The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-16
THE FOURTH TREY
| FAILED HIM
Vieksbmg Visitors Run Fod Of
the Witness Of jim
Blaisdel1.

blafsdell.
Ii was considerably earlier in the day
than old man Greenhut was in the habit OF
expecting any of the regular frequenters
Of his saloon, and as only two or three casual
customers had happened in he had sought
his favorite chair and sat alone, smoking
and thinking.
To him presently entered Jim Blaisdell,
a man of few words but of considerable
repute for skill and daring. Seeing that
the old man was alone. he said: is them
Vicksburg spots to be here Tonight
Il reckon they be-" said Greenhut. Bill
Dixon sent word to Bassett as they was
comm up on the City O. Natchez an she's
due this evenin'."
Two on 'em. or three?- asked Blaisdell.
faint sure. Bills comm fr one, an
Hank Waters couldn't be KEEP away with
guns. but Jere Dimock was some doubtful.
Pears his bank has been runnin' sideways
lately an he amt none too sure o havin' a
stake More'n likely he will, though. !
reckon therell be three"
"Dimock an Waters don { count said
Blaisdell, slowly. but this here Dixon,
don't know him. They tell me he's got
good eyes"
Like a hawk said ole man Greenhut,
but | reckon that needn't for to worry
you none. There amt
Worry your cat!" interrupted Blaisdell,
scornfully. What ! want to kno is will
he see somepin' il ] give him half a chance
to see it?"
Twill he see?- said the old man, HE cd
tell which side of a bullet was fiat il he stood
alongside O. the gun when it come out"
Good said Blaisdell. Now get out
a new deck o. cards"
you don't want no fresh deck to play
solitaire with, do ye?" said the old maj
wonderingly; but as Blaisdell made no an
swer TO this, he vent behind the bar.
Blaisdell followed to the front of the bar
and when the new deck was produced he
opened it with extreme care, 80 that when it
should be wrapped up again there should
appear no sign of il having been tempered
with.
Then selecting the deuce Of diamonds
out of the deck he proceeded 10 stick a
small diamond shaped piece OF red paper
in the middle of it so that. excepting for the
indicator in the corner, it looked like a trey.
Then he put the deck together in the same
OTOeT lldl II was, "IdpIFu ~ UP ditiuiy
and handed it Lack TO Greenhut.
When JAKE Winterbottom calls for a
+. blue deck, he said, you fetch that p'ticlar
deck"
Sure said the old man, but amt it
kind o. trinin' for to take all that pains with
a deuce? Pears like dsuces an treys
amt PLACED so much as
-Four treys is a powerful good hand.
said Blaisdell, IAN when a man gets his
fourth trey an finds it's a deuce, he's liable
for TO change his opinion some sudden.
You don't reckon that there third pip is
goin' to he on that card when | deal it to
anybody, do ye?"
Have a drink, said Greenhut.
Very little more was said before night
fall concerning the expected game though
some of the other regular frequenters
of the place dropped in. Jake Winterbot-
tom, however. asked in casual fashion
who was likely to play, and Blaisdell said:
That depends, If there's three of EN-
comes, me an you an Joe Bassett ii be
about the right number, But il Jere
Dimock don't show up | reckon we'd
better have Sam Pearsall set in. BY the
way. Jake, old man Greenhut's got a eStry
fine deck o. cards he's liable for TO fetch
in when YOU call for it. Its a blue deck.
Don't forget j: bein' blue
Il won't" said Winterbottom. but
how'll | know when to call for en-
I'm know" said Blaisdell.
Toward nightfall the group dispersed
for supper and a little later returned TO the
saloon. In the meantime the CITY OF
Natchea had arrived. ringing two only
Of the expected visitors. They also went
for supper to the hotel and soon appeared
at old man Greenhuts place.
There was some general conversation
while the liquid requirements OF etiquette
were under discussion and Dixon said:
"Dimock was powerful disappointed not TO
come. but he had d argument in his bank
with a yap I'm up the river Tuesday night
an the Coroner had him locked up
That amt like Coroner Wiley, I'm what
I've hcerd, " said old man Greenhut, How
come he'd lock a man up fr a difficulty
into his own PLACER
a new Coroner we've got. He's a re-
former
An we uns is powerful sorry he's KEEP,
but we en- make up n game Just the same
T that's what you uns is lookln for"
1t appeared that they were looking for
a game and without haste. hut without
needless delay. tho arrangements were
made.
As the party took seats at the table
Blaisdell contrived without seeming 20
d. 70 that Dixon should sit next IN him
on his left. Will" Bassett sat on Dixon :
left. Next in order came Pearsall. Waters
and W~interbottom. II was barely pos
sible therefore for Bllisdell to tread ON
Winterbottom's toes whenever it seemed
necessary.
Nothing was said about a limit, hui rs
the custom was when high play was cN-
pected each man placed a wallet or q roll
of bills on the table in front OF him along
side the hundred dollars in chips that he
bought at the start for change. The Nicks-
burg men had come not merely 10 re-
buke the pride OF the Arkansas City players
but to get Arkansas City money.
Winterbottom dealt first, and BlaisdelI