The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-04-20

forming that operatlon mecndHicdHS while he was pondering a problem in draw poker which had presented itself in the play of the night before, and which he had not solved to his com- plete satisfaction at the time it arose. Draw poker was far more than a pas time to MT. Cunniff. It was, in fact the source on which he relied for the greater part. of the income which he found indispensable to the enjoyment of those luxuries to which he nao grown accustomed. t-,s s.-st... It was therefore a manifest necessity for MT. Cunniff to have something more than an academic knowledge or the game. That he thoroughly under 1 stood the percentages of chance in the deal and the question of odds in the betting may be assumed without vio- fence to the probabilities, but so much l knowledge as that was shared by many of the people with whom he played from time to time, and if his own skill as a player had had no broader, surer foundation than that, he would hardly have enjoyed the income he did. ....> Moreover, he would not have been able to purchase and fit up his house. boat as comfortably as he had done. And so he would not have been enabled to cruise up and down the Mississippi as he did, stopping at this place and l that, at his convenience, till he ex' hausted the possibilities of gain at each | place. E= a ".-s I This broader, surer foundation for his system of play had come froam much careful study. The devotion of many hours a day to practice in the manipulation of playing cards had re- sultd in developing. a dexterity that l was not sufficient to insure him that i superiority which he counted essential. l The more delicate questions of finesse in the actual backing of such hands as he might chance to hold occupied his attention during much of the time when he was seemingly engrossed, as he happened to be at the moment when this other man approached him, with some comparatively trifing matter At critical moment in the game of the preceding night he had stood pat on two pairs. believing that he had dis covered the psychological moment al which his opponent would be impressed with the danger of opposing a pal hand. There had been some raising before the draw, and he had played boldly, raising back the second time and assuming an expression of vast l content when the other man simply l made good.
 When he stood pat after this prelimi. I nary betting Clay Pearsall, who was I the other man in question. had studied I for a long time before calling for cards I but after deliberating had called fol two. It was reasonably apparent therefore, that he had three of a kind and MT Cunniff perceived that it wal I up to him to carry out his bluff. AnG not only that, but 1t devolved upon hin to make his play in such fashion tha it could not be construed as a bluff. I There was something over two hun dred dollars in the pot when MT. Pear sail threw in his white chip after tht l draw. The others had dropped out al ready, so that the bet passed to MT Cunniff next and he had to decid' what sized bet would seem the mos like an invitation to call If he shoult
 bet too much it would be construed a
 a b1uff-and if too little, it would be ev idence of weakness. He put up on,
 hundred dollars. .', -ss. .,. .i 1 The mere fact that he was called wa
 not, in his judgment, any serious re
 fection on his own play, but what dis
 quieted him greatly was the fact tha Pearsall had called him quickly, eager 1y and joyously. sj .r-s .- I This appeared to be proof positiv
 that Pearsall, who had not the reputa
 player, had seen through his play, an,
 this was not only mortifying, bu
 alarming. It was true that Mir Cunnif
 had resorted to mechanical expedient
 in the course of the next few deals, ant i had .recouped. himself for his loss, be
 sides accommodating a handsome prof
 on the evenings session, but the opei
 question presented by his defeat in tha
 particular hand was one that called fo
 study.
 He was enough of an artist to prefe
 playing without resort to manipulation
 of the deck, though he had no com
 junction about winning by any mean
 within his power, s and what he wa. studying was the playing of that ont hand. '5 ~-f-
 In what way should he have. de clared-
 Crack
 Mr. %Cunniff sprang to his feet witt almost inconceivable speed, and before he had fairly strengthened up had hi. revolver in his hand, cooked and poised for a shot. His pearl handled penknife lay on the deck.
 Ten feet away from him stood Clay Pearsall wringing his right hand witt his left in a curious way, while his re volver lay on the deck at some distance from him. Evidently he was not dan gerous at the moment, and Cunriff was not in the habit of wasting shots. Ht paused, not understanding the situation for a, moment.
 Lucky for you, Ed, that Ifhappene6 to look out the window when ] did said a voice behind him. and he looked around to see Jim Partland, one of his