The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-06-05
POKER WITH ONE-ARMED MAN

guess shall want some one to keen
me steady Naturally we agreed 10
Jim's presence. and he was aCcOmmO-
dated with a seat on McCiosky's left
side. We three losers had been half
afraid lest the general should claim
the bad weather as AN excuse for nor
giving lis our revenge. Indeed. there
seemed something crueT I'm expecting
one-armed man to play while the vessel
rolled as IL did.
I'VE ourselves had considerable trou-
bic ia holding on with both bands.
While the general could often only
keep a sitting position by the aid of
Jim 81 support However, he was game
enough. and the rest of us were far too
interested 10 feel much anxiety about
his situation. At the end OF two
hours play the general had increased
his previous winnings by a further
e20G, and !, having been the principal
loser, found myself cleaned out
" oh, pshaw, major, said McCiosky
geuially. when 7 announced my failure,
that don't matter. Help yourself
"T had risen from the table as 7
spoke. and was standing al Ghe side Of
the saloon. holding on by my right
hand 20 a shelf just above the level Of
my head AS McClCsky spoke the sim
7 had seen him when I passed by the
omen door of his cabin flashed across
me.
Aided by a convenient roll Of the
vessel I lurched across the floor of
the saloon and pitched against his
chair. The impact was 50 sudden that
the watchful Jim was too late TO save
his master from rolling heavily to the
floor. We houndered about for some
moments, but at length Jim succeed I'd
I'm raising McCloslIy, and managed TO
struggle TO my feet The victim Of
my lurch sank back on his chair and
uervously patted the black silk sling
into position
" Not damaged, hopeg I said,
elfnging to the hack OF McClOsky's
chair for support no springs broken,
trust2'
90 The general opened his mouth and
Easped at me- What the-what the
deviI-he spluUtered.
" You dropped these I said, stoop-
ing down and picking three aces from
the floor of the saloon. 7 fear the
mechanism may have been injured.
Nice cards to make up d fun hand'
added
by this time the others were on
their feet
'' sit down, gentlemen I said, you
wouldn't strike a oue-armed mani Be
sides I continued. I think the gem
eraI' realizes the game is up. We VIII
allow him a few moments to recover
his emotion, and then, if he viii pardon
me the yulgarity. we VIII give him the
choice Of untying his sling or paying
up. Well I said, after a long pause,
which is il 10 be, general stump, or
stump up
ne paid suppose? o" said Mr..
BIinkce, breaking in on the MAJORS
narrative, TO which we had listened
with close attention
The major nodded. Naturally he
paid"
And what was the thing like-the
apparatus, I mean
1--WE didn't trouble him to explain,
said the major. Fl take it the cards
were held in place by springs. and the
shock of his fan disengaged the cards.
Thinking him a oHe-handed man, ye
see. we paid no attention to his oc-
casi0nalIy easing the position Of the
injured arm"
what I can't understand, said Mr,
Bliukoe. thoughtfuuy. els why you sus-
pected SIN. What made you tumble
TO the trick"
Il told you" said the major. that
something peculiar about his attitude
had struck me when 7 caught sight OF
him in his cabin. I couldn't fancy what
it was at the time, but afterwards,
when I was clingiuE 90 that shelf IN
the saloon I suddenly remembered that
MCClosky was hanging on TO his berth
with his right hand"