The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-11
Gnnvrightedl


 TNRENCHY called for two cards and reached for 6 glass and the bottle. A His head swam dizily, The ciink- ing of glasses at the bar smote upon his ears like gongs. He was about to risk upon one showdown" tho realization of a five years dream He felt pertain of losing; that was the strange thing about it. Yet somewhere in the buxzing back of his head a compelling little devil whis- pered and obeyed.
 He drank three big ones straight. and for a moment things stood still and the buzzing ceased; but in the sudden silence a roaring like the rivers in the June rise. "All on the deucesi All on the deucesI Every last centl" That is what the little devil in the back of his head was howling now.
 But if lose it a1l-and wanting to go back home in the spring? That was the question his pounding heart hurled at the insistent little devil.
 You won once-didnt you7-didn't your didn't your? howled back the little devil jeeringly.
 Five hundred" said Frenchy quietly. His bronze face had grown livid; his black eyes narrowed and glittered with a steady stare. With a hand that be- trayed the least perceptible tremor he pushed the chips to the center.
 The next man tossed his hand into tho discards. The next hesitated, carefully studying the face of Frenchy with a fur tive lifting of the eyes under his hat brim; be- too, laid down his hand.
 Raise you two hundred" said the next with quiet cheerfulness.
 1.-TWO hundred more," said the next nonchalantly, drumming devils tattoo with his fingers on the table.
 The fifth drew long breath, grinned nervously. showing his teeth like hungry wolf-tossed his hand into the discards.
 It was now up to Frenchy.
 Pardon me-" said he. "but did you call me?"
 His face had turned dull, ghastly green, but his voice was quiet and clear.
 "Thinking of something else-trip home, guess" His voice lowered un- til it was almost inaudible. This ab- sent -mindedness was unusual for Frenchy.
 An oppressive silence had fallen in the barroom of the Big 6.'' There was no longer any clinking of glasses or hum of maudlin voices. The loungers drew up in a hush ed circle about the table and stared with fascinated eyes. A "big game" was on-and 1t was up to Frenchy Frenchy was no quitter; he was a gambler to his finger tips. "Frenchy? He'd bet on which'd be the last breath of his dying mother!" That was the way the popular legend ran, and the man lived up to it.
 Stake 1t all--stake 1t all on the deuces-the deuces-the deucesl" The little devil in the back of his head was shrieking now and stamping red-hot heels into Frenchy's brain.
 "But the trip home-Pve planned five years" urged his pounding heart.
 You won on them once-didn't you?-didn't you?-didn't your" reiter- ated the little devil.
 Frenchy quietly poured out another glass and downed it. Then he pulled off his boots produced a bunch of bills from the bottom of each, put on his boots again and looked at his hand.
 Come two thousand more" he whis- pered.
 sound of deeper breathing grew up about the fascinated circle of onlook- CTS. Frenchy had gone into his boots they knew what that meant Would the others stay? would they?
 The place became uncanny with still ness. Nothing moved in the room The circle of eyes stared steadily upon the three who sat with expressionless faces blanched with the ptiless struggle that was going on For d minute that seemed endless the soundless battle continued Physic forces exchanged invisible sword thrlists across the table. Nerve wrested with nerve that covered but still fought on.
 The whole scene vanished for Frenchy It seemed to him that he was the center of . silent hollowness; only a voice, that was rather an ache felt than sound heard, kept up pitiless jeering.
 "They'll stay-they'll stay" shrieked the httle devil; your bluff won't work you're a dead horse and they're crows crows-crows!'
 They're weakening!'' beat the heart of Frenchy.
 "Deuces-ha ha! Deucesl And they've both got face cards-deuces-ho hoi-go- tng home. eh Twin on deuces?-ho ho ho- deuces!" The insistent devil laughed spitefully.
 Raise you five hundred more!" The words echoed and re-echoed in the