The Red Cloud chief., 1911-11-30
CHAPTER t.--Continued.

fingered his cards long time. And
I'll play II, but you've got to know
how stand. There's my steamer. the
Bella--worth twenty thousand II she's
worth an ounce There's Slxty.Mile
with Ave thousand In stock on the
shelves. And you know 10, saw.
mill coming In. It's at Linderman
now. and the scow Is building. Am
good?"
dig In; you're sure good" was
Daylight's answer. And while we're
about It, I may mention casual that
got twenty thousand in Macs safe,
there. and there's twenty thousand
more In the ground on Moosehide.
You know the ground. Campbell. Is
they that.all in the dirt?"
There sure Ia. Daylight"
How much does 1t cost now?"
kearns asked.
Two thousand TO see"
We'll sure hump you II you.all
come In" Daylight warned him.
IT'S an almighty good hunch."
Kearns said. adding his slip to the
growing heap Il can feel her crawl
IN up and down my back"
Il ain't got a hunch. but I got tol-
cradle good hand" Campbell an.
nounced. as he slid in his slip: but
It's not raising hand"
Mine is." Daylight paused and
wrote II see that thousand and raise
her the same old thousand"
The Virgin, standing behind him.
then did what mans best friend was
not privileged to do. Reaching over
Daylight's shoulder, she picked up his
hand and read It. at the same time
shielding the faces Of the cards close
to his chest. What she saw were
three queens and a pair of eights. but
nobody guessed what she saw.
Every players eyes were on her face
"a she scanned the cards. but no sign
did she give. She laid the hand face
down again on the table and slowly
the lingering eyes withdrew from her.
having learned nothing
Macdonald smiled benevolently. II
see you. Daylight. and hump this
time for two thousand. How's that
hunch. Jack?"
still a-crawling. Mac. You got me
now. but that hunch is a rip.snorter
persuadin' sort Of critter. and It's
my plain duty to ride II. I call for
three thousand. And ! got another
bunch; Daylight's going to call. too"
He sure is." Daylight agreed. after
Campbell had thrown up his hand.
"He knows when he's up against 1t.
and he plays accordin'. ! see that
two thousand. and then III see the
draw"
In q dead silence. save for the low
voices OF the three players. the draw
was made. Thirty.four thousand dol.
lars were already In the pot. and the
play possibly not half over. To the
Virgins amazement. Daylight held up
his three queens. discarding his eights
and calling for two cards. And this
time not even she dared look at what
he 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.
Got enough" was the reply
"You can draw II you want to. you
know" Kearns warned him.
Nope: this'll do me-"
Kearns himself drew two cards, but
did not look at them. Still Harnish let
his cards lie.
u never bet In the teeth of pat
hand" he said slowly. looking at the
saloon keeper. "You.all start her roll.
ing. Mac"
Macdonald counted his cards care.
fully. to make doubly sure II was not
a foul hand. wrote sum on a paper
slip. and slid II into the pot, with tho
simple utterance:
Five thousand"
Kearns. with every eye upon him,
looked at his two-card draw, counted
the other three to dispel any doubt OF
holding more than Ave cards. and
wrote on a betting slip.
Il see you. Mac" he said. "and
raise her little thousand Just SO as to
keep Daylight out"
The concentrated gaze shifted to
Daylight, He likewise examined his
draw and counted his Ave cards.
Il see that six thousand. and I raise
"o' u'o t"oueauu just 70 IIy
and keep you out. Jack"
And ] raise you Ave thousand Just
to lend a hand at keeping Jack OUT"
Macdonald said In turn.
His voice was slightly husky and
strained. and nervous twitch In the
corner OF his mouth followed speech
kearns was pale. and those who
looked on noted that his hand trem,
bled as he wrote his slip. But his
voice was unchanged.
u lift her along for 1--WE thou.
sand." he said,
Daylight was now In the center
The kerosene lamps above huns high
Nghts from the rash OF sweat on mis-