The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12


reas' nable. Yo' mought Law them pun.
Ca the bar while yo're a-talkin'. so,s
10 make sho.' but tn amt nobody gwine
10 rar up afo' yo' 'xplains yo'self
fears like yo p'ceedln's is some
p'cooliar."
Mebbe they be-" admitted the stran-
ger, but amt takin' no chanst o. bein'
TOOK up hasty. I come firm the one
eyed man. an he said how yo uns
was liable to git het up II I was to say
SO thouten some pliminari g."
lie sho' did speak the truth To- oncet
IN his life." said Joe Bassett. advancing
IN threatening way. AN tn Amt
nothin' sho bout they not bein' no
trouble alter them p'liminaries, not
thouten yo' all makes a doggone good
explanation. Tn amt no friend alvin
no mo- welcome round hyar m he Is
hisself 1 reckon it's up to yo' all to
talk some quick"
Il reckon it's" said the stranger
coolly. but | don't p'pose to be hur-
ried none. That's why done laid down
my guns. I'm some keerless with 'em
my ownself. case of a misunderstand-
IN, an I'd rather not have none this
time"
well. speak up. then" exclaimed
Bassett with no abatement of his hos
tility. but the old man interposed.
Hold yo' bosses. joe" he said,
there's time enough To- to manhandle
the gent later on IL it's 'dvfsable. but
he's done spoke fair enough this fur.
But" turning to the stranger
''mebbe yo' all d best 70 to say first of
whether yo' be a friend o. One Eye or
not. BE yo'?"
Not SOS to be painful. amt" said
the stranger with a grin. II reckon
he Amt got no reel friends. Fur's I
Know he alays plays a lone hand. I'd
as soon win his money = anybody
else's. an ! was reck min how mebbe
yo' uns mought feel the same way IL
twas put up to yo' right. Il d be easy
enough to Kill him after the game II he
was let set in 70 spell" he added as
II he thought the suggestion might
serve as an argument. Hes willin to
take chanst O. that II he's let play
oncet mo-"
We'll. he won't play no mo- poker in
this house, declared Bassett vehe-
mently mot 'thouten he plays dead
mans hand all through the game"
That's final, b b?" asked the
stranger
We'll" said the stranger. that bein'
disposed of. me an a couple o. friends
o. mine d like to set into a game. Hes
comm on the next boat. an he asst us
to wait till he came. case o. they bein'
room TO him in the game, but II they
amt, mebbe we en- begin right away"
"Game'N begin soon'3 yo' all fetches
yo' friends" said old man Greenlaw
promptly, but reckon Bassett II quit
when he hears the boat whistle"
Bet yo' boots he will" said that
gentleman with great earnestness, and ,
the stranger picked up his guns and /
went out forthwith
In n short time he returned with two /
other men and old man Greenlaw's /
prediction as to the beginning OF a
game was fulfilled.
II occurred frequently that strangers
who undertook to play poker in old man |
Greenlaws back room found them /
selves utterly unable to hold th..r own
against the four notable players who
were almost invariably in the game. but
these three proved themselves excep-
tional in this respect Before any great
Of rounds had been dealt they
had demonstrated surprising ability of
their own and had acquired a con-
siderable amount II Arkansas City capt.
tall And the home talent was aroused
to unusual eXertion.
All three were excellent PLAYERS
though there was no evidence OF team
work among them which the Arkansas
City men could discern. To all ap-
pearance they were as keen to win
from one another as from the home
players. and as the game progressed
one of them seemed to show even
greater ability than either of the
q hers
He was a taciturn man who showed
TO let the others do all the
talking. but though he said nothing he
remarkably good judy
nent in backing the cards he held. and
was quite lucky in holding.
No cards were seen TO come from his
sleeve, but he improved almost every
time he drew
He was heavily bearded man who
wore n wide brimmed SLOUGH hat we'll
lown on his forehead, but as all the
,thers wore their hats. this excited no
His two companions referred
70 him once or twice as George" but
mentioned and it would have been con-
ions on the subject. so that the home
players were ignorant OF his identity. as
hey were also concerning that of his
wo companions.
The natural reluctance OF the losers
% part with their money was mingled
With Indignation at the gross favorit-
SIN OF the Goddess of Chance which was
displayed in the falling OF the cards.
md this gentleman was in fair way to
get himself disliked. when the sound OF
/ steamboats, whistle was heard from
he river.
on the instant Joe Bassett grabbed
,is chips and going outside demanded
he cash for them. Receiving II, he
departed.
II reckon" said the stranger who
had first made his appearance. what
he gent Ia gwine gunnin' To- the one
Eyed man."
MO n likely" said Jake Winter
POTION.
"ThatIl be wuth lookin' at" said the
,ther with much interest. II motion
We adJourns. We en- finish the game
alter on"
The motion passed without the for
nality of a vote and all cashed in. Old
NON Gnaaplaw demtirred at frat whan