The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-07

| players SAIL nothing tuiHlde Oh '"s ~
words the rame ',lei 2"
! Suddenly / heard = sort OF gasp III"
| tho man next me aa1 az tie sr'ic In
stont saw tho fellow they called kcenc
hold out an ace. II was clcveriy dohe'
and vet / marvellod at his nerve IN Try
I ing such "A trick under so many Watching
owes. lie relied oi course, on his skill.
! which was really marvellous. but l had
/ studded such things too closely TO De mis-
| taken. and as. for an instant, met the
| eve OF the man who had easped, saw
/ that he was equally certain.
Mother Of us was fool enough 10 say
ANYTHING. for interference meant ngnt,
/ and | wondered for a moment what would
follow or il any or the players had see"
it
1T was the 6cal OF the cattle dealer
whose name was Downing. next, ana as
he gathered up the cards he threw thei"
witr quick motion. on the floor, saying.
.Brinr MS a fresh deck Mr. Clerk. OF
another cOiCr
"a seemed corram that he had seen
Neone's iruIo,ryle Tut 81 he had Dc save
10 other indication OF IL. but shriiied ana
dealt the cards as coolly as IF nothing
out OF the way had happened. Neither
could / see any trace of chagrin or ols-
appointmont on Kecue's face as De was
thus clevcrly oheckmated. lie ioohed
sharply al Downing for an instant. as u
10 see whether he had really been ols-
covered or not. but that worthy ala not
return the glance, and the game went
on.
soon after there was a Jackpot that
went around several times before II was
openod. and Of course there was consid-
cradle money up. Presently. on the cot
ton factors deal Alcott. the other pro-
fessional gambler, opened It Tor nun
dred dollars. and all the players came 3D..
That made big money before the draw
and no one was likely TO get away Win
It without n struggle,
"The Major drew one card. and with
ont waiting for further developments.
threw his hand into the discard pile. Tie
knew he wasn't strong enough TO oiu'l
that crowd
"Alcott drew three and threw another
hundred into the pot. Downing drew
two. and left them lying face down, Whie
he threw in his hundred
"lIccne also drew two, and studied theih
carefully before seeing the bet
"The cotton factor drew three and
raised IT a hundred.
Il could not see his cards. buzz ! learned
afterwards that he had a queen full
"Alcott had three of a kind and raised
back. Downing carefully lifted ono cor
ner OF one of the cards ne had drawn
and lifted the pot two hundred. keane
studied a while longer and finally threw
down his cards The cotton factor was
game and raised it five hundred. but AL
colt. without a culver. came back az MN
with a thousand more.
"'The battle was on and I looked curl
ouslv at Downing. l was more interest,"
ed I'm his play than I'm that or either or
the others. and II was real disappoint-
ment 10 see him pick up his whole hand
give it a quick glance and throw 1T down
The cotton factor studied his hand again.
more. IT seemed 10 me, 10 gain time than
10 make certain. and then began finger
ing his roll. At length he spoke little
hesitatingly:
81 haven't as much money here a.
Ia like to have. but III see your thou
sand and
"If Monsieur cares TO back his hand
and will allow me, 1 will pat mp any
amount he likes
1T was Flash Kate who interrupted
him-no man would have ventured 10 do
it-and there was q general start OF sur
prise. l was looking at Alcott and l
was sure i saw CLEAN Of satisfaction
totally unmixed with surprise, on bis
face. Tho situation was getting compl-
Gated. The cotton factor flushed.
Thank YOU. ne said. coldly, without
even looking around out ] never play
with borrowed money, and ' never Dor
row from a woman
Pardon me-. said Flash Kate as
coolly as he. 4 hope there is no offence
Monsieur None was intended. She
~ eat Ion Of 10
French accent
None whatever said the cotton fac
tor. and he looked az his cards again. lie
told me afterward that whom the woman
spoke it flashed upon him that there was
a conspiracy somewhere. and that DE
didn't care 10 play against it. According
Is. DE pretended 10 study moment Tong
er. ana then threw down DIS cards.
"Alcott rallcd in the money without n
word and the cotton factor. putting The
remains Of his roll IN his pocket, picked
up his chips and left the table saying
politely as he arose. Excuse me, gem
tlemen. ] think ! have had enough.
There was a moments hush. The
four players looked around the spocta-
tors. as 81 to see if any one cared to take
the vacated seat. hut no one gave sien'
and presently Kecne said.
'" Madame is interested in the game.
Perhaps she plays. and would Ike 20 take
q hand
Yes n there is no objection she said
readily. and looked from one TO another
OF the four az the table.
Downing said nothing, but there was
q grim smile on his face The Major
/ looked uncomfortable hut no said Moth
/ ing either. and as Alcott said. Certainly
there can he 10 objection the woman
took the seat and laid handful or money
/ on tho table IN front Of her.
From the moment she sat down feit
morally certain that 1t was case Of
three against one. for the Major was not
much I'm evidence. And ] was pretty
confident that the man from Texas ives
going to hold his own. as indeed De Ola
triumphantly.
For nearly twenty minutes his play
was a perfect puzzle and the trio got
actually nervous as he threw down mana
after hand that ordinarily he would have
betted heavily on
They stacked the cards not once. but
haif dozen times. giving him excellent
cards but he pretended 20 have lost his
nerve and PLAYED now with seeming rash
ness. and now with cowardice. but never
rislling any considerable amount until
he had them ratified.
"Then ne played q trick that was Wei
worthy OF the great Hermann himself.
II was at once the bOldest and the neat
est thing I ever saw at card table. and
although ] thought ! saw II done | was