Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-01-12


blood. His black eyes glittered and
his nostrils were distended and eager
They were large nostrils. tokening
his descent from savage ancestors
who had survived by virtue of deep
lungs and generous air-passages.
Yet. unlike Macdonald, his voice was
firm and customary, and. unlike
Kearns his hand did not tremble when
he wrote.
Il call, for ten thousand" he said.
Not that I'm afraid of you-all. Mac.
It's that hunch of Jacks"
II hump his hunch for five thousand
Just the same" said Macdonald. Il
had the best hand before the draw.
and still guess got It,"
"Mebbe this is a case where a
hunch after the draw is better'n the
hunch before" Kearns remarked:
wherefore duty says. Lift her,
Jack. lift her. and so lift her anoth-
er five thousaid."
Daylight leaned back In his chair
and gazed up at the kerosene lamps
while he computed aloud:
81 was In nine thousand before the
draw. and l saw and raised eleven
thousand-that makes thirty. I'm only
good for ten more" He leaned for
ward and looked at Kearns. so | call
er five thousand"
You can raise IL you want" Kearns
answered. Your dogs are good for
five thousaid in this game
Mary dawg You-all can win my
dust and dirt. but nary one of my
dawgs | Just call"
The saloon keeper finally spoke:
IF anybody else wins. they'll have
to take a mortgage on the Tivoli."
The two other players nodded.
so call. too
Macdonald added his slip for five
thousand. Not one of them claimed
the pot. and not one of them called
the size of his hand. simultaneously
and in silence they faced their cards
on the table. while a general tiptoe
Ing and craning of necks took place
among the onlookers. Daylight
showed four queens and an ace; Mac.
Donald four Jacks and an ace. and
Kearns four kings and trey. Kearns
reached forward with an encircling
movement of his arm and drew the
pot in to him. his arm shaking as he
did so. Daylight picked the ace from
his hand and tossed 1t over alongside
MacDonald's ace. saying:
That's what cheered me along.
Mac. ! knowed 1t was only kings that
could beat me. and he had them
What did you-all have?" he asked.
all interest. turning to Campbell
Straight flush OF four. open at
You bet, You could a made a
straight a straight flush or a flush out
of it"
That's what | thought" Campbell
said. sadly. at cost me six thousand
before | quit
81 wisht you-all'd drawn" Daylight
laughed Then | wouldn't a caught
that fourth queen Now I've got to
take Billy Rawlins' mail contract and
mush for Dyea. What's the size OF
the killing. jack"
Kearns attempted to count the pot,
but was too excited Daylight drew
IL across to him. with firm fingers sep
, arating and stacking the markers and
I L o, US and with clear brain adding
the sum.
oue nuHuTtu anu NWeu'y-seheh
thousand" he announced. "You-ali can
sell out now. Jack. and head for
home"
The winner smiled and nodded. but
seemed incapable OF speech.
Name your ke-juice. you-ali-
the winner pays," Daylight called out
loudly to all about him. at the same
time rising from his chair and catch
| ing the Virgin by the arm. Come on
for a reel. you-all dancers. The nights
young yet. and it's Helen Breakfast
and the mail contract for me in the
morning Here. you-all Rawlins. you
i hereby do take over that same
contract. and | start for salt wate- at
nine a. m.-savvee? Come on. you-ali!
| Where's that fiddler?''