Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-12-02

him had he turned around.
Kennedy passed directly ahead. A
moment later Whispering Smith put
his head inside the door of the joint
Du Sang had entered, withdrew it,
in an undertone: "A negro dive; he's |
lying low. Now we will keep our reg
ular order. It's a reimbursement, with
bar on the left; crap games at the
table behind the screen on the right.
Kennedy will you take the rear end of
the bar? 1t covers the whole room
and the back door. George, pass in
ahead of me and step just to the left
of the slot machine; you've got the
front door there and everything be-
hind the screen, and can get close to
Du Sang. Look for thinnish, yellow
faced man with brown hat and a
brown shirt-and pink eyes-shoot-
ing craps under this window. I'll shoot
craps with him. Is your heart pump
ing, George? Never mind, this is
easy. Farrell, you're first!"
The dive, badly lighted and venti-
lated, was counted tough among tough
|
before the bar and about the tables.
| When Smith stepped around the
screen and into the flare of the hang
} ing lamps, Du Sang stood in the small
: corner below the screened street win
dow. McCloud, though vitality inter
ested in looking at the man that had
come to town to kill him, felt his at
tention continually wandering back
] to Whispering Smith The clatter of
$ the rolling dice, the cultural jargon
: of the negro gamblers, the drift of
0 men to and from the bar, and the
j, clouds of tobacco smoke made a hazy
! background for the stoop-shouldered
S man with his gray hat and shabby
r coat, dust-covered and travel-stained.
n Industriously licking the broken wrap
per of cheap cigar and rolling it
n fondly under his forefnger, he was
a making his way unostentatiously to-
e ward Du Sang. Thirty-odd men were
|. in the saloon, but only two knew what
I? the storm center moving slowly
across the room might develop Ken
t. needy, seeing everything and talking
pleasantly with one of the barkeepers
D. his closest teeth cleaning 20 feet
n away, stood at the end of the bar slid
ing an empty glass between his hands
e Whispering Smith pushed past the on
;" lockers to get to the end of the table
j. where Du Sang was shooting. He
a made no effort to attract Du Sang's
% attention, and when the latter looked
is up he could have pulled the gray hal
e.. e
~ brown eyes were mildly fixed on d,
Sang's dice; they were lying just ii
re front of Smith. Looking Indifferent,
i'd at the intruder, Du Sang reached 70
Id the dice; just ahead of his right hand
Whispering Smiths right hand, tn
Id finger-tips extended on the table,
,u rested in front of them; it might hav
~ been through accident, or 1t Nigh
lg have been through design. in his lef
)u without looking at Du Sang he passe
is the wrapper again over the tip of hi
IL, tongue and slowly across his lips.
.e, Du Sang now looked sharply at hin
at and Smith looked at his cigar. Other
were playing around the semicircula
he Tablet might mean nothing. ID
er. Sang waited. Smith lifted his RICH
lis hand from the table and felt in hi
nd waistcoat for match. Du Sang, how
ever, made no effort to take up tn
dice He watched Whispering Smit
IN. scratch match on the table, an
hit either because it failed to light
k: through design, 1T was scratched til
to second time on the table, marking
to cross between the two dice
i'm The meanest negro in the joil
all would not have stood that, yet L
Sang hesitated. Whispering Smit
ng mildly surprised, looked up. Hell
ow Pearline! You shooting here?" T
ell pushed the dice back toward the OF
ley law "Shoot again!"
,ok Du Sang, scowling, snapped Il
it'll dice and threw badly
,ud up jump the devil, is it? Sho
ind again." And, pushing back the die
md Smith moved closer to Du Sang. II
Get. two men touched arms. Du San
ach threatened in way wholly new
en- him, waited like a snake braved by
we'd mysterious enemy. His eyes blink
tide like badgers. He caught up t
lNC- u1C6 anu lulSW Is ludL Tic DScL y
i'm, can do?" asked Smith See here
ind He took up the dice. "Shoot with me
an Smith threw the dice up the table
re- ward Du Sang. Once he threw cral
S. but, reaching directly in front of
ked Sang, he picked the dice up and thr'
de- eleven. Shoot with me. Du Sang
side What's your gamer" snapped
Sang, with an oath.
ring What do you care, if I've got
the coin? I'll throw you for $40 g
He pieces"
ell?" Du Sang's eyes glittered. Unable
of a understand the reason for the afro
rect he stood like a cat waiting to spri
This is my camel" he snarled.
cred Then play it,
hey Look here, what do you want?"
1t is demanded, angrily.
his Smith stepped closer. Amy ga
you've got. I'll throw you left-hand