The sun., 1908-05-10

some surprise. we didn't think you uns
had come for 10 play old maid or humble
te-peg, II you waslthlnkln' o. that, mebbe
We on get some o. the children f'm the
Methody Sunday school 10 set in
Il reckon that won't be neodful,' said
Peters. as sarcaAuo as the other, 'but up
country We uns has a weakness f'r stud
poker. tn amt nothin' 10 be said Rgln
draw, but you get quicker action an en-
sd able more play outen stud nor you do
Being duly mindful Of Blaisdell's great
skill In the deal the home talent consented
TO play stud. though with apparent re-
uotanOe, and they cut for the deal which
fell 10 Winterbottom.
Bassett caught a king In sight. which
was high, and bet red chip, OF s. Peters
and Pearsall came in, but the others folded
and the third card around was dealt.
Peters got an ace. Pearsall four spot and
Bassett another king Seeing II he put up
two reds and Peters trailed, but Pearsall
dropped
On the next round Bassett got ten spot
and passed the bet Peters caught trey
and pushed his stack forward.
Either II was a bluh or he had a buried
AGE, and II II was the former II was 30 well
timed that Bassett had no stomach for a
call. He therefore folded, Peters took the
pot and Winterbottom passed the deck
along 10 Pearsall for him 70 deal.
do you uns pass the deal on each hand?'
asked Spratt as II mildly surprised
Most gently we does said Winter
bottom, surprised In his turn. How do
you uns play"
Our way is f'r each man TO keep the
deal till he wins a pot said Peters. Il
kind o like II better. You don't halter
deal 80 frequent
'The gentleman's right said Blaisdell
quickly. He saw a possible opportunity
that the others did not. Il vote we play
that way" he continued, and his friends
agreed 70 the proposition.
Without understanding what was In
his mind they saw that he had some object
In view, and they we're not the mento him
der him. Afterward he explained.
y seen quick enough he said, 'as one
on EN- was countin' on maxim a KILN
when the deal come to him, but O. course
didn't know which Z was. II twas Peters,
the deal d come TO me first, an | reckoned
on doin some fine work my own self afore
he got a chanst. Then when Spratt TOOK
the deck later on set easy, fr seen he
want no ways skilled
His theory was that one OF the strangers
relied on dealing disaster around the board
II he could get the opportunity TO assemble
the cards and shuffie them over three or
four times. and that meantime he could
easily avoid winning himself 1t was a
game in which Blaisdell himself was par
ticularly expert, and he was naturally
anxious to have a try at IT,
II proved 10 be as he thought and to his
joy the deal passed somewhat rapidly
along till he got the deck. Winter bottom
won after three or four deals, and Pearsall'
Spratt and Bassett we're equally lucky, 40
that little time was lost before his oppor-
tunty came.
From that time on, however much sur
prised the others may have been at the
cards they caught Blaisdell himself was not
mrprised in the least There had been no
great havoc wrought before that time,
though Bassett and Spratt had both been
TO the boneyard, AT,
A few bets had looked Guspiciously like
bluffs, but they had not been called, and
only twice had there been q real struggle
between two strong hands. It could hardly
be called an eventful game 30 far.
Neither did 1t become exciting imme-
diately after Blaisdell began dealing. He
was too wary 10 rouse suspicion IN tnat
way. On the contrary. he dealt winning
hand 10 SprAtt and one TO Peters almost
Immediately. and though their winnings
we're small they we're encouraged to play
when soon after they saw promise In their
buried cards.
Seeing their confidence Blaisdell gave
out some remarkable hands. Peters had
put up a red chip blind and got an ace for
his buried card Winters trailed with jack.
Pearsalls card was a queen and he came
in. Spratt got a king and put up his red
Bassett passed and Blaisdell threw In a
chip to swell the pot, though he had moth
ing Of value.
Peters then raised It $40 and Winter
bottom saw the raise, purely a. an az
preston Of his confidence In the dealer
though he did not explain that to the table.
Pearsall, getting a glance from Blaisdell !,
came in with apparently some doubt as 70
the play Spratt stayed and BlaisdslI
On the second round Peters got a ten
spot. Winterbottom an ace, Pearsall
queen and Spratt a jack Winterbottom,
heinR hiRh In sight. bet $40. Pearsall
tralled, not caring TO drive the others out,
and Spratt and Peters made good
On the third round the dealer gave Peters
an ace. Winterbottom a jack, Pearsall a
queen and Spratt king.
Pearsall, with queens showing, bet SO,
Snratt traied and Peters put up $40 say
ing There sure is high oyards shown !,
but | reckon I'll press my hand just
leetle
hdenoe in Blaisdell was not easily shaken.
and he saw the raise. whereupon Pearsall
fingered his chips with a fine appearance
OF hesitation. ,..
from the outer room the sound OF feminine
voioe decidedly tremulous and slightly
elevated, and Pearsal turned white.
Then there was heard an earnest bass
oroWi that might have been an eXpostu-
Iation from Greenhut, though no spoken
words could be distinguished, and the
nnfortunata man. who was surely high
in the game at that point, listened eagerly
while his hand trembled as he still fingered
his chips. ,., IL, A.. -.
strangers, though his friends knew what
was troubling him, ana they all watched
him eagerly Presently he threw in a
rad chip impatently.
whats that for?' demanded Peters
imnatiently. Takes you $40 to see my
raise and Pearsall with nervous laugh
nut IN the other SIS, though his attention
was still elsewhere.
The nurmur Of voices rose and fell out
side while Blaisdell dealt the next round
and Pearsall saw though he paid no attention
10 II, that he had caught four spot Neither
could he have told whlle that muIinui
sounded that Peters had ten spot, Win
terbottom trey and Spratt a seven.
He did not even remember that u vas ms
6rat bet I'm Peters spoke impatiently, and
tbsn "A the front door slammed and the
voireS ossssd he breathed long sigh and
threw In a white chip
SnraIt's kings we're strong enough for
trailing on, but he did not care 10 raise on
them and Peters saw the chance OF threes
heina out against his aces up, 30 he simply
ans In. and Winterbottom was willing
enough 10 put in white chip for the sake
oI ia chance, 30 the final round was dealt.