The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1915-11-05
THE ACE
OF SPADES
There Was Luck Under II
After All.
By cLARISSA hACKIE-

OF California were being opened up. a
party OF men were playing poker In
San Francisco. There were Denton and
Andrews and Peterson and Green and
Chafree and Blake. H.. FL. .....
See here. boys" said Patsy Denton,
laying down four kings. whats the
use OF our wnstin' our time here. none
OF us havin' any money, players on tab
with each other? | know q ledge up
In the mountains where there Is a
deserted lead that believe II dug up
Will show payin dirt. What dye say
to our all Eoin' up there with picks
and shoyels, doin' the work that's
needed, and II we strike good ore we
can sell out, divide. come back here
and 30 on with the game to some pur.
poseT .
Every one OF the party expressed
himself ready for the venture. and O
| couple Of days later all were hard
at work developing an abandoned
claim which had some time before
looked well but had at last petered
| out. Denton claimed that the original
| lead, \ hlch was very rich, had been
lost II was their business TO find It
again. ..>, - p. ,"-.-1.i.l '..'...
The lead was not found, and the
natural result was that the men quar-
reled One day Patsy Denton, who
was blamed FOR bringing them on q
fruitess GRAND, disappeared over the
edge Of the elf Tint night It was
proposed that 1t should be settled by
lot who should be lowered to bring
up the body. There were five Of them
present -Four OF them regarded one
another furtively. The fifth man smiled
cnrelessly and shuflied brand new
puck OF cards. ... f.. .. .... .
The lamp han"iug over the rough
pine table shed It's strong white light
over the occupants Of the room and
searched the four corners Of the shack.
The man with the cards ripped them
through his supple fingers. -.....
Now you fellows he said re.
member our agreement I'll deal out a
hand To each man. The one who gets
the nee Of spades will 20 down after
Denton's body. ........... 49,.
The -four urunted assent.
You remember It's sixty foot drop
down the precipice We will lower
you with n new rope, but there's
chance that the rocks will chafe the
rope, and it's a long way to the bot
tom OF Death gorge , RI.
The four nodded
Go ahead. Peterson" said Andrews.
Peterson dealt the cards rapidly, and
there was no sound except the iutter
of the pastebOards as they fell
The four men watched. and each one
thought different things
"lf | get IT." thought Dennis Green
morosely. Il might AZ well give Peter.
son my share OF the claim and be done !
with IL I'll never come back again, |
The ace OF spades never brought me |
no luck" u~
III | get It, thought Chafree, It'll be |
q good thing for the world. | reckon, II |
never come back. | sure am down |
and out"
III | get It" Jack Blake thought rap !,
Idly, I'm never see Elsie again-not
unless I'm mighty lucky. Perhaps she'll |
be happier with some fellow who hasn't |
got the gold fever"
I'm glad won't get IT," eXulted
Andrews. Good thing ! fixed that
with Peterson
The last card fell and the men gath.
cred them up. each one scanning the
hand with shrinking eyes.
I'm OUT breathed Green sharply.
putting down his cards.
Same here" muttered Chaffee.
And here" ended Andrews.
Jack Blake said nothing He stared
q the ace OF spades In his hand His
face was pale. Presently he looked up
and saw them regarding him from un.
der lowered lids
I'm III" he laughed grimly and got
upon his feet The others followed suit
II was pinin to he seen that Jack
Blake was the least fitted for the dan.
gerous task.
He was taller and broader and much
heavier than his companions.
Get your rope ready, Peterson" he
said. stretching his arms. II have a
letter to write before go. You'll send
II, Peterson, In case don't come
back
I'll send IT," said the swede care
lessly He WINS out OF the contest
He had a crippled leg md walked with
n queer, hopping gait
The conference had taken place In
Blake's shack. The Others went out
and Blake sat down before a roughly
made desk. He destroyed some pa
pers, wrote letter. which he left on
the desk for Peterson to mail II neces.
sary; then he wrote another one and
pinned II In his coat pocket.
Il don't suppose one OF those chaps
would 20 down after my body" he
grimly. for he had had rea-
son TO lose faith In his four partners
The ffth one. Patsy Denton. WINS the
most decent OF the lot, and the day
before he had fallen over the brink OF
he precipice
The claims which the six prospec.
Iors had happened upon simultaneous
" were located on the western slope OF
The pannmint range They had found
told hut the vein WINS Motoring ont