The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-05

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started for the back room. Arrived
there he said nothing, but after walk
ing around little he took up his sta
ton opposite Sam Pearsall. who was
looking at him, as were the others. with
some curiosity.
Then. as II rehearsing some prear-
ranged manpuvre. he shifted the bung
starter to his left hand. looking steadily
Mt Pearsall. Then he fourishcd II aloft
and concluded the performance with a
Significant glance at the stranger.
us he took thataway frequent" ne
asked after the old man had returned to
the barroom.
Not frequent" said Joe Bassett,
gravely. "Ony when ne gifts kyind O.
blue moulded To- excitement. Pears like
he must "a reckoned how they was liable
TO to be disturbance o. some kyind
He's al'ays on hand 70 anythin' Hike
that"
"A bung starter makes a tolable good
weepin." said tho stranger thought
fully. IF man knows how to use t."
He knows" said Jake wintcrbottom
shortly.
II was not to be supposed. however,
that the Significance OF the old mans
actions had escaped the notice OF his
friends. though II was also possible that
the stranger had also perceived the
meaning of them. Whether or not the
minds of the players would have been
directed to the probability OF an out
break OF violence had the old man not
suggested the idea there was no doubt
that such thoughts were now alive.
sudden motion Of the strangers
right hand toward his hip was instantly
followed by similar motion on the part
OF each man at the table with him. but
as II Immediately appeared that he had
only reached for n plug OF tobacco and
that his purpose was merely to regalc
himself no serious results followed, and
jos Bassett. for one. seemed somcw
disappointed.
His attention, however. WA fixed at
the next moment by q glance at the
cards he picked up after the deal which
Pearsall was concluding. Finding that
the first four that he looked at were
four parts OF a royal fiush no INDUCED
in pleasurable thoughts Of what would
be hkely to happen II he should chance
10 get the queen Of diamonds in the
draw.
He was too experienced IN tho gams
to Indulge in any very confident ex-
pectation OF such a happening. but the
possibility OF II was sufficiently allurlng
TO fix his determination to stay along.
regardless OF expense, I'LL he should
know what was coming to him. And he
INDUCED in some vain regret that Blais
dell was not the dealer.
Meantime, though he did not know Il.
the stranger had been occupied with
similar thoughts OF his own. having
picked up a hand OF similar character.
though in his case It was the king OF
hearts which was lacking to make him
invincible He also was too seasoned
a gamester TO be driven away from so
glittering an opportunity by anything
that might be done before the draw
but neither OF the two had any desire
TO crowd any ono else out.
Had It not happened. therefore, that
Winterbottom and Blaisdell were both
of them reasonably strong there would
have been no very heavy betting before
the draw. but with aces up and three
sevens in the play there was naturally
some raising, and with the two possibili-
ties extant there was trailing enough
TO swell the pot unusually.
There vas therefore large sum IN
the middle OF the table when Bassett
gave It one more boost for luck. No
one felt quite strong enough to go back
at him, but neither would any be driven
out and the pot was accordingly closed.
Pearsall having thrown down.
Then followed one OF those curious
manifestations OF the perversity OF
chance which lend An irresistible charm
to the game OF poker. Blaisdell. sitting
! first. looked eagerly for the seven OF
| clubs Bassett, as was said. wanted the
| queen of diamonds. and the stranger
the king OF hearts, and the nine OF
| spades would have given Winterbottom
| a nine fun on aces And all four OF
! those cards were dealt out by pearsall
! in the draw
Had they fallen in tho proper places
! II is unquest!onable that each OF the
/ four contestants would have backed his
/ hand to the extent OF his resources, but
| they did not. Blasdell got the king OF
| hearts along with trey that nobody
| wanted, and Bassett caught the nine OF
| spades. The stranger picked up the
seven spot that Baisdell was looking
! for and Winterbottom's NTH card was
the queen OF diamonds.
The sudden collapse OF interest was
almost ludicrous. Bassett. having frs,
/ say. threw a yellow chip in the pot be-
fore looking at his draw the same rep
/ resenting 800. Pearsall might possibly
! have trailed but for Blaisdell's having
drawn two cards, but ne realized that
he was beaten and threw down his
| cards.
The stranger studied the situation
long and carefully before deciding. His
own hand WAS only ace high. but there
was at least the chance that Bassett had
not even so much, and there was too
much in the pot TO let il go for the lack
OF 800 more. Certainly Blaisdell haC
him beaten. but there was a strong prob
ability that Blaisdell would drop as
against two.
lie thought once Of raising, but de-
! cided that Bassett would probably
reason as he was himself reasoning, and
would call, so that all he could hope
for was a show down and that he could
probably get by trailing. In any case
he had either to surrender or make q
desperate play.
He decided 10 make II and was i'm
med!ately gratified by finding that h'
had made no mistake an to Blaisdell
Three sevens did not look worth 800 &c
that gentleman and he made one of his
rare errors in Judgment. And the SHOW