The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-11
DECK HAD TOO MANY
CARDS.


thing he can do is to cash in. The
motto of the house is Chips for money
and money FOR chips. There won't be
any difficulty about getting full value
FOR all the worries you have left"
The proposition sounded more liberal
than il looked. For a glance around the
table showed that nearly all the chips
in sight, besides a large roll of cur
rency. We're directly in front Of the
speaker.
There must have been $1,000 at least
in his pile, while all the chips of the
other players put together would hard
~ have tOted up $780, They all had
money in sight. but the indications
were that they were all losers.
Amt gettin cold feet are you.
John?' inquired Jim Handy with a
sheer.
NO" said Hump John, quietly, I'm
never the one to break uD game of
poker ia my own house, but I'm free to
say that systematic and unanimous
cussin' at the luck Pm having has
grown a little bit tiresOme TO me. If
you can't take your medicine, 1 don't
see any reason why you have to keep
on playing"
I'm playing to get back what I've
lost 1 don't mind saying that" said
Big George But 1 reckon I'd have
a better show TO do it If you didn't ill
so many four Pushes on your own
DEAL
Now. that's enough O. that" said
Hump John, still speaking quietly, but
speaking very slowly and very distinct
ly. There amt goin' to be any trou-
BILE here unless there has to be, but If
Il comes it'll come quick, an therell
be enough to so round. IL any man
has anything TO say. it'd be more like
a man to say it, an not be chuckin'
nasty language. If there's any more Of
1t, it'n be from me, an what I'll say
will be Shut up or get cut
"Oh. don't know said Shorty, I've
seen men try to. stop a North American
citizen from talkin' while he played
poker, but haven't never seen 'em
have no great success at II. 1 reckon
III make remarks when I feel like it,
whether 1 win a pot or lose it,
An L haven't never been gagged
that 1 remember" sat Fat Brown, as
he lighted a fresh cigar. Seems like
1t was part o. the game to say what you
liked. Anyway. that's the way play"
Hump John looked around the table
from one to another, as if taking their
measure. He was professional gam
bier who had been UP and down the
Ohio river for years, bat had been in
Cairo only few months.
His poker room had become a resort
for those who were looking for a big
game, and presumably a fair one. He
had never been caught cheating, and
he never had a pal in the game with
him, so although he was usually win
ner, he was believed to play square.
His nickname came from a personal
defOTmity, and like many humpbacks
he was pale and rather thin. Those
who looked closely at him, however,
could see evidence of great bodily
strength, for his frame, though mis-
shapen, was massive, his arms long
and his hands muscular.
Jim Handy was another professional
gambler, whose usual custom was to
play on the river boats, but who some
times stopped over in some Of the river
towns for a week at a time when he
could find a game worth playing. The
others were steamboat men, one a
pilot and the others mates on Missis-
sippi river packets.
There was not one in the party who
did not know how dangerously near an
explosion they were, and there was not
one who did not know that enough had
been said already to provoke a fight if
Hump John elected to fight.
Apparently he did not desire it, but
no one made the mistake of supposing
that it was because he was afraid
Stories Of his GOODNESS and daring had
been brought from up the river in times
past. and though no ohc had ever seen
him in any difficulty in Cairo, his cour-
age was not doubted. Only his prowess
was. for a casual glance impressed the
observer with the notion that he was
physically weak.
He looked around now. not angrily.
but as one who debates question with
himself. Then with a grUnt of discon-
tent he said:
VERY well. II you gentlemen want a
conversational game you needn't be
surprised if 1 make few remarks my
self when the time comes for 'em."
All Tight" said Fat Brown, cheer
fully. Il thought we'd get you woke
up after a while"
But Hump John made no reply TO
this. He had been silent throughout
the game, as was his custom, until he
had made his remark about the NAL
contents cashing in, listening impertur-
bahly TO the complaints they made
about their luck and only speaking
when they began TO talk about him in
q way that might have led a more
hasty man to pull gun.
He had been riffiing the cards while
the talk that followed his remark went
on, for il was his deal and the deck
was In his hands. Now he passed them
on TO Shorty TO cut. Fat Brown put up
his ante and the deal went on.
They were playing table stakes and
the larger bets were made in money
so that more chips We're not really
needed, but Handy and Big George
showed over some bills to Hump John
for exchange. and the game went on
smoothly enough. White chips were
half a dollar apiece. reds 81 and blues
$40, and as the ante was two whites
there were few bets made of less than
sic after the draw.
That kind Of game easily runs into
big money, so that there was nothing
surprising about any ones losses. The
exasperating thing was that Hump
John was the only winner, and il was
in his own game.
They had seen nothing wrong in HE
play thus far, but this had not been
because Of any lacks Of vigilance on
their part. He who plays poker any
where along the Mississippi river, es-
pecially IL he plays with strangers OF
with professional gamblers, learns very
soon TO scrutinize the game closely.
These five were all veteran players
well able TO hold their own in most
games. and apt 70 win heavily against
ordinary players. Any one of them
could have turned a few neat tricks in
the game had ne chosen, or had he
dared to do II, but Hump John anC
jim Handy were the only ones the
Others suspected.
Handy might have been suspected OF
being in collision with Hump JOIN
had it not been known that there was