The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22

tho' bOhVi BdItlo hH Couls Vuttn L
II n winner"
That looks rood TO me-" said Top
pington, producing his wad and peeling
on the specified amoun "Mebbe I amt
the best poker player on airth. but
Naint no two TO one bet ag' IN me into
no game I ever seem"
"Mcbbe not" aid the other, placing
his money on the table. but I reckon
from the way yo' all talks what yo'
hain't never saw that one"
The captain OF the boat grinned pity
insIs at Toppington when he heard the
terms of the wager. but he agreed read
lily enough to act as stakeholder, II being
specified that a perfectly distDterested
person should accompany Toppington on
his excursion In the capacity of witness.
The one selected was a mild hammered
daredevil named Spotswood, who pledged
himself not to interfere in the course Of
events and who displayed pleasurable
emotion at the prospect Of looking on at
more or less Interesting doings.
Accordingly when the boat stopped at
Arkansas City Toppington n Spots
Doc stepped ashore, a number of pas
sengers saying good-by 70 the former
gentleman rather impressively.
Mr.. Toppington's manner was perfect
when he entered old man Greenlaw's
saloon In company with his witness n
few minutes after leaving the boat. He
n experienced no difficulty whatever
In finding the place he sought. ard he
stepped in boldly. but without any bra
vado.
After ordering the drinks he adj
dressed the old man. IT'S done herd a
heap" he said, "c'ncernin' a game o
draw poker what's played into yo' back
room occasional. an I don't stopped over
To- to set in. but this hyar gent what's
with me, he amt no player. He done
come along just TO to look on IL they
Amt no objections"
Must be some mistake" aid the old
man suspictously. First OF they amt
never been no poker played onto my
premises, = fur's I knows. An second.
when the boys does play they don't
never low no outsiders setdn' round no
higher the table n the gallery. An |
aln't never had no gallery built In. Pears
like tn amt liable TO to be no greet
call TO one. an they'd be ~c'nsid'ablo
Expense to II.
III 'twa'n't To- them few things" he
continued. II amt a sayin' but what yo'
all mought be 'commodated IL yo' was
lookin' TO a game. This hyar s n
public house. an We aims to please. but
tn amt no DIVISIONS made TO no out
siders, not In the back room, they amt"
II don't keer much TO outsiders my
own self" said Toppington. mot as a
gen'l thing, I don't But this yer 10
kyind OF a special case. done made
a bet that I cd set In to yo' ail's game
an come out winner. an this yer gent
Is done come along TO to see what It's
did or taint did. He amt interested,
an faint nothin' to him whether / win
or lose. but they can't nobody elect
them stakes 'thouten he says which
it's"
81 dunno bout othin' like that" said
the old man still more suspiciously.
First of faint regular. an they can't
no poker be played onto my place
'thouten it's reg'lar. II they was some
way what l cd stand to win a p'cent-
age o. that bet. now. II mought be
din rent. but the way It's I reckon they
won't be nothin' diddin'. Sounds too
much like gamblin'."
II reckon they is gwine to be some
pin diddin' right away" exclaimed
; Jim Blaisdell in great disgust. 'Yo'
all pears to be gittin' hell roarin'
. scrup'lous into yo' old age. II the gent
wants to play poker he's gwine to play
poker. an II this yer other gent wants
!, to look on he's welcome to look on, IS
fur s I'm c'ncerned. / amt gwine to
have the bread tookened outen my
mouth long o. no moral Considerations o.
nobody else"
; This protest, delivered somewhat vio-
lently. was Immediately and %unqual-
fedly Endorsed by Jake W~rnterbJttom,
Joe Bassett and Sam Pearsall. and the
old man. seeing he was unsupported,
gave up ungraciously. ''rd ought TO TO
be able to stand in on that bet some
way" he grumbled as he got out the
cards and chips.
9Th amt no 'b~jections 10 that, e
fur's / CT see." said Blaisdell indiffer-
emily. but l dunno what good it'll do
To- to make no engagements o.. that
| ~. .-t.k ,AI. lA.. ,.. .nAl.N, Il.
aipit what yo'd call monstrous liable 70
to win the bet"
SIS that so?" said Toppington with a
touch of b~raggadocio In his tone. Then
; II seemed for n moment as IL he was
about to say more. but thinking bet
, ter OF II he went with the others TO
| the back room. Though vcnturesome
, to a degree he was not void of discre-
Z ton.
The game opened with a promise OF
= excitement. for the betting before the
= draw indicated that ut least three good
! hands were out on the first deal. Win
terbottom dealt. Pearsall put up n dol
! lar ante. Bassett came in. Toppington
I raised. Blaisdell raised him. Winter
E bottom dropped. but Pearsall after some
study saw the double raise. going no
l further.
Then Toppington raised again. after
Bassett had dropped. and Blaisdell
> trailed, but Pearsall quietly slid in $40
E more thar It took him to play. Neither
Of the others went bach at him. but
I both stayed. and Spotswood 80 far
forgot himself at the sight of the large
pot that he edged his way up toward
Z the table from the distant curner where
he had been allowed to stand.
. 'Git back" said Winterbottom sternly,
: 9TH Amt no call TO- yo' all 10 mix n"
. And Spotswood stepped back to mis-
, corner. Moreover. he kne enough "a
say nothing by a Of excuse or apol.
! ogy. As It happened. however, he missed
! nothing. for all three contestants stood
= pat, and after Toppington and RJaisdel
= had each put up a white chip Pearsal
! bet 800, and the others both folded, $.
= that no one ever knew anything more
. OF the matter.
y Nothing happened on the next three
deals, but when the cards came to Blais
dell and he shufled them and passed
them to Toppington to cut. that gentle
!, mar rified the deck twice before cut
ting. And there was a great hush.
A 'Is they anythin' p~ers'nal In that
= asked Blaisdell very quietly.
!, 9TH amt nothin' pers'nal In poke
g fur Is L know" said Toppington, "bu
any man in the game has a right e
shuttle, 'cordin' to the rules"
, ..c'ract" said Rlaisdell, Sony tain