The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-13
III

81 iOoL III lllOuSuI IlldI Ills Cigar went out
repeatedly. As he reviewed his disastrous
play at faro many small details came to him
and now he found them interesting. The
dealer was not a master at his trade and
Hopalong had seen many better; in fact the
man was not even second class, and this
fact hurt his pride. He had played care
tul game, and the great majority of his small
bets had won't was only when he risked
twenty or thirty dollars that he lost The
only big bet that he had been at all lucky on
was one where doubles showed on the turn
and he had been split, losing half of his
stake. But when he had played his last
fifty dollars on the Jack, open, the final
blow fell and he had left the table in
disgust.
Why weren't there cue-cards, so the play
ers could keep their own tally of the cards
instead of having TO depend on the cue-box
kept by the case-keeper1 This made him
suspicious; crooked dealer and case-keeper
can trim a big bet at will, unless the players
keep their own cases or are exceptionally
wise; and even then really good dealer will
get away with his play nine times out of ten.
While he seldom played a system, he had
backed one that morning; but he was cured
OF that weakness now. If the game were
square he figured he could get at least an
even break; if crooked, nothing but a gun
could beat it, and he had very good gun.
When he thought of the gun, he reviewed
the arrangement of the room and estimated
the weight of the rough, deal table on which
rested the faro layout. He turned to the
bartender. "Hey, bar-keep! Got any
paper an a pencil?"
After some rummaging the taciturn dis
penser of liquid forget-it produced the arti-
cles in question and Hopalong, drawing
some hurried lines, paid his bill, treated,
kept the pencil and headed for the faro
game across the street.
When he entered the room the table was
deserted and he nodded to the dealer as he
seated himself at the right of the case
keeper, who now took his place, and oppo-
site the dealer and the lookout. He was not
surprised to find no other players in the
room, for the hour was wrong; later in the
afternoon there would be many and at night
the place would be crowded. This suited
him perfectly and he settled himself to be-
gin playing.
When the deck was shufled and placed in
the deal box Hopalong put his ruled paper
in front of him on the table, tailed once
against the King for the soda card and
started to play quarters and half dollars.
He caught the fugitive look that passed be-
tween the men as they saw his cue-card but
he gave no sign of having observed it. After
that he never looked up from the cards
while his bets were small. Two deals did
not alter his money much and he knew that
so far the game was straight. If it were not
to remain straight the crookedness would
not come more than once in a deal if the
frame-up was "single-odd" and then not
until the bet was large enough to practically
break him. His high-card play ran in his
favor and kept him gradually drawing
ahead. He lost twice in calling the last turn
and guessed it right once, at four to one,
which made him win in that department of
the game.
When the fifth deal began he was quite
little ahead and his play became holder,
some of the BETS going as high as ten dol
lars. He broke even and then played heav
Ter on the following deal. His first high bet,
twenty dollars, was on the eight, open, only
one eight having shown. Double Fights
showed on the next turn and he was split,
losing half the stake.
1t was about this time that the look out
discovered that Mr.. Cassidy was getting a
little excited and several times had nearly
forgotten to keep his cases. This informa-
ton was cautiously passed to the dealer and
case-keeper and from then on they evinced
a little more interest in the game. Finally
the player, after studying his cue-card,
placed fifty dollars on the Queen, open, and
coppered the deuce, case-card, and then
put ten more on the high card. This came in
the middle of the game and he was prepared
for trouble as the turn was made, but for
tune was kind to him and he raked in sixty
dollars. He was mildly surprised that he
had won, but explained it to himself by
thinking that the stakes were not yet high
enough. From then on he was keenly alert,
for the crookedness would come soon if it
ever did, but he strung small sums on the
next dozen turns and waited for new deal
before plunging.
As the dealer shuf1ed the cards the door
opened and closed noisily and surprised
and doubling voice exclaimed: "Ain't you
Hopalong Cassidy? Cassidy, of tn Bar
2o?''
Hopalong glanced up swiftly and back to
the cards again: Yes; what of it?"
"Oh, nothin'. saw you onct an Won
dered if l was right"
"Ain't got time now; see you later,
mebby. You might stick around outside 50
can borrow some money if I go broke. y