West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-12-05

Thcy had not gone far on the next
game before Cherry's quick eye de
teeted sign which the man misinter-
preted. She addressed him quietly,
You'd better brush up your plumes."
In spite of his anger the Bronco Kid
smiled. uumor I'm him was strangely
wlthercd aud distorted, yet here was
thrust he would always remember and
recount with glee In years 10 come.
He feared there were other faro deal
erS present who might understand the
hint but there was none save Mexico
Mullins. whose face was a study
mlrth seemed to be strangllng him. A
moment later the girl spoke TO the case
keeper again.
let me take your place; your reins
are unbuckled."
Toby glanced inquiringly at the Kid.
who caught Cherry's rcassuring look
and nodded. so he arose and the girl
slid into the vacant chair. This wo-
man would make no errors, the dealer
knew that: her keen wits were sharp
ened by hate-it showed In her face.
If Glenlster escaped destruction to-
night II would be because human
means could not accomplish his down
fall.
In the mind of the new case keeper
there was but one thought-Roy must
be broken. Humiliation, disgrace, ruin.
ridicule were to be his. III he should
be downed, dlscredlted and discourag-
ed, then perhaps he would turn to her
rs he had in the bygone days, He
was slipping away from her-this was
her last chance. She began her du-
ties easily. and her alertness stimulat-
ed Bronco till his senses, too. grew
sharper, his observation more acute
and lightnir like. Glenister swore be-
meath his breath that the cards were
bewitched. He was like n drunken
man, now as truly intoxicated as
though the fumes OF wine had be-
logged his brain. He swayed In his
seat. the veins of his neck thickened
and throbbed, his features were con-
gested. After awhile he spoke.
81 want bigger limit. Is this some
boys game7 Throw her open"
The gambler shot triumphant
glance at the girl and acquiesced. "All
right, the limit is the blue sky. Pile
your checks to the roof pole" He be-
gan to shuttle.
Within the crowded circle the air
was hot and fetid with the breath of
men. The sweat trlckled down Glen
ister's brown skin, dripping from his
jaw unnotlced. He arose and ripped
Off his coat, while those standing be-
hind shifted and scuffed their feet i'm
patiently. Besides Roy, there were but
three men playing. They were the
ones who had won heaviest at first.
Now that luck was against them they
were loath to quit
Cherry was annoyed by stertorous
breathing at her shoulder, and glanced
back to find the little man who had
been so excited earlier In the evening
His mouth was agape, his eyes wide,
the muscles about his lips twitching.
He had lost back, long since, the hun
dreds he had won and more besides.
She searched the figures waling her
about and saw no women. They had
been crowded out long since. 1t
seemed as though the table formed the
bottom Of sloping pit OF human faces
eager, tense, staring. 1t was well
she was here, she thought, else this
task might fail. she would help to
blast Glenister, desolate him, humiliate
him. All, but wouldn't shell
Roy bet 800 on the popular" card.
On the third turn he lost. He bet $500
next and lost. He set out n stack of
$500 and lost for the third time. For
tune had turned her face. He ground
bis teeth and doubled until the stakes
grew enormous, while the dealer dealt
monotonously. The spots flashed and
disappeared, taking with them wager
after wager. Glenister became con-
scious of raging, red fury which he
had hard shift to master IL was not
his money-what IL he did lose? He
would stay until he won. He would
win. This luck would not, could not,
last-aI3d yet with diabolic persistence
he continued TO choose the losing cards.
The other men Jared better till he
yielded to their judgment, when the
dealer took their money also.
Strange to say. the tickle goddess had
really shifted her banner at last, and
the Bronco Kid was dealing straight
faro now. He was too good n player
to force winning hand, and Clients
ter's III fortune became as phenomenal
rs his winning had been. The girl who
figured In this drama was keyed to the
highest tension, her eyes now on her
counters, now searching the profile of
her victim. Glenlster continued to lose
and lose and lose, while the girl gloat-
cd over his swift coming ruin. When
at long intervals he won bet, she
shrank and shlvered for fear he might
escape. IL only he would risk II all
everything he had. He would have to
come to her thenl
The end was closer than she realized.
The throng hung breathless upon each
move Of the players, while there was no
sound but the noise OF shifting chips
and the distant jangle OF the orchestra.
The lookout sat far forward upon his
perch, his hands upon his knees. his
eyes frozen to the board, dead cigar
clinched between his teeth Crowded
upon his platform were miners tense
and mOtlonless as statues. When n
man spoke or coughed, a score OF eyes
stared at him accusingly. then dropped
90 the table again.
Glenister took from his clothes n bun
die OF banknotes so thick that 1t re-
quired his two hands 20 compass it.
Onlookers saw that the bills were
mainly yellow. No one spoke while ne
counted them rapidly, glanced at the
dealer, who nodded, then slid them
forward till they rested on the king.
He placed n copper" ON the pile. a
great sigh OF indrawn breaths swept
through the crowd The north had
never known a bet like thls-it meant
a fortune Here was a tale for ones
grandchldren-that man should win