The sun., 1907-12-01

and TO his astoulshmsnt found Mrs. Blals-
dell there, seemingly much excited.
-Es my man in there playing poIker9" she
Il reckon he is" said the old man, who
knew that the lady had no prejudices
against the game.
who's in the gamer" was her next ques-
tiOn,
sony just the local talent. said Green
THAT'S what was afraid of. exclaimed
else lady with much bitterness. ~Thae
man has got for 20 Dc lee1Sed q lesson. On.
money, but there won't be no hvin' with
him thouten It's did.
@Is the boys goin' to be able to do him
upf" she asked eagerly.
@WeIl. marm, said the old man earnestly,
they're putin their trust In Providence,
an they'm do the hest they know. The Good
Book says. Pride goes before destruction,
an hottY sp0rle afore n calh' an II Jim
Blaisdell amt got hotty sperit an too much
pride faint no good looSin' f'r one Z has.
reckon he'll get a call afore nlornin'."
well there amt nothin' else to look
for" said Mira. Haiedoll resignedlY. He
sure has got to be humblod. an II the boys
II do 1t at poker en- tend TO the rest part
my own self. On'y be sure TO tell EN- not
TO play on his deal - =.
AUAb y DBhk w RIVAh ahAthhVs AAA@A sNt
said old man Greenhut with a chuckle. .an'
reckon you ON be easy. II Jim Blaisden
can play alone ag'in that bunch he's bet
term reckon he is.'
SO the good lady departed, somewhat
cheered, and Greenhut returned to his bar
ChuCkling
There 10 them.' he said to himself. that
don't know how well OF they be. ! reckon
IL Jim BIaisdell knOwed the reel merit o
his helpmeet he'd 20 home an beat her up
consid able
Meantime the game was progressing. and
it was from the start q furious and ferooiOus
contest. Nothing short OF confidence
almost sublime In his own ability could
have sustained the one man who was pitted
against four such players as he knew the
others to be- but recent exploits had nlleu
Blaisdell with presumption and he seemed
TO think he could not be beaten.
The four, however, were not anrtghtod.
They knew well that none OF them could
deal as he did. and moreover they knew
he would infaIlibly detect any irregulaIley
on their part while he could defy detection,
but they relied on their knowledge OF the
game and on one another.
A stranger might not have suspe0ted coll
llsion among them. for excepting as against
Blaisdell they played each for himself. 50
that IL was less than half an hour before
Kenny was put out Of the game ON Winter
bottoms deal.
He caught a pat flush, and as IL was his
ante and the others all came in. he made 10
$40 to play when il came to him. Bassett
and BIaisdell both dropped, but Pearsall
raised it $50 and Winterbottom stayed.
Then Kenny bet 500, and Pearsal raised
him $500. whereupon WinterbottoIn dropped
and Kenny made good.
On the draw. OF course, he stood pat and
bet a white chip, and Pearsall took two
cards and showed his pile forward, Kenny
called FOR all he had and Pearsall showed an
ace full.
| sett, but AZ nobody got cards 10 play on they
| made it a jackpot and Blaisdell took the
deck. His stack showed that he was unde-
niably ahead Of the game up TO this point,
but he had made no Killing such as PearsalI
had Just achieved and the others felt that
he would not wait long before at least at
tempting one. They therefore looked az
their cards with more than the ordinary show
| Of curiosity
PearsalI found three jacks, and he passed
Wintsrbottom had nothing, and he passed
Bassett had four tens and he passed with q
grin that was almost audible.
ThereOpon Blaisdell, without a change Of
expression. opened the pot. and when they
all passed again. showed has hand TO justify
his opening. He only had three kings. but
Bassett was afflicted with no regret.
Pearsall. whose next deal u was, had
never been even suspected Of undue skill
as a dealer. Nevertheless II happened that
| four hands appeared ON this round such aa
had seldom been seen out together. even in
WintSrbottom had anteci Ss call go. and
when Bassett looked at his cards he came in
promptly. 'Blaia1eu raised and Pearsall
raised him, whereupon Winterbottom
boosted Il 500. BAseett chuCkled.
Looks like l might get tol'abfs good
play on this hand, he saids and made 10
Better not throw away your money,
Joe," said Blaisdell, and he raised 800.
S'Pears like you all amt got no conf
dence," said Peansall tauntingly. and he
| put up $500 more.
well, i reckon I've got that much, said
Wintsrbottom. and he trailed.
"Mebbe that's enough afore the draw,
said Bassett. and he made good.
Blaisdel said' nothing, but he too trailed
and the draw was served.
Winterbottom took one card and Bassett
one. Blaisdell and Pearsall stood pat.
Bassett locked at bis draw with some-
| what ostentatious oare and showed his
stack forward. Blaisdell did likewise. but
a. he had some $500 more than Bassett
they separated the side money.
Then Pearsall. seeing that Winterbottom
had got enough to call, counted up Blais-
| delis bet and stacked up even with IL.
WinterbOttom dropped. They found after
ward that ne had had four deuces.
Bsssett showed four queens, BIaisdell Z
straight flush eight high, and Pearsall q
straight flush nine high. The freezeOut was
| over for WinteTbottOm declined to play
| further.
Deeply Inundated, Blaisdell looked from
| one to another before leaving the room. al
il expecting to be jeered. but none Of hi
comrades had, an unkind word for him
| They were satisfied to have taught him hi
much ne sded lesson.
And when they lined up at the bar, old
man Greenhut's remarks were sympathetic
rather than bantering.
The Good Book says" he remarked
@that the swiftest don't al'ays win the rac'
or the best dealer scoop the pot. Ths
waters Of afiictiOn is mighty bitter Jim
but they're wholesome. Likely you'll pul
together with che boys all the better f'r thi
here little experience"
And Blaisdall allowed he would,