The Caucasian., 1907-12-19
9CrNHC
( PLAYING q MAN AT
! HIS OWN GAME.

he became familiar With the different
methods used by sttnIeuts who either
won't study or can't learn to help them
through their examinations. Mind
YOU. ! don't say that Billy used any of
these methods. In the first place. hH
was so bright that he could keep well
up with his classes aud find plenty of
time to work most of the mischief
that was accomplished during his so
journ in college. In th" second place.
Billy was fairly honest and would not
have "pe-,cl' unless he was sure of
being found deficient if he didn't BE
this as it may. BilIy's chum was both
lazy and stupid. and to help him
| through his examinations Billy invent
ed wire and elastic contrivance that
would enable the student to hold cards
| up his sleeve on which were written
| the demonstrations of various prob
| lens that might he propounded to the
| student
After being graduated Billy went to
the wild west There he suffered from
| the usual pranks played on Il tender
foot. but as he was Il good fellow he
made friends from the start. There
was one custom of the country he
would never follow. That was carry
Ing n revolver at his hip. or. rather. n
pair of reyolvers ut his hips. His
friends demonstrated with him for not
doing SO. telling him that there were
plenty of men about mean enough to
shoot him down in cold blood either
| for revenge or gain.
Billy played draw poker just AS any
other western man. He never won
anything. but his losses were not great.
and he considered that the fun lln got
out of it was worth what it cost him
He never played with mon who were
not supposed to he Square" so he hasi
nothing to fear in being cheated. and.
to tell the truth. he was u much better
poker player than most of those with
whom he played. In fact, it WAS soon
noticed that if Billy found himself l.at
ting too far ahead he Invariably played
very badly til he had lost his wn-
nings.
One day a new man named Morgan
came into town ostensihIy looking for
opportunities to invest money. II,
was srave talier and soon gained
sufficient coutitcuce to he admitted tC
the poker parties. The stranger lost
steadily for Il week though not very
large amounts: then his luck turned
and he won steadily. Meanwhile he
had succeeded in getting the boys f
raise the limit. and his winnings were
in far greater volume than his losings
Billy Informed the others that he he
lieved the man was Il card sharp Vh'
had come among them to get theil
money Unfortunately they were n
by this time losers except Billy. Sc
they turned a deaf ear to him and KEEP
on playing with the stranger, Billy
told them that he would keep in thu
game with the hope of discovering
some flaw in the strangers play.
From this time the hands held by
Morgan and by Billy were something
remarkable Billy didn't hold as large
cards as Morgan's. but he played then
with far greater skill. At any rate. III
won back all the money the Strange
had taken out of his friends. The
match for him. informed the boys tha
Billy was q card sharp and they mus
get him out of the game. When they
demurred he declared that if They
didn't decline to admit Billy and III
caught him cheating he would get ril
of him by shooting him. This of course
was reported to Billy. and he wa!
urged to arm himself. Billy responde.
that if he had pointed out the irrcgu
, larities he had observed in the stran
, gers game the air would have rainet
, lead. That's all he would say ahou
! the matter, and. as for wearing n re
: volver at his hip. it was.as conspfctl
ously absent as it had always been.
Well, the thing came to a head il
this wise: They were all playing in
room over the store, and the hand
held by both Morgan and Billy wer
unequaled by the "hcathcn Chince.
: Billy. as usual never bet simply he
: cause he had big hand only putin
up his money in large quantities whc1
re Knew he I1Hu II '"tttI bstii MOI
gan was losing steadily. 1t didn't seer
to matter how valuable his cards were
Billy invariably held better ones. MOI
: gan's brow was every moment hccOu
. ing more clouded, and the brows of til
a party BiIly's excepted were also bt
= coming more troubled. The strange
;. wore revolver at each hip. Billy ha
1 no weapon at either hip. Finally Whe
t Billy had raked in n jack pot contain
ing $1GO there was n sudden mov.
ment of hand of every man presel
Billy exceptedb to grasp his rcvolye
The occasion of this was that Mo
gan's hand went back for his. and til
others were hoping to head off move
0 ment that was undoubtedly iutendc
:, for their friend. But both Morgan an
r. the rest were too late. Before til
!. stranger could move his weapon Bill
= had covered him with pair of de
J. ringers.
r That's all there is of the story Bill
e had in each sleeve n weapon attache
RI | <<, of 10 nfri, I,