The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-12-23

He found four aces.
With straight Pushes barred, that
hand was a certainty. The only ques-
ton was how much he could win on
it. 1t was his last chance.
Being the man under the gun he
Clipped in his dollar without raise.
Watkins came in, so, did the dealer,
and then the age raised it fifty dollars.
Remembering the play Maxwell had
made shortly before, Frank just saw
the raise. Watkins, who had a king
queen high flush, raised it fifty more.
The dealer dropped, but Draper, who
had three kings again, put up a hun
dred. Frank took out all his money
and counted it. Finding he would
have about hundred left to bet with
if he called the raise, he saw it, and
Watkins dropped his flush.
Colonel Draper asked for two cards
and got pair of tours with his three
kings. Frank stood pat and bet fifty
dollars. After some apparent hesita-
ton, Draper raised him two hundred
and fifty. The barkeeper pressed his
elbow against Franks chair as if to
say, Now is your chance. You can't
lose"
To call for a sight with such a GER
tainty in his hand as four aces would
be folly. They would never be done
laughing at him. Turning to Watkins,
who was sitting on his left, Frank
asked him if he would lend him enough
to make a play, offering to show him
his hand. After a glance at the cards,
Watkins told Frank he could let him
have all he had with him, as they were
just going to quit any way, but it was
only about three hundred dollars.
Frank took it and put it with his
own fifty, saying he would raise it an
other hundred.
1t was now Colonel Diapers turn
to be out of cash, and he borrowed
from Maxwell, who had won the big
pot from Frank. He not only Dor
rowed enough to see Franks raise, but
enough to boost it five hundred dollars
more.
No one at the table had enough
money to loan to meet this raise, and
Colonel Draper insisted that he would
net take any mouth bets for it. He
wanted to see the cash on the table,
where his cash was, or he would take
the pot. Frank had borrowed to
raise, he said, and he would have to
borrow to call. That was the rule of
the game. While Draper was insist
ing on this point, Watkins rose from
the table to have a few words with the
barkeeper, who came forward with a
proposition. If Frank Avery wished to
call Colonel Diapers last raise, he
thought he ought to be allowed to seal
his hand in an envelope until he could
raise the money, the ColoneIs hand
being also sealed up.
The Colonel agreed to this on condi-
ton that there should be no further
raising, and the barkeeper went of to
get the envelopes from the clerk of the
boat
Each man having sealed his hand in
an envelope, and written his name on
it, the clerk put the money in another
envelope and locked them up in the
safe, TO remain until such time as the
question of calling the bets should be
settled, there being now about two
thousand dollars depending on the re-
suit.
Watkins had no more cash. Frank
did not like to tell Maxwell what he
had, as Maxwell had loaned the money
to bet against him. 1t was getting
late, and while Watkins, the barkeeper
and Frank were discussing the posi-
bility of getting a loan on the boat, the
two colonies went of to bed. The bar
keeper was sure he could find a man
who would loan five hundred dollars
to bet on a sure thing like four aces.
but every one had gone to bed and