Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-01-11
TIN ! / ACEFI,'

TIA H ] ACE,
Vhen the gold craze of 1s49 was at its !
height, { i was GLOWING the life Of pros
sfessional gambler and general crook n
! D O., one Of the la gest mining towns Of
the west. ~ had neeced couple Of min
ers of a snug sum at Round Hole. a.
small mining camp a few miles north Of
D. -, and had promised to give them
chance town back their losings. s. fss.ss 81
Their names were DOdson and Mower:
The former was q little fellow, while his J.
partner was tail and powerfully built and
spoke with peculiarly yet rather pleas
ant draWl. 8. 81 & st=E s. "A r. .EEs$Hs#. Y
EARLY on the appointed Sunday morn
ing set out for Round Hole, and when
i arrived stopped at the Big Strike sa-
loon, where was to meet my two VIC
Tins. Presently they came riding up to-
the door and dismounted. As they came
in it struck me they acted rather formal.
Dodson nodded. Then Mower said, in
that peculiar drawl of his, "Well, seems
yer afore4 us, s'pose we don't mind takin
somethin fer luck 2" And joined them
at the bar. s:aE, z4gs3 II 49,.
Shortly after we were seated at table,
and it was Dodson's deal. The deck we
had belonged to the saloon. The night
before desperate had been shot in this
same room, and when Dodson picked up
his hand he found on one of his cards
fresh blood stain:s That was enough for
him. II don't, think there is anything
that wouldn't happen to u.s. he said, ''if
we use these cards" So we threw down
our hands. i =. +3
Seeing in this a golden opportunity,
quickly produced deck from my pocket
and gave it to Mowyer, as it was his deal
next in order. For a moment he hesitat-
ed, and then, looking at ME from under
his shaggy brows, drawled out, "Well,
pardner, s'pose this deck S all right, but
seems how this amt no make believe
game we're agoin to play here directly,
reckon .'twont do no harm to make sure''
So he began carefully to suit them, one
by one.
+ The only mirror Round Hole could
boast of was over the bar in the Big
Strike saloon, and while he was busy
with the cards noted how plainly you
could see his reflection in the glass. All!
could make use of that glass later on,
TO: it would tell me whether he held any
aces to spoil the effect of those had in
my sleeve, for we We're playing poker.
Before we commenced stranger came
in and asked leave to join us, and soon
We four were deep in the game of bluff"
Before the first hand had been played
became conscious of Mowers eyes fol-
lowing my every move. He was watch
ing me like a cat, and, stealing a glance
| in the mirror, / saw his big six shooter
was lying in his lap. SO he was sus-
picious? Very well; would risk nothing
| until big money was at stake.
We played for an hour. Dodson and
were ahead, Mower and the stranger
were losers, and then the critical moment
came-nearly everything on the table was
in the pot Mowyer had bet his last dol
lar and called" us. the excitement
worked in 'cold" ace ut the risk Of
my life, played it safe and won the pile
on ''shoW down." II five aces had
come out that time, there would have
been another tragedy at the Big Strike;
dust, but Dodson and the stranger
were not ready to quit, SO another hand
was dealt. TWAS the strangers deal. I
had noticed he was very light fingered,
and as he shutfled the cards I saw him
I>,yas n,a lay in luct and afte. he and
nodson bod stalod ovarvth;ng I ..ca,,od,,
Them and won tho not aea;n-fa;r and
square enough this time. - = J!
hron oto and startad hack to D. 80 coo
abead Rnt 7 had barely got out bfs
/ sipht ~ the camn when. locking back
over the road. I saw a cloud of dust,
with now and then a plimnse of horse
men When they came nearer. / saw
thev were headed by Mower. and | drew
rein. In = moment they had come up and
formed a circle around me- Mower dis
mounted and stepping forward drew his
nelv looking six shooter commanded
mo - d;snonnt also He simnly said:
/ -tWould 70 he SO good as to let us see
them there same cards again p The 9TH.
ers5 were .grin,ly silent. !. p, sGssz
I coomn,ied careless}y With a gamblers
nerve-h,1t. With ! sinking sensation at
nv heart. b: H. & r. 5
= "Now nardner.,, he resumed. 1--WE be
.,o;n IL connt* these "a r1s again. IF
/ they're ali. straight. Well and good. But
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