The searchlight., 1912-01-05
CHAPTER i.-Continued.


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 Sixty-Mile
with FIVE thousand In stock on the
shelves. And you know | go, a saw
mill coming in. It's at Linderman
now. and the scow Is building. Am !
good"
dig in: you're sure good was
Daylights answer. And while we're
about ii, 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 Is. Daylight"
How much Goes It cost now?''
kearns asked
Two thousand to see"
We'll sure hump you II youall
some in" Daylight warned him.
Its an almighty good hunch.
Kearns said. adding his slip to the
growing heap. Il can feel her crawl
In up and down my back"
II amt got a hunch. but ! got tol.
cradle good hand" Campbell an
nounced. as he slid in his slip; but
It's not a raisihg hand"
Mine is." Daylight paused and
wrote. Il see that thousand and raise
her the same old thousand"
The Virgin. standing behind him.
"A has % hAC frfn Waa q
not privileged to do. Reaching over
Daylight's shoulder. she picked up his
hand and read 1t. at the same tipe
shielding the faces of the cards close
to his chest. What she saw were
three queens and a pair OF eights. but
notobdy guessed what she saw.
Every players eyes were on her face
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
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 a critter. and it's
my plain duty to ride 1t. 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 II.
and he plays accordin'. see that
two thousand. and then I'll see the
draw"
In a 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
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
tnow." Kearns warned him.
Nope: this'll do me-"
Kearns himself drew two cards. but
aid not look ut them. Still Harnish lei
bis cards lie.
Il never bet In the teeth OF a pat
hand" he said slowly. looking at tbs
ing. Mac"
Macdonald counted his cards care
fully. to make doubly sure II was uoi
q foul hand. wrote a sum on a paper
slip. and slid II 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 o.
holding more than FIVE cards. ant
wrote on a betting slip.
II see you. Mac" he said. and
raise her little thousand Just s. as I,
keep Daylight out"
The concentrated gaze shifted I,
Daylight He likewise examined nj
draw and counted his FIVE cards.
II see that six thousand. and rails
her 0ve thCusano Just 10 u,
and keep you out. Jack"
.And ] raise you i've thousand Jus
% lend a hand at keeping Jack out.
Macdonald said In turn.
His voice was slightly husky an
strained. and q nervous twitch In tn
enrner af his mouth followed speech
Kearns was pale. and those wh
looked on noted that his hand tren
h1e1 - he wrote his slip But hi
volco was unchanged.
= lift her along for nve thou
oand.- he said.
Daylight was now In the centei
4ko kerosene lamps above nuns mig
ueAts from the rash Of sweat O D