The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-23

flush; but / recalled that tho cashier when
dealing had accidentally faced a card Of
Gilohrist's, the diamond king. In my own
hand was the diamond ten. A straight
iush was therefore impossible.
As I would draw before him, Gilchrist
could make no possible calculation to all,
even If he stood In With the dealer. Feeling
certain that he had a large pat or tours, I
pushed my money Into the pot.
I was debating whether 10 stand pat or
draw. one for a blind play when IT came.
And Il came without a moments warning.
First, something shook my chair, then I
heard a million loads OF stone rolling down
a tin roof M mingled with 1t the roaring OF
big ms Ny chair tried to buck me OF and
then 1erked sidewise. Then all the furniture
began TO reel and writhe, while mirrors and
pictures tapped against the walls.
The numberless bolts and beams Of the
hotel shrieked and groaned like lost souls
as the great building rocked under US. We
were In the grasp Of the temblor.
L lifted my eyes to my companions.
Each sat rigid, frozen in the attitude the
shock had caught him in, with face pinohed
and gray, eyes bulgng with terror and Hips
blue and dry that they-we-wet as we tried
to whisper quakel'
There was q crash at my elbow. Behind
Gilchrist a large mirror had been shaken
half free from its wall ~fastenings, and slip
ping down Upon table rested there, slowly
swinging back and forth upon one corner
as a pivot. As ! sat clutohing in my fingers
a poker hand that meant a small fortune
II I wasn't ground a shapeless mass beneath
the ruins Of the Palace, I became Interested
as men in mortal terror note trides-in the
reflections in the swinging mirror.
Il remarked the piles OF glittering coin
on the table and Chemists hand, holding
his cards rigid in midalr where the quake
had found it. Then a parting shudder that
made the building groan again and brought
the mirror to the hoor-and all was still as
DEATH
My God, what a shakeI' whispered the
cashier between chattering teeth.
Yes assented Gilchrist. shivering but
insistent. Let's 60 on. Deal
The cashier picked up the deck with
trembling fingers.
How many cards1' he asked me.
Il was about to reply when my eye fell
upon the mirror. now lying shattered on
the fioOr. Suddenly there rose In my mind
the reflection seen In IT,, especially Gil
christ's cards, though at the time I had
not taken note Of their poker value. Now
I saw In the picture memory framed q dia-
mond king, q four, five, six and seven
and all spadesl
The truth flashed upon me. It was after
all a brace game and I was in the hands
Of eharpers with more than seven thousand
Of mine in their clutches. By poker intul-
ton ! knew that either Of the two cards on
top Of the deck would ill Gilchrst's hand SO
that no matter whether l stood pat or drew
ono he would all his straight fiushl And
how could I kick when I'd have drawn
ahead OF him2 1t was q slick camel
IAN this flashed through me like q tele-
gram, but IL was long enough to arouse the
dealers suspicious.
swell he said, petulant but nervous,
tho hours up. How many3'
Suddenly l saw the light; to aid me the
sharpers were still unnerved from the
! looked the cashier fun In
the eyes, swept hand back to hip pocket
and roared:
.'Twoi Two cards is what ! wantl Under
standl Twol Quickl TwoP
''Wha-whati' CALCULATED the dealer and !
saw Gilchrist start, then both turn a sickly
white.
snow I knew I had them. Face up on
the table I pitched the spade noe and the
ten Of diamonds.
Deal the cards, dealt I commanded.
with shaking hands the dealer handed
tho two cards; his sand had all leaked
and he couldn't, had he dared attempt
It. switch them under my gaze. Both under
my smile as I looked at them. They
we're the trey and eight Of spadesl
Then Gilchrist broke up;the combination
was too great and too sudden. He flung |
his hand in the discard.
-'Bluffingl' was all he said.
Il was thinking fast; IL wasn't safe yet /,
II those hyenas recovered their nerve and /
the money. / threw my hand face
up on the table.
h aces. II cried, and grasping my
hat swept the huge pot Of coin and bills
into IL, examining the overflow In my
pockets, arose and swiftly backed to the |
door, one hand on my hip. They were too
to make a move. |
"Gentlemen,' / murmured as I stood !
safely in the open door way, cash certainly
mas great advantages over chips II q man
wants TO mako . quick getaway and II
skipped for the stairs