The Washington herald., 1910-09-11

Kearns was cooIly dispassionate and noncommIttal
while Elan Harnish appeared quizzlcal and Jocu.
lar ever. Eleven thousand dollars was already
in the pot. and the markers were heaped in a con-
fused pile IN the centre Of the table.
Il amt got markers Kearns remarked
plaintively; wed best begin I. o. US"
"Glad you're going to stay" was MacDonalds cor
dial response
II amt stayed yet. I've got thousand in already
How s It stand nOw2"
"Itll cost you three thousand for look in but no.
body will stop you from raising"
''Raise-hen! You must think got a pat, ike
yourself" Kearns looked at his hand But I'll tell
ron what I'll do, Mac. I've got bunch, and I'll Just
see that three thousand"
He wrote the sum on a slip Of paper, signed bis
name and consigned It 10 the centre OF the table
French Louis became the focus Of all ewes He
fingered his cards nervously for a space Then with
by Carl All got not one leetle beet hunch," he
regretrully tossed MS hand into the discards
The next moment the hundred and odd pairs Of eyes
shifted 70 Campbell
1 won't hump you, Jack" he said contenting him
Heir with calling the requisite two thousand
Inc eyes shifted 70 Harnish, who scrubbed on a
piece Of paper and showed it forward.
III just let you-all know this amt Sunday school
society Of philanthropy" he said II see you. Jack
ana raise you thousand. Here's where you-am get
action on your pat Mac"
Actions what 1 fatten on, and lift another thou
sand" was MacDonald's rejolnder. "StiI got that
bunch, JackY'
81 still got the bunch" Kearns fingered his cards
long time. And I'll play IT, but you've got to know
how stand There's my steamer. the Bella-worth
twenty thousand If she's worth an ounce There's
Sixty Nile, with Eve thousand In stock on the shelves
And you know 1 got a sawmin coming in It's at
Linderman now and the scow Is building. Am 1
goodT
"Dig in, you're sure good" was Dayllght's answer
"And while we're about 1t may mention casual that
got twenty thousand IN Macs safe there and there's
twenty thousand in the ground on Moosehide.
You know the ground. Campbell Is they that-aII IN
the dirtr'
There sure is, Daylight"
How much does It cost nvwT" Keans asked
Two thousand to see"
Wen hump you II you-au come In" Daylight
warned him
IT'S an almighty good hunch," Kearns said add
ing his slip for two thousand to the growing heap
Il can feel her crawlin' up and down my back"
Il amt got a bunch. but got tolerable ITkable
hand" Campbell announced as he slid In hts slip;
but It's not rising hand"
Mine is" Daylight paused and wrote Il see
that thousand and raise her the old thousand"
The Virgin, standing behind him, then did what
mans best friend not privileged 10 do Reaching
Daylights shoulder she picked up his hand and
read it. at the same time shielding the faces Of the
five cards close to his chest What she saw -ere
three and pair of eights but nobody guessed
what she Every players eyes were on her
face as she scanned the cards but no sign did she
give Her features might have been carved from ice
for her expression was precisely the same b, e
during and after Not muscle ouivered. nor was
there the slightest diaton nostril nor the slight
est Increase OF light I'm the eyes She aid the hand
face down again the table, and slowly the IIneer.
ing eyes withdrew from Ler having learned nothing
Macdonald smiled benevoIenuy. II see you. Day
light, and l lump this time for two thousand How's
that bunch, Jacky'
Still a-crawng Mac You got me now. but that
bunch is rp-snorter persuadin' sort of crtter and
it's my plain duty to ride It. call for three thousand
And ] got another hunch-Daylights going 10 call
too"
He sure is" Daylight agreed, after Campbell had
thrown up bis hand. HE knows when he's up against
it and be plays accorlin'. l see that two thousand
and then I'll see the draw"
In dead silence, save for the low voices of the
three players, the draw made. Thrty-four
thousand dollars were already in the pot and ths
play possibly not half To the Virgins amaze
ment Daylight held up his three queens discardins
his Fights and calling for two cards And this time
not even she dared look at what be had drawn She
knew her limit Of control Nor did he look The
two new cards lay face down on the table where
they had been dealt to him.
"Cards?" Kearns asked Of Macdonald
Got enough" was the reply
You can draw If you want to- you know" Kearns
warned him.
Nope thisil do me-"
Kearns himself drew two cards, but did not look
at them.
Still Harnsh let his cards lie.
~ never bet In the teeth of a pat hand" he said
slowly, looking at the saoonkeeper "You-all start
her rolling, Mac"
Macdonald counted hts cards carefully to make
doubly sure It not foul hand wrote a sum or
paper slip and slid It into the pot with the simple
utterance-
Five thousand"
Keurns. with every eye upon him, looked at his
two card draw, counted the other three to dispal
any doubr Of holding than five cards. and wrote
on a betting slip.
81 see you. Mac" he said. and l raise her little
Thousand just to not keep Daylight out"