, even though you did
it inadvertently you could not touch your
winnings. But as 10 that which you won
with your own money Are you sure
that you will never play again?"
absolutely" said the lawyer
Then pocket your money. We have
played together, we five for more than a
year now, and l doubt II you are much
ahead of the game, even counting your
winnings tonight"
He extended his hand, and the lawyer
grasped 1t neryously. One after another.
the three others shook hands with him
also, and the game was over.
TILTED PHINCEssEs. TIT