The sun., 1916-09-10

Stunning the beholder to be free from
fanatic prejudice in regard to the use
OF stimulants, but inspiring As II was
IT proved to be merely preliminary. |
Important as the trafic In alcoholic
fluids was to the old man. he held II
strictly subordinate to the %ostensibly
aleatory profession Of his four allies
and always when possible adjourned
the doinss OF the day or evening from
the bar to the little back room. He
was bluntly naive about II too, though
hs esteemed himself q finished diplo-
mat.
"wotinell Ia yo' all a lookin' fo'?"
he said with some show Of temper
when the stranger ventured q remark
to the effect that Arkansas City had
not impressed him as a place Of ar.
chitectural splendor.
"Th' amt no 'caison TO- to build
temples In Arkansas City," he con-
tinued. nor thcy wouldn't be no gre't
number d 30 TO EN- II they was built,
not 'thouten they was temples Of
chanst. like what Solomon built in the
Good Book. But they IL a substitute
TO- en- what's gently Considered salts
AU~t Au I'LL = uO 8Io StyIc dUOut
{. mebbe. but II answers the purpose"
II ain't saw nothin' o. the kyind."
said the stranger. II arrays reckoned
what a temple was q place TO- to pray
into. an I amt save to prayin' much
a. a gent thing. Does the citizens
pray much in this yer town? I sh'd
say they was some call To- 'em to-"
well, that d'pends." said the old
man whose notions Of spelling were
more or less hasy. and who had a
giimmering suspicion Of a double
meaning in the question. "Mebbe II
mo- liable to be did when they IL
strangers in town n It's other times,
but they Ia somewhat's arrays ready TO-
to 'commodate II It's called To- This
yer is a public house. TO- Example. an
We strives to please"
sounds ambiguous like" said the
other with an evident perception OF
the double meaning. AN bein' a
stranger my W self. I'm nachully
interested. mo- or less. Does yo' uns
pray with 'em or onto 'em?"
"Th'ain't nothin' am biRamous into
t." retorted the old man testify. mot
'thouten yo' all IL lookin' 70 trouble
but that thar temple IL situated into
my back room an they IL services
at all hours. Chips is gently sold 70
800 a stack, an the game Is table
stakes"
Sounds like poker said the stran.
ger with a pleasant smile. "1f' tbs
wouldn't mind takin' a couple o
stacks. I amt afraid O nothin' M
uNns ~Ao, - hSorv tn 0AdaA ne n
trying to Justify himself.
~ knowed yo' all was human by yo
Intelligent 'pearance. soon as ! seer
yo'." said the old man returning thu
smile. and the contest was on.
1.-TWO stacks. ! b'lieve yo' said" oh
served the old man when he came 4
distribute the chips.
We'll" said the stranger. "In TAX
'em one to onc't. Mebbe I won't nee
EN- both"
: He did. though. They could sec from
his play almost as soon as the gam
began that he was no tyro. The over
weening confidence in his own abilit!
that had led him to sit down at
poker table With Ecu. .c:a! stranger
I (for the old man did not himself tax
n HANDY might have beef justified
he had been playing almost anywher
else, for they more than suspected hin
OF being a real expert after they ha'
watched him for a time. Jim Blaisdel
+ who knew most Of the famous player
= Of the period personally through hi
having travelled the river" was un
able to place him. but began to hav
. an uneasy feeling that he was emu
r Al. 49, Ns.,~ -,.1 ha1 NVpN On ~
kansas City for the purpose OF bein
y roped in.
Even an expert may he outclasset
d however. in a grown mans game, an
. though this one took in pots coca
e sionally by really brilliant play h
8 failed In other instances so frequent
that he want to the boneyard befOr
much time elapsed. II did not seel
e to d%isconcert him in the least.
Luck pears to be agin me-" !
n said pleasantly. as he called for II
d second stack. and the old man said:
Runs thataway sometimes, b,
.. they's al'ays liable TO to be a chang
II Al'ays Is. in fact. II a man plays lor
" enough"
n Eyes" retorted the stranger. "if !
plays long enough"
- From hat time on he nursed h
n chips more carefully than he had b
IL fore. seeming to see evidence Of tea
10 play more than once. though Il
IN others disguised It as carefully as thu
D. could, not wishing to discourage hi
Ut before they should have depleted Il
wad he had shown in paying h o
n man.
" Time after time he showed strengt
TO only to lay down when W stay
~ against him. one raising. and they sa
rs that bold as he certainly was he W
I'd also cautious. II was possible.
ne course, TO exhaust his era
er ually, II he should persevere Iol
ut enough, but there was the risk of
quitting before hat should be accor
&c pllshed. and Jake Winterbottom sigr
I. Ned to Blaisdell by a look that it "
70 up to him to prepare for a quick
killing. And Mr.. Winterbottom d
e. this, as il happened, just at the tir
" when Mr.. Blaisdcll was about to de-
lg the cards.
in Mr.. B~la,sdells dealing was abo
and beyond criticism. Nobody h
ID. ever detected him In doing anythi
lis irregular with the deck when he ha
p died it. Nevertheless 1t would SON
he times happen when an emergen
he arose that he would give out Sol
as astonishing hands. and his friends h
ad learned from repeated experiences
nd be at least hopeful of results when
ed lively contest ensued between I