Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-14

suddenly with a sixshooter, an ugly
.44-calibre Colts that would look for
midable to any one. But Jack was as
cool as the proverbial cucumber.
Drop that card!" exclaimed the
prospector hoarsely, "or by gad III
blow your head off,"
Monohan knew that he meant busi-
ness. so laid his cards down carefully
on the table, face up, and replied
pleasantly:
You see, 1 hope, that 1 have only
one ace, deuce, a king, the seven OF
spades and a five spot. There's is a
misdeal, that's ALL"
And you stuffed the wrong card"
exclaimed the prospector. You were
trying to sneak in another ace. BY
CAD, I've notion to shoot you any
way!"
Monohan did not know whether II
was an ace or a deuce on the floor,
for the card had dropped before he
could look at it, but he knew that If
the card on the floor paired" with
any in his hand, especially the ace, it
would look bad for him.
Jack Monohan was honest. He had
not been to blame for the presence of
the sixth card, and he would not have
dropped it, he explained afterward, IF
the card had had any business in his
hand"
Monohan felt certain that the card on
the floor was not an important one.
He felt sure of this, he told the boys a
few hours later, because his reputa-
ton for the time seemed almost to be
at stake, and he did not consider 1t
possible that fate could be so unkind
as to allow the sixth card to be an ace
or even a king. So, still smiling, Mon
ohan replied quietly:
"Tll bet you a thousand dollars, Jim,
that the card on the floor is not an ace
or even a high card"
Don't come no excuses on mel" re-
torted the prospector unreasonably.
It's an ace, I tell you!"
"All right; but won't you bet with
me?"
you've got most Of my money now,"
replied the prospector. IF that cards
an ace or a king, Monohan, mark me,
you're dead gambler"
He thrust his gun a little nearer to
Jacks head.
VERY WELL" said Monohan. Il don't
know whether that cards an ace or a
deuce, but I'll bet my life against 500.
if you will that it's not a high card.
Now, if you're a sport, you put up
your 500 and I'll give my gun to one
of the boys here. If the cards high
one you can shoot me as you would a
rattlesnake."
The prospector only bit his lips, but
after rejecting for moment reached
into his pocket with his left hand and
drew forth 500 in SO gold pieces,
which he spread out on the table half
way between them. Then he motioned
for Jacks six-shooter. One of the men
next to Monohan lifted the gun from
Jacks holster and laid it carefully on
the table over the gold pieces.
Without word, but still covering
Monohan with his gun, the prospector
stepped around to the opposite side of
the table, next to him. Deliberately
pressing the gun squarely against
Monahan's breast, above his heart he
stopped down and lifted up the card
slowly, uncertainty. All eyes were riv-
eted upon it as he turned the card over
awkwardly.
1t was the six Of clubs.
For a moment there was silence.
Then somebody laughed boisterously
and the whole crowd joined in.
Monohan placed his gun back Ill his
holster, raked in the 500 and rang for
a tray Of drinks. The prospector left
the room without drinking.
There are many old time Western
ers who still remember Jack Monohan
when he was dealing faro in the "Dev-
lis Den" saloon at Florence Diggings,
Idaho, and in the "Whoop EN- UP" at
Rocky Bar. Monohan cleaned up $780,
900 in one winter in those flourishing
camps. He also ran" profitable games
at the Chicken Coop" saloon in War
rens, the BLACK Barrel" in Atlanta and
in the "All Night Palace" at Lewiston,
three of the most notorious gambling
houses In Idaho. He was well known
character in Pendleton, Umatilla,
Jacksonville, Baker City, Portland, Red
Bluff, Siskiyou, Yreka and San Fran
cisco. His occupation in Colorado and
Utah was stage driving, and it was
while he was carrying mails to Kelso
that he killed the Jackson Hole" ban
dts, Frank and Sam Holton, who at
tempted to hold up his stage coach
San Francisco Call