Sunday morning globe., 1901-10-13

himself and proposed to give his patrons
only what was good enough for him It
was crude talk but it went in that com
munity, and even George and took his
bluff talk as evidence that ne was on the
square.
81 played faro for awhile, for as tell
you, ! had made up my mind not TO play
against game with two other cowboys and
two gamblers who were always hauging
around Ayers place. Whether he stood In
with them or not don't know. but ! pre-
sumo he did II didn't take so long for me
to lose my money at faro as ii usually did at
poker, and ! strolled over 90 where the
Others were playing. TO watch the game.
As / said, George was winning and when
came up he had perhaps $500 100 front Of
him. Il tlook,d TO me like good Time for
him to quit, but of course knew too much
to offer him any advice while he was play
ing What did was to say to him laugh
ingly: Pm cleaned out George Whenever
you're ready I'll ride over home.with you
He looked up with smile and said. Y
can't quit just now, my luck's too good.
But l'll go with you as soon as I've made
this an even thousand
=Ihey were playng table stakes and
there was more than thousand In SIGHT SO
IL did not look reasonable to suppose that
he might clean mp that much in short
time. ] did not really suppose he would
quit when he had done it, but / was inter
ested enough to wait and see, aside from
the interest took in watching the game, so
I stayed
There were two or three others looking
on and presently Aver himself who seldom
played unless the game were heavy one,
came mp and watched the play with us for a
few minutes. He stood there. half smiling
but intent ON the game till he had seen
George take in two large pots on bare-faced
bluffs that never would have gone through
If there had been anything out against him,
and then he said, i think I will take a little
Of this myself If there no objection.
There wasn't any, so he pulled ont five
hundred and sat iu That did not disturb
me- and I don't think il did George for, as
! said. we looked on Aver as a square
player know the thought had was that
If Georges luck would hold little longer
he had a better chance than ever TO round
up his thousand 1t looked as If his luck
was holding, too, for there came Jackpot
soon after that had been sweetened till
there was nearly $40 in il when George
opened It on Ayers deal He put up s55
and got three stayers, so there was over
s275 in the pot when cards were called for.
"The frst man drew three cards and the
second stood pat George came next and
as he called for one he held his card so
that I could see that he was drawing iQ
three queens. As his draw fell in front OF
him he threw away his discard, laid his
four on top of the one he had called Tor
and tossed white chip into the pot. The
dealer took two cards It being his next
play, he chipped along without looking
The pat hand was sure to raise and he
could afford to do what George was doing
wait for somebody else TO play his hand.
The next player who had drawn three
cards, gave them hasty glance and threw
his hand into the discard pile It was one
of the cowboys. and he told me afterwards
that he had caught third eight. but knew
that he had no show In the play that was
sure To- come,
"Tae next man, who had stood pat raised
il a hundred dollars He was one of the
gamblers and I never knew what he had,
but judged IL to- be a high flush or small
full AZ all events, that was the last that
was heard from him. George looked at his
hand. and finding the fourth queen, raised
him a hundred That putt up 10 Aver and
he looked long and carefully at his cards
before he spoke At length he said. I
raise YOU what have here, and he showed
all his chips into the pot 1t was a little
over Georges bet The other gambler
threw down his cards without word He
knew he was beaten
George covered the last raise promptly
saying, Pm sorry you haven't anything
more i'm, but it's table stakes and OF course
that ends it, And he was about to show
his hand when Aver said, Hold on
know it's table stakes, and ! don't claim
the privilege of playing amy further but as
It is down tJ you and me with nobody else
in. TN make you a bet ON the side of any
thing YOU like that my hand beats yours.
Now that was where George ought to
have had sense enough 20 stop, for when a
professional gambler says a thing like that
ON his own deal he is betting on a sure
thing. but as I said we thought Aver was
all right, and poor George was none too
cautious at any time lie fairly jumped at
the bait and ] must say ! thought at the
moment that he was justified
"Tu bet you am have he exclaimed
eagerly. and lingering his chips he counted
out nearly $500. Then going through his
pockets he f-hed out about forty more and
showed the whole sum into the pot
aver covered it without a word and the
two hands were shown down George had
four queens an right, but Aver had four
kings
Even then Il did not occur to either of
us TO dispute the play and Aver raked In
the money silently, while George rose and
turned TO leave the room. He was as white
as a sheet but he said nothing was watch
ing him closely and kept right at his side
for thought for a moment that he might
fan. knew he had lost more money than
that before he went West. but also knew
that he never had lost a SUM that meant TO
him what that did.
Before we reached the door, however,
Aver spoke. Wait little, he said with
heartiness, I'll set up a wine
supper on this
ono, said George I doptwant supper
and don't want wine but I'm take a slug
of whisky with you, IL you don't mind I
haven't the price with me- And he smiled
calamity though he remained ghasuy white.
We took the drink and another one, and
then George and i rode home. He said
nothing ON the way and didn't try TO talk
%, b;,, Il wish now that / had Dpl,