Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-11
DAILY SHORT STORY
Within an Ace.



place it was. L was connected with the
road and occupied the same cabin with
my young friend Ike Stevenson, dis
bursting officer. One night on my re-
turn from up the road L found Steven
son engaged at poker with some min
ers from Clear Creek, in the noun
tainS. 1 saw at a glance from the mag
nitude of the stakes that Ike was play
ing with the company's money, for he
had nothing but his salary, and that
was always fully drawn as soon as
due. This was not the worst of it. lie
had lost some $1,000.
He was to me sort of younger
brother He was the loveliest fellow in
the world, and all the ''loveliest fell
lows" l have ever known have had
weak spot in them. 1 thought of the
prison door changing on the poor fell
low, as it inevitably would when his
defalcation was discovered, and a cold
SILVER ran down my spine. 1t occurred
to me TO stop the game, demand the
company's money and if not returned
to call for help. But this course, how
ever it resulted, would turn out badly
for Ike.
desperate resolve seized upon me.
have never known whether it result
ed from a weakness or superfluity of
nerve. 1 noticed pack of cards on n
shelf with the same backs as those
which the players were using. Taking
it UP, began to finger the cards ana
after marking an ace of clubs dropped
it into my sleeve. Then l entered the
game with a view to getting back the
money Ike had lost. 1t was a desper-
ate chance, for if two aces of clubs
came on the table at once it would be
plain that some one was cheating. But
in this event 1 resolved TO accuse the
miners, stop the game and demand
return at all hazards.
l did not use the ace until there was
a pot of 81 500. Then, having two aces
and drawing third, 1 put in my club
and called. At the showdown L felt
my heart beating like Il drum. expect
ing to see its duplicate. Fortunately it
was in the pack, or, If in one OF the
hands that had passed out, the holder
did not notice my extra ace. l won the
pot, gathered in the funds and mixed
the cards as soon as 1 could get my
hands on them. taking advantage of
the excitement to withdraw the super
fluous ace.
l was obliged to wait an hour for
more aces and n big pot, during which
time Ike increased his loss by 5000,
leaving me $1.7O0 to win in order to
make him whole. l opened n jackpot
of 500 with Il pair of aces, drew n
third and again slipped in the club.
Two of the miners held big hands. and
the pot grew to $1,000 before the show
Il. I IN, Of
fear lest the duplicate ace should be in
their hands Ike had passed out, and
as 1 glanced around the board L saw
him take up his cards to examine
them. Catching his eye. L gave him
look, and he, after noting Il card in his
hand, threw them, backs up, on the
table. He had the ace of clubs.
This ended the game. The miners
had had little money at the start, and
the loss of what they had won, with Il
few hundred more, cleaned them out.
They looked very sullen- and began to
speak of my having held two hands each
of four aces during the evening. 1 en-
deavored to withdraw my ace of clubs,
but this time saw no opportunity. Ike
pushed the cards together, and they
rested on the table in sight of every
one. / dreaded lest some one of the
party would take them up and examine
them.
Neighbour" said n big man with
red beard, looking at me suspiciously,
"air you in the business"
what business?
"Gamblin'."
I'm an engineer on the Union Pa
cificrailroad."
"Waal, even if you air, which l
much doubt, you mought not be above
holdin' an ace in your sleeve"
/ stood up and shook my arms.
''The deckv' said another "Run over
the cards. Thar mought be an extra
ace thar"
Gentlemen" said Ike, this is my
friend Mr.. Benton. Such an accusa-
ton is infamous"
The man with the red beard took up
the pack and, wetting his thumb, be-
gan to run over the cards.
LAY 'em on the table and sort 'em,"
said one of the number.
1 gave myself up for lost. 1 knew
my judges well. They were honest in
their way and when they found dis
honesty punished it in their own fash
ion. They would either shoot me down
where 1 sat or take me out to tree
and hang me.
The red bearded man put each card
on the table as he came to it, arrang-
ing them by suits. Two-thirds of the
pack had been told off and yet no du-
plicate aceI a dozen. five, four, three,
two, one. The last card was the seven
of spades.
Great heavenl Where was the extra
ace of clubs? j glanced around the cir
Gle of faces and saw q peculiar salts
faction cleaning in likes eyes, over
which he had drawn his hat so as to
conceal them from most of the miners.
He had withdrawn the compromising
card. I breathed long drawn sigh of
relief