The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-19

impatient gamesters. for IL was Q dun
oeaeon, and the prospect OF O considerable
game seemed good to them. But Cortins
appeared on time and brought a oom-
Jim Crab. e. feper what d ruther play
draw than eat"
No diffcuity was experienced In finding
q place in the game for Mr.. Crab when Il
wa discovered that he was prepared to buy
Winterbottom and Pearsall made up, with
the visitors, q six handed game. and each
bought q q, 900 stack for a starter In q table
stakes game.
Meanwhile there had been q consultation
y, man nh dTa.S Einte5pS sS d'ss,s slsisd tSs s sGanS ola
Of the game. Greenhut speaking With au-
thority. since the home talent relied on him
AZ banker In more senses h one.
You uns wants TO keep your eyes peeled
says he'd oughter be some cosy, but don't
pear TO have no confidence into this Crab.
Looks to me like he mought be some. skilful.
Ireokon you'd best set next TO him, Blaisdell,
an do the cuttin' for him. There won't be
the bunsstartei case o trouble, % the
gamen be peaoeable enough, an I sh'd say
II needn't be monstrous long
The others acknowledged his wisdom and
O oautionary word was whispered to Bassett
lest his impetuosity should mar the har-
mony Of the occasion. Then the play
For the first few hands there was little
doing. They played o moderate game,
the ante being o dollar call two, with Jacks
~ when no n saw ne ante; si For aT. P ss,
wes $50. and nobody called that. =,
Then Corkins dealt and three good
hands were caught. Bassett had anted
and after Crab and Peareall had come In he
raised It IS. To his delight Crab came back
was no object In his raising just theu as
Bassett had another say.
Then Bassett raised It $40 and Crab made
II go more and still Pearsall stayed, where
upon Bassstt merely made good. He
failed to better his three aces In the draw
and Crab stood pat. but he took comfort
In the fact that Pearsall was also pat and
looked we'll content. ..
Crab threw in q white chip and Pearsall
glance from Pearsall, made 1t 500 more.
IL was enough to give Crab pause, buthe
still had some confidence In his Jack full,
and be saw the double r~aise-just once.
When the others continued their cross fire
he pEudently laid down. and Pearsall did
likewise, giving Bassett the pot without
IL was humiliating to Crab, who felt that
Q holder play might have made him winner,
and IL was discouraging to him and to
Corkins - we'll, showing them the tactics
they had to contend with, but after an ex-
change Of. glanoes they played along
Neither Of them backed his cards, how
ever, till it came Crabs turn to deal. when
Corkins by STRENGTHENING up almost i'm
warning that something might happen.
Blaisdell watched the shuttle and the
deal carefully. but II he noted anything
wrong he gave no sign Of IT,. 1t might
have been seen, however, that he was no
whit surprised when all the players came
In his hand he also came in. but without
raising, because, as he said afterward. he
was sure that Crab would boost 1t.
A the event proved. he wa right, and
again everybody came In. When, 1t came
In the pot with his left hand, and II Grab
had been gifted with extra keen sight he
might have noticed that the deck was not
quite as thick after Blaisdell had drawn
his hand back as 1t was before. 1t Ia
Blalsdell remove four cards from the top.
for there were few persons whose eyes
were as quick as Blaisdell's fingers.
When the pot o closed before the draw
there was $500 in IL, for Corkins had been
raising ais Lee. a and teyery ybS Erl had a- stay two
l00n HI Dub Dikiouoal aiho Stoc oioV WV
cards, and the two stood pat.
Pearsan. having first say. looked at his
draw and promptly pushed his whole
stack Into the pot. .Corkins looked at Crab.
but got no answering signal. and after a
little hesitation pushed his stack forward,
Then Bassett and Blaisdell dropped and
Crab trailed, but Winterbottom threw
down his cards.
On the showdown Corkins had a queen
full and Crab four tens. but .Pearsall. 1t
appeared, had caught his fourth king.
The ohagrin Crab showed quickly turned
TO wrath when Blaisdell spoke in an irri-
tatng drawl:
aYou uns plays a tol'able good game f'r
o couple o. country yaps.' he said. But
the next time you stack the cards fr a draw
you want TO be some keerful TO watch the
deck more oloseter. Some on it's liable
for 10 get away =,
promptly drew his gun but the bung-
etarter fell on his knuckles and old man
Gr6enhut said mildly. There amt no
shootin' ; be did on the premises. Nor
there amt nobody lowed to play poker
here alter he's been caught staokin' the
cards. You uns had better get along homo
now an look f'r suckers some'eres else
And the next boat took two men UP the
river toward the st. Francis Valley.