The suburban citizen., 1900-01-13
with The pllngera Who ran up against

nluls
"One night he sat down in game in
which rough-looking fellow with
sharp nose and sleepy eyes was play
ing. Jim didn't pay much attention
to him, but he was playing with Dopey
Jack Hale. There were several young
Frisco fellows in the game. Jim start
ed in to play in his usual manner. The
first king that he got in his hand was
the king of diamonds, and he imme-
diately punched the sharp corner Of
his thumbnail into both ends of the
card. The very next hand the deal
came around to Jim. He shufiled and
reshufiied and rihed, feeling card after
card, He dealt the hands out and
watched for the king Of diamonds
Suddenly he stopped in the middle OF
his deal.
What's the matter?" asked a man
across the table. Jim was white, but
he went on in a minute, passing it on
by saying he had a cramp. The truth
was he had found his king of dia-
monds and had felt a double mark in
it. Evidently somebody else had be-
gun to mark cards. Jim suspected
Hale right away, but he didn't find
much to strengthen his suspicious as
Hale appeared to be very dopey and
sleepy. He seemed to go to sleep over
every hand. Jim watched him for
a time and soon observed that every
time Hale appeared especially sleepy
he held a magnificent hand. 1t looked
strange, but as the game went on
without any startling occurrence, jim
began to think he was mistaken and
had himself marked the same card
twice. Then he started out to mark
the rest of the cards. The first ace he
run across he thumbed carefully and
he found it already marked. That set.
tied it.
For some reason Jim's suspicious
wandered from Hale until they settled
on a quiet-looking chap who sat next
to Hale. There was no particular rea-
son for 1t, but the suspicion kept grow
ing stronger That's the guy that's
doing the funny business with these
cards, thought Jim to himself; I'll lie
low and watch it out.
Jim kept on marking cards just the
same. Suddenly Hale stopped in the
middle Of a deal and jumped up in
his chair. with a startled look on his
face. He settled down again and held
the cards tight. No one spoke. Several
looked up in surprise. Jim began to
reckon out how he could reach the
door in case a gun was pulled, for he
thought Hale had surely tumbled to
his game. Somebody asked Hale what
was the matter.
Indigestion answered Hale, in q
sharp tone, which Jim regarded as ON
inous. Jim's nerve went like fash.
He could barely lift his head for fear
of betraying guilty countenance.
I've got enough, he said, throwing
down his cards after the next deal
I'm going home
Hale overlook him at the corner
and tapped him on the shoulder Jim
started as if he had been shot. .r
'Aw, come on, said Hale. Brace
up. No ones onto you except me.
Come in here (pointing to a saloon).
I've got something l want to say to
you.
They went into the back room of
the saloon and sat down in a quiet
corner.
You're the slickest dealer that
ever happened on this earth said
Hale
No, I'm not answered Jim. You
are the slickest. l watched you for
half an hour and did no playing, just
to find out who was marking those
cards, and couldn't
I'VE won't quarrel over that said
Hale; but I've got a proposition to
put to you. Ycu come in with me as a
partner and we will rip out the dough
from the jeans of every player on this
coast
81 couldn't do it to save my life,
replied jim. I've lost my nerve and
I'll never get it back. It's no so. Get
out and let me alone.
Hale went. He was shot across a
card table three weeks aftervard, and
died in his chair. Jim quit the game.
That is, quit marking cards. You will
find him playing once in awhile even
now because he can't leave poker, but
he's on the level. His nerve never
came back."--New York Sun.