Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-27
The Daily Story
Jack of Diamonds-By Marvin Dana.
dpyrighted. 1914. by Associated Literary Bureau


the table. y
as tn limit or?" be shoutsd
Railroad Jim ran a wary ~.
the company before he aDsve-ss !. "
"All right, unless any gent oh.. - {
he declared coldIy.
ANY ornery cuss as want. ..
5ect d better say so ter rney y. =
man spIuttered, giaring about
Jim: 9Th limits of, huh7 Ber -...s
9Th limits Of" Railroad lin -. 49,
Old Ike drew forth battered 49,
book and laid IL before him ., -. ).
table, one hand still clutchine n
Throw yer keerds," be comm..,
Railroad Jim obediently dis,,..'..
the three cards to the COMPANY ~
the old man. All could see then !.
tinctly, the ten of spades. the u
clubs, the jack of diamonds Z.
thrower passed them back and ~.
gently, slowly, then dropped them 81
cately one by one on the table
"Ill bet my pile pick tn jack. n,
Ike clamored.
How much" Railroad Jim ,..,,
His voice was colorless stlu. bv
feck of red burnt in either cheer
"Just a plumb S4,OOO.'
Ike opened the pocketbook Ana A.
played a thick roll of bills. Txk.L
counted them. There were tens ,r.-
ties, fifties. hundreds. The total -
an even $4,000. He laid the mor.,
a neat pile on the table midx,,, !.
tween himself and the three cards
match it." he commanded terse,
Railroad Jim produced his ro.L.
book in turn and counted out an sr-,,
sum in bills of large denominsar
fresh from the bank, his profits Of 4,
weeks. This money lay on his sid
the table. Between the two bean
bills the three cards waited silently \
biters Of fortune.
Suddenly something happened
swift movement, a fash, a thnd
bowie knife stood quivering In the +
bic, its polished steel a shaking fsr,
The bowie's point was buried den
the table top, and it pierced and sz
fast in its place the center card Of .
three.
Old Ike, his spectacular deed wruuss
stood back a little and laughed aIsz
The tension of the startled crowd
Taxed somewhat They had expects.
robbery, a murder. They leaned ID.
ward In breathless attention.
"That's my keerd," the old man ra
triumphantly. His right hand vast
. his hip; his left pushed his stack 4 /
Abills up against the center card. That
tmy keerd," he repeated defantiy ~
$4,000 is bet on jest that same PEI
icfer keerd And it's there t win
Railroad Jim had neither moved ~
poken. Now the eyes Of the fm
nen met and locked for long hia
Mute, and neither finched IN b
sue.
bit at last Old Ike again put fort
hiieft hand. and now he turned oTs
heard on the right 1t was the tE
of Aades.
Atnoment more OF pause. then b
tur1h over the card on the left l
waShe ten of clubs. The third zi
rem,ned face downward pinned to D:
tabib by the bowie's blade.
One more Old Ike raised bis eyes .
thosSpf Railroad Jim.
"Dt VIM" he asked taunt1s'
And gain he laughed.
Th&monte dealer thrust bis pile .
bankbtes toward the old man
displaed no emotion, but the heck .
color b his cheeks burned brigfs
than kfore.
"E1tse me a minute. gents Dc =
marka in his cold tones. 4 mus
some bre money t go on with VIZ
that hteft the room by back doaL
Old lie put away the 5000 Eitnea
undue haste, chuckling softly. I'D
done, 1 pulled the bowie knife ~.
the tail. As the blade left the wa
the can was loosened and fell On "
table f4e up. It was the tn Of claA
A CAD of amazement went up mn
the crod. The three cards nov y
Mainly Revealed TO all-the Ten
spades. he ten of clubs and-the "
Of clubs
A chots of exclamations broke lot.
The Oldham looked at the erc'a
crowd la waved his hand for
lence.
"whers tn jack o. df'mondsF
repeatedkontemptuously in answe.
che bprb Of the cries. "why I'D
road Jinkleeved tn jack reglef .
never lett on to tn table when =
was anJmoney with while. ~
that othd ten o. clubs out o sight
hind 1t hen he showed To ger
then hipkd the jack into ms ~
with thedlong fingers O. hisn- !.
"But / IL onter his little game
he dldn,tI,st let me turn up that q
az ten .. I'hs He'd ruther pay
knew wa vew'd string him 10 :
stanter. h. nu.
But Oldtke's voice was ios' -
the shout6nd curses. -,
The erdd rushed forth 70
vengeancdon the man who nsa
DEITY f,elsd them. They were
late. Heba knew Railroad 'i1
more.