Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-10-18
B3LEURN!NG DAYLIGHT
y cAcK ZONDQV
Coene/oHZ 1919 81 me- New >oe3 HNQAlo, conn1Anr

response to the hail of the poker-play
ers, he came over to their table in the
corner
want to sit in," said Campbell.
'How's your luck?"
81 sure got it tonight" Burning Day
light answered with enthusiasm,
and at the same time felt the Virgin
press his arm warningly. She wanted
him for the dancing. 81 sure got my
luck with me, but I'd sooner dance.
I amt hankerin' to take the money
away from you-all."
Nobody urged. They took his re-
fusal as final, and the Virgin was
pressing his arm to turn him away
in pursuit of the supper-seekers, when
he experienced a change of heart. 1t
was not that he did not want to dance,
nor that he wanted to hurt her; but
that insistent pressure on his arm put
| his free man-nature in revolt. The
thought in his mind was that he did
| not want any woman running him.
| Himself favorite with women, never
theless they did not bulk big with him.
They were toys, playthings, part OF the
relaxation from the bigger game OF
| life He met women along with the
whisky and gambling, and from obser-
walton he had found that it was far
easier to break away from the drink
and the cards than from woman once
the man was properly entangled. He
resisted the pull on his arm by the
mere negative mass of him. and said
st sort of feel a laundering to give
you-all a futter"
Tact and sympathy strove with him,
and he smiled with his eyes into the
Virgins eyes as he said:
''You-all go and get some grub.
amt hungry. And we'll dance some
more by and by. The nights young
yet Go it, old girl
He released his arm and thrust her
playfully on the shoulder, at the same
time turning to the poker players.
s"Take off the limit and I'll go you
ALL"
Limits the roof" said Jack Kearns.
Once started, it was quiet game,
with little or no conversation, though
all about the players the place was
a-roar Elan Harnish had ignited the
| spark. More and more miners dropped
in to the Tivoli and remained. When
Burning Daylight went on the tear, no
man cared to miss it. The dancing
floor was full The luck at the table
varied monotonously, no big hands be-
| ing out AS a result, high play went
! on with small hands, though no play
! lasted long But at three in the morn
| ing the big combination of hands ar
rived It was the moment of moments
! that men wait weeks for in a poker
game. The news Of it tingled over the
Tivoi The cnlookers became quiet.
/ The men farther away ceased talking
and moved over to The table. The
players deserted the other games, and
the dancing.1oor was forsaken, SO that
! ;sll stood at last, fvescore and more in
q compact and silent group, around
the poker table. The high betting
went on, with the draw not in sight.
( Kearns had dealt, and French Louis
had opened the pot with one marker
in his case one hundred dollars.
Campbell had merely ''seen" it, but
Elan Harnish, coming next, had
tossed in five hundred dollars, with
the remark to Macdonald that he
was letting him in easy. Macdonald
glancing again at his hand put in a
thousand in markers. Kearns, de-
batting a long time over his hand,
finally saw" 1t then cost French
Louis nine hundred TO remain in the
! game which he contributed after a
/ similar debate. It cost Campbell like
wise nine hundred to remain and draw
cards, but to the surprise of all he
saw the nine hundred and raised an
other thousand.
'You-all are on the grade at last"
Harnish remarked, as he saw the fiji
teen hundred and raised a thousand
in turn. Helen Breakfasts sure on
top this divide, and you-all had best
look out for Dustin harness"
"Me for that same lady" accom-
panied MacDonald's markers for two
thousand and for an additional thou
sand-dollar raise.
'I amt got no more markers"
Kearns remarked plaintively. WED
best begin L o. US
"Glad you're going to stay" was
MacDonald's cordial response.
IT amt stayed yet. I've got a thou
sand in already. How's it stand
now?"
It'll cost you three thousand for
look in, but nobody will stop you from
raising"
"Raise-h-l. You must think I got
a pat like yourself" Kearns looked
at his hand. But Ill tell you what
III do, Mac. I've got a hunch and
I'll just see that three thousand"
He wrote the sum on a slip of pa
per, signed his name and consigned it
to the center Of the table.
French Louis became the focus Of
all eyes. He fingered his cards nerv-
ously for a pace Then, with a "By
| Gar! All got not one leetle beet