The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-11

hideously at the winner. Cant you
shut up about the horses?" He forced
the words menacingly through his shut
teeth.
A hush fell upon the ~loungers as they
looked upon the pinched. malignant
face with the upper lip lifted culver
ingly n the close set teeth showing
beneath. This was no longer the
FTenchy of legend: that Frenchy had
always been known as one who lost or
won large sums with the utter nerve
lessness of a machine. This was no
/ longer the face of Frenchy-the gay,
careless, naughty face of him who
firted with Fortune. This was a new
Frenchy-a terrible Frenchy, with a
coiled max lurking just behind each
glittering eyebaIl. This face sent a
SILVER through the crOwd-like the
sight of an ugly knife unsheathed in
anger.
The %loungers with affected careless
ness began 10 move away. With a
lightning sweep of his hands Frenchy
drew his guns and banged them down
violently on the table before him.
Stay where you are, gentlemenr' he
said; I'm going to talk, and 1 want
an audience. When I'm lone talking,
I'm off on the long trail and the first
man that moves goes with me-"
h0 oAlogo OtCh a NlllSOlllC
something in the voice of the man. 1t
was now commanding. irresistible. The
loungers stood still and stared dunn
founded upon this terrible new version
Of an old legend.
Frenchy picked up four cards from
his hand and held them fanwise before
his enforced listeners. Look at EN-
he shouted hoarsely. Look at 'emi
Let EN- burn through your hides into
NnTTT CnllCf oh l4-T
thing, ehE Don't one of you dare 10
grim"
One ham fumbled n~ervously with the
guns.
What do you see? I say. what do
you seer Four deuces? That's all? I'll
tell you what l see. I see the red
warm hearts of two friends! I see dia-
monds that are cheap beside such
hearts, I see a Cuba black. brutal
t~reacherous club-that struck down a
friend! And ! see the devils spades
that dug his grave. That's what I
see! Look hard!"
Frenchy seemed to exercise an m
canny influence owe his hearers. Not
one moyed-aIl stared upon the four
upheld deuces.
It's the devils story. gentlemen" he
continued in a low, husky voice. IT'S
huhg by me for three bloody years-it
iiduiils me We got to tell it."
He passed his free hand over his
forehead beaded with sweat. Then he
Whispered a question to the
audience:
Did any of you know the Kid-Kid
Smith,"
A mOmentary expression of infinite
kindness softened the face of Frencbv.
only to give way Immediately to deem
qulvering lines of anguish. He con-
tinued TREMENDOUSLY:
i knew him-the Kid. Had the big
sest' Dravest heart that ever heat in
me godforsaken white spaces of a man
one OF that breed of fellows that the
WoTid nails to its crosses-the Kid was.
ana We were friends: that is. he was
q friend He gave and | took. and he
Vas napier IN the giving than I in
the taxing That's the way it ALWAYS
goes gives and one takes-and Cod
pity the man that only takesI
why did | bet on the deucesp oh
the dirty deucesi Don't 7 knou, a.
game? | know every card like a lid
knows his mothers face. DIDN'T 7
Know 1t was the last ditch for me ana
no hope? l tell you, gentleman 7
didn't play EN-, The devil played 'em
for me-the black devil of the dirt
deuces with the fiery feet that havs
been Kicking me hellward for three
aching years,
Look at the cards. Look at 'em-