The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-01-04
CHAPTER i--Continued.

Il still got that hunch." Kesrns
fingered his cards a long time. And
III 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 Sixty-Mile
with i've thousand in stock on the
shelves. And you know / got a saw
mill coming In. It's at Linderman
now. and the scow Is building. Am
goodf"
dig In; you're sure good" was
Dayiight's anawer. And while we're
about II, 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 tho ground, Campbell. Is
they that-all in the dirt?"
There sure is. Daylight"
How much does It cost nowG"
Kearns asked.
T., -Two thousand to see"
We'll sure hump you II you-all
come in" Daylight warned him.
its an almighty good hunch,"
Koarns said, adding his slip to the
growing heap. II can feel her crawl
in up and down my back"
II amt got a bunch. but I got a toll
cradle good hand" Campbell an.
nounced, az he slid in his slip; "but
it's not a raising hand"
Mine a." Daylight paused and
wrote. 81 see that thousand and raise
her the same old thousand"
The Virgin, standing behind him,
thor did what q mans best friend was
not privileged to do. Reaching over
Daylight's shoulder, she picked up his
hand and read II, at the same time
shielding Che 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
an 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. Il
Q you. Daylight, and ] hump this
limc lOL lWO luOuSuuu. i1OW tnhk
bunch, Jack?"
still a-crawling. Mac. You got me
now, but that bunch Is q rip-snorter
~persuadin' sort Of a c%ritter, and it's
my plain duty to ride IL. | call for
three thousand. And | got another
hunch; 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'. l see that
two thousand. and then I'll see the
draw"
In a dead silence, ave 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, describing his Fights
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'n do me-"
Keerns himself drew two cards. but
did not look at them. Still Harnish let
his cards lie.
II never bet In the teeth Of a 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
q foul hand, wrote a sum on a paper
slip. and slid 1t into the pot. with the
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 a little thousand just so as to
Keep Daylight out"
The concentrated gaze shifted to
Daylight He likewise examined his
draw and counted his five cards.
II see that six thousand. and | raise
her Ave thousand Just to try
and keep you out. Jack"
And | raise you five thousand Just
Q lend a hand at keeping Jack out"
Macdonald said in turn.
His voice was slightly husky and
strained. and a 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.
Il Ift her along for five thou
sand" he said.
Daylight was now In the center.
The kerosene Tampa above Hung high
tights from tAs rash Of sweat on hia