The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-03

continued the turfman, ''but soon raised
the ante high enough to make 1t pretty
warm AS far as 1 could see, none of my
three friends played more than an ordin-
airy club-room game, and at the outset the
oulk or the luck drifted to the lace buy
er and myself. At the end of the first
cay we were each about $3.50 ahead. Next
oay mace most of the winnings myself.
ana was astonished at the succession of
sooo hands l held. AS nearly as I re-
member, [ cleared up something like $500.
mainly from the two Boston. men and
cummings quit even. Several times In
the day imagined the Bostonians look
ed at me with slight suspicion. all Of
winch afforded me considerable amuse-
nent' and satisfied me incidentally that
the game was absolutely on the square.
On the third day the luck veered around
TO the lace buyer, and he not only gath
cred In my entire winnings, but nearly
$zVV besides Meanwhile he tapped one
OF the Bostonians for $500 and the other
Tor $l6O. Altogether, he stood about 81. 200
ahead at the close of the afternoon. By
that time we were all pretty well tagged
out, and we agreed to quit for a counIe
Oh hours and resume the play after din
nner. Cummings left the table first. and
L tarried few minutes to smoke a
cigar and chat with the Boston men 7
hao 10 get up to procure a light and on
returning dropped into the chair which
had been occupied by the lace buyer and
began IDLY shutting the deck Of cards
WhHe SO doing l happened to notice
peculiar metallic speck at the 11nner riob+
hano corner OF the top pasteboard. which
proved to be the king Of clubs. IT look
ed ike minute dot of some kind of
anime Ink. The end Of the room where
sat was rather dark, and there was
nXed lamp in the holding behind Cum
and night. The spot caught The eIeano
from This light, and could only be seen
When the card was at a certain sIant
from any Of the other chairs it was en-
tirely invisible
i was surprised, Of course, and in run
nIns over the deck soon found that all
the race cards and aces were similarly
spotted, some with one and Some VIII
more dots, the arrangement being de
ferent In each case. The discovery ,,nset
me quite completely and I could see #
was an equal bombshell to nv two com
panfons. We laid our heads together ana
TO make long story short, we sent n
steward a1ter our lace-buying friend, and
AFTER a very brief but spicy preface gave
him two minutes by the watch to dis
gorge his spoils. I must admit he car
RED 1t Off pretty well. This looks con-
slderably like a welsh he said cooIIx
and If the deck is marked I know NO
more about 1T than you do. However n
you want your money back you can have
1t, A gentleman said he, always wishes
to avoid scene With that he counted
out his winnings and babe us good night.
A year or so afterward I saw him in
Saratoga and learned positively that he
was professional short-card player, who
made business Of working the Atlantic
boats.
me stun ne used in marking the deck
was invisible ink, and, while it is seldom
employed nowadays, 1t can still be
bought from any dealer in gambling
tools It has the peculiar property of be.
ing visible only by artificial light and
When viewed from a certain angle. Ler
ting me win the other fellow s money ut
the start Off and then winding me up at
the finish is easily understood. It's an old
gambling trick and diverts suspicion"