Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-03-29
of $1,000 after two-card draw and


amounted to about $4,000. HIS reck-
lessness seemed to grow on him. The
sun was Frightening up the sky when
the last hand was dealt.
1T was Gibson's deal, and a $25
jackpot. No breakers were out on
this deal. Then Bennett dealt. With
out the least hesitancy Gibson broke
the pot: for $50. Bennett looked at
his hand a moment and made it 500
to play. Gibson thereupon made it
5000 and Bennett just stayed. The
captain took a bit of nip, discarded
one card, which he deposited care
fully beside him, and asked for one.
Bennett announced that he would
take two. Gibson's card slid across
the table and on top of the four which
lay in neat heap before him. de
lifted it up casually, saw that it was
the one he wanted and let it remain
where it was. Bennett shuff1ed his
draw into his hand, looked as impass-
i've as usual, and said:
"'Well, captain?'
"'I'm going to start her off for
$780, said the captain.
"'Fivc hundred, Ell? I think I'll
have to raise that $780,
''The captain drew his chair closer
to the table, threw his hat on the
deck, and said: I'll see your $500 and
raise you $1,000
"'Bennett gave him a hard look in
the eye.
"'Have you the money! he asked
of Gibson.
''The captain carefully pushed his
untouched hand few inches to one
side and looked over his check stubs
"'I've got a balance here of $780,
he said. My boats worth $4,000 if she's
worth a cent. That's $6,35O, isn't it?
get $3.50 for carrying this cargo; that
makes $6.4S0. raise you that amount.
''Bennett looked over his heap of
checks, his columns of coin, his stack
of bills, his hand and the captain
chiefly the captain. He made no more
fuss than as if he was raising So bet
It took him two or three minutes to
count out $4,000 worth of checks and
money and, showing it out on the table.
he said:
"'Captain, it's yours anyhow and
I'll chance it. What you got?'
capt. Gibson's expression changed
in an instant from one of perplexity
to sheer joy. He almost whined, so
happy did he appear to be.
Bennett he said, I've got the best
there is, a royal fush,' picking his hand
off the table. 4 lacked the ten of
hearts and I drew her.
Bennett calmly spread out hand
some ace full and looked at his oppon-
ent's hand rather surprised. His man
ner changed all of sudden.
"'Hold on, hold on, there, captain
he said, there's no royal flush there
''You could fairly see Capt. Gibson's
heart crawling down into his shoes.
He bent over the table and scrutinized
the cards on which he had staked his
all. He saw the ace, the king, the
queen and the ten of hearts, and the
jack of diamonds! He gazed at them
a moment without moving a muscle or
utering even a sigh. Then he resigned
ly picked up the card he had discarded
at the beginning of the deal and which
he had laid aside so that it could be
referred to if his partner demanded it.
1t was the jack of hearts! Benefits
face wore an expression Of mingled
sympathy and triumph. There was an
utter stiffness broken only by the sleepy
tapping of the water along the boats
hull. Gibson picked up the bottle of
liquor which stood at the end. of the
table and now was nearly empty. He
held it up so the moonlight could be
seen through it. Then he tossed it into
the lake.
"'Bennett,' he said, moment later,
sit's all yours, boat, money and ALL
Then turning to me he said: David
son, get me some writing paper
"And on the deck of the boat just
as the eastern sky was changing to
golden purple Capt. John Gibson trans
ferred the two-masted schooner Will
o'-the-Wisp and his other interests to
Bennett. The latter accepted the note
humbly and essayed a word of SYM
pathy, but he was shut off. The cap
tain retired abruptly to his room and
the others followed.
''The captain was apparently in good
humor during the rest of the trip.
He took charge of things as he had al
ways done and chatted with Bennett
and Mcdonald, but never mentioned
the game that had been his ruin. The
trip occupied about nine days. Many
conferences were held between Ben
nett and myself as to how the boat
could be returned to the captain, but
no easy method suggested itself. Ben
nett didn't want it, or rather he didn't
like to see Gibson impoverished. When
the craft was tied up at her dock in
Buffalo Capt. Gibson took leave of the
boat, luggage and all. AS he was about
to step upon the wharf Bennett accost-
ed him: Ill.
"'Capt. Gibson, am going to ask
that you accept as gift from me, this
boat
"Gibson glared at him.
I Bennett, take it that you play
an honest game of poker?