The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-03-19
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oso. . 'H'ss|sNETss
The ~; aiG RaSsssssss ssssIs'ss; s6as :AS spsa sSs
move of tho players. while there was no
sound but t6h 1olss oG shiftins chips
and the distant jangte Of the orchestra.
The lookoM sat fsr forward upon his
perch. his hands upon his knees. his
eyes frozen to the board. 4 dead cigar
cltDeheds between hts teeth. Crowded
upon bis platform were miners tense
and motionless az statues. When q
man spoke or coushed. q score OF eyes
stared st him aecusingy. then dropped
to the table again.
Glerister took from bis clothes a bun
die Of banknotes 80 thick That 1t re.
Quired bis two hands TO compass 1t.
Onlookers saw that the. bills were
mainly yellow. No one spoke while he
counted them rapidly. glanced at the
dealer, who nodded, then slid them
forward till they rested on the king,
He placed a copper" on the pile. A
great sigh Of indrawn breaths swept
through the crowd. The north had
ne yer known a bet like this-it meant
q fortune. Here was tale for ones
srandchildren-that q man should win
opulence In an evening. then lose 1t In
one deal. This final bet represented
more ttsn many Of them had ever
seen at ne time before. Its fate lay
on 81, gle card.
Cherr Malotte's fingers were like Ice
and shook till the buttons Of her case
keeper ratified, her heart raced till she
could not breathe, while something rose
up and choked her. II Glenister won
this bet, he would quit. She felt It,. II
be lost, ah! what could the Kid there
feel, the man who was playing for a
paltry vengeance. compared to her
whose hope Of happiness. Of love. Of
life hinged on this wager?
Evidently the Bronco Kid knew what
card lay next below. for he offered her
no siga, and as Glenister leaned back
he slowly and firmly pushed the top
card out Of the box. Although this
was the biggest turn Of his life, he be-
trayed no tremor. His gesture display
ed the nine Of diamonds. and the
crowd breathed heavily. The king
had not won. Would 1t lose? Every
gaze was welded to the tiny nickeled
box. II the face card lay next beneath
khA MI hn CT rvo m
Alaska would have been lost; II 1t still
remained hidden on the next turn, the
money VIC did be safe for moment.
Slowly the white hand OF the dealer
moved back. His middle anger touch
ed the nine Of diamonds. It slid
smoothly out Of the box. and there in
its place frowned the king Of clubs. At
last the silence was broken.
Men spoke; some laughed, but in
their laughter was no mirth. 1t was
more like the sound of choking. They
stamped their feet to relieve the grip
Of strained muscles. The dealer reach
ed forth and slid the stack Of bills into
the drawer at his waist without count
Ing The case keeper passed shaking
hand over her face, and when It came
away she saw blood on her fingers
where she had sunk her teeth into her
lower lip. Glenister did not rise. He
sat. heavy browed and sullen. his jaw
thrust forward, his hair low upon his
forehead, his eyes bloodshot and dead.
"I'll sit the hand out IL you'll let me
bet the finger" said he.
Certainly" replied the dealer.
When a man requests this privilege.
It means that he VII call the amount
Of his wager without producing the
visible stakes, and the dealer may ac-
cept or refuse according to his judg-
ment of the bettor's responsibility. It
Is safe, for no man shirks gambling
debt in the north. and thousands may
90 with nod Of the head though never
a cent be on the board.
There were still a few carts In the
box, and the dealer turned them, pay.
ing the three men who played. Glen
lister took no part. but sat bulked over
his end Of the table. glowering from
beneath his shock Of hair.
Cherry was deathly tired. The strain
Of the last hour had been 80 intense
that she could barely sit in her seat,
yet she was determined to finish the
hand. AS Bronco paused before the
last turn many Of the bystanders made
bets. They were the lease players"
who risked money only on the final
pair, thus avoiding the chance Of two
cards of like denomination coming to-
gether, in which event C''splits" 1t is
called the dealer takes half the mon
ey. The stakes were laid at last and
the deal about to start when Glenister
spoke. "Wait! What's this place
worth. Bronco"
what do you meanT'
"You own this outftT He waved
his hand about the room. "Well, what
does 1t stand your
The gambler hesitated an instant,
while the crowd pricked up its ears,
and the girl turned wondering, trou-
bled eyes upon the miner. What would
he do now?
"CountinD hank rolls fixtures and