The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-03
Stories of an Inland State.


Wayne. Criggle had played many games
cess that it could not be called success at
all.
In the game with him there was usually
Mark Wayne. some member of the iegis-
lature and always Corder. Corder nearly
always made winnings. He seemed TO
pursue Criggie in poker as a hound pur-
sues hare, unfiaggingly. Every oppor-
tunity which presented itself found Corder
urging CriggIe into game of poker. OF
course Corder nearly always won. II was
the nature Of the man to grow rapacious
In prosperity and exceedingly shy in adver-
s:ty Although he had won repeatedly
from Criggie he had no feeling of delicacy
against pressing him into more games,
which had always proved disastrous to
Criggle.
However. Criggle was obstinate and
Corder knew it. Criggle was rich and
could afford to lose. He damned his luck,
became angry at the cards and played on.
He would not listen 10 playing for fun. as
there was no spice to the game without
the chips.
And this was .Corder's opinion too.
Corder's trick was to bet heavy only on
perfectly safe hand.
Criggle's most common play was to pass
on very good hands and to make the most
daring raises on very poor ones. His game
was one of pure bluff. In most of the games
in which Corder and Criggle had a hand.
Corder made the big winnings, on the
heavy bets the other two hands passing.
Crfggle might have won against any other
man than the sharp-eyed Corder. Criggle
was large man with a rather heavy. ex-
face, full of conflicting wrin-
kles. His eye was clear and cold; his mouth
firm and even.
Corder watched the face closely when he
began to play. Corder was an old hand at
poker and he believed that Criggle had
some ifosyncracy. which could be discov-
cred which would reveal his hand. He
watched the hands closely when Criggle
was called, but in the first games, where
Criggle won on a number of ridiculous
bluffs, Corder saw nothing. He had known
men to handle the chips clunsily in bluff,
Or to cough slightly, or to inhale slowly.
cr to close the eyes, or to double the chin
under the stress. But there was no such
signal in Criggle.
One night Corder drew flush and went
n heavy. He watched Criggle sharply now.
STiSSie saw HtIIf anu went MN dl d
single jump one hundred better.
Corder's eyes were piercing, through the
smoke. across the table now. He was sure
cr;gsle was bluffing ard he must give
'ome sign of it. As Corder looked he saw
wo wrinkles appear in Criggle's face-two
wrinkles which were not there before, but
: hich now came out so plainly that Cor
Ter wondered he had never noticed them |
previously.
These wrinkles shot down through the |
leavy face from the outer corners of the |
yes, were exactly parallel. They were |
linn. but rather deep for moment and |
hen disappeared. Corder was satisfied. He |
aw the bet and went it another fifty. Crig- |
lie saw this ard the hands were shown. |
,riggle had a pair of jacks.
Then Corder began his winnings. He |
watched Criggle's face like a hawk. When |
hose parallel wrinkles appeared he went |!
n heavy and he won, in those instances, |
lways.
It was O'Clock in the morning Of the |
~ of the sena .orial election. The men
'ere too nervous to sleep. They had done
II they could to close up the ranks and |
hey decided not to go to bed. They could
ot have slept and so they played poker
Criggle and Corder sat opposite and Mark
Wayne and Brown Of Round City oppo-
lite.
Criggle's mind was not on the red-back
ards as he dealt them around. His !
thoughts were In that senatorial fight
What was Ills future to be? Was he to go
D Washington and remain there in Of
cial life six years or not? = few more
ours would tell. He took out his watch
efore looking a: his hand. Yes ten more
ours would tell the tale. What would he
elegraph his wife? Should he tell her he |
ad lost or he had won.
He took up his hand. The spots and du-
lcate faces looked without significance
him.
And what of the s2o. 900 he had put in the
ice? If he had lost, that was gone, thrown
the winds.
Two Right. Three. One?"
He watched the men discard mechanical
:. He had nothing himself but his hand
ID not appeal to him.
Wayne bet five, Corder went In, Brown
assed. Criggle asked;
What IS it?"
Five
Criggle wondered II that member from
ray county he had talked TO that after
Don was really going to vote for him. He
ertainly talked like it. But something told
I'm the man was lying. He bet he'd vote
n Woods.
He did not look at his hand
'I'l raise that" he said, fifty" slipping
s checks in.
Wayne passed. L
And if should be elected" thought Orig
e. They'd call on me for a speech.
10 ~, 1
ouid I say. He pictured 70 himself the /
gislature gone mad with enthusiasm,
I'm Criggle borne aIoft into the hall. smil-
g and wondering about that speech"
Corder studied Crggle's face. The wrin-
es did not appear. Should he stay in?
o. The wrinkles were not there. He
ould bank on the wrinkles. He passed.
rown passed. Criggle mechanically raked
the chips
And so Criggle began to win, hand over
It. Round by round ne kept driving the
ills into Corder's financial coffin. Wayne |
Id Brown were holding back. Before he
lew il Corder was plunging, plunging in
separation and anger-snger over the dis
,pearance of those wrinkles.
There had been just such a plunge on
orders part when Wayne said:
Hadn't we better take rest? Wen
ed our strength. Let's just smoke"
Wayne believed Corder was getting be-
md his depth. He had kept tab on the
lips. Corder was four thousand dollars
the hole. Ii was nearly day-break.
f'Corder vii never be able 10 pay that"
ought Wayne TO himself. ''What does :
g man mean?' {
But Corder insisted on playing.
The next hand Criggle again raked In
orders money on a pair OF deuces.
The chips lay in the center OF the table.
They're yours Criggie." said Corder mo- ,
ming 10 him. /
Blu; Crigsle was 100 far away