Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-17

self. And whether it was etiquette,
habit or thirst that nhpcllcd them.
Jake Wiutcrhottom. lin Hl;,isdcll and
sam rcnrsali rOSc from their seats and
ranged themselves alongside the one
cy"d man at the bar.
Nothing was said until tho drinks
Mere taken and paid rcr. Then the
onc-cyed man spoke.
tiau Jshrdlu rmrwyp shrdl cmfwy hr
I'm a loolliu' for 1t game lie said.
Again he had uttered potent ap-
peal No man had ever before III that
place expressed u wish I" play poker
tfor the word game" necessarily inn
piled pokcrp without having his wish
respected Immediately. Etiquette and
other things forbade This time. how
ever. there was visible hesitation. and
again the old man spoke.
This yer" lie said. with his eyes
still glued To the w:,d. lis II public
house. an We unS aims to please.
ThcN'S arayS game, en- be had in the
back room
Jim Baisdcll had AN uncertain air.
Nightly as he ycarncd after the blood
of the onc-rycd man. lie was equally
DESTROYS of once more meeting the
only man IN mississippi Valley who
was rcckoucd his rival in skill i'm :,
contest of wits at tho poker table.
Craving both pleasures. he waver.d i'm
MS choice between them,
sam PcarSall wavcrcd not I'm
y pared TO play poker with the devil
hisHelf,' he said savarcly. but yo' all
Is barred, II yo all sets in, it'lI be
onto my daid body
Md Jake wintcrbottom. though lie
said nothing. expressed similar
thought by putting his two hands in
MS vest pockets. where. as they all
knew. he carried two dcrriugcrs R,,t
the old man spoke again.
None o. that. lake" lie said
Stcrnly. one a the house rules IL
what business comes afo' pleasure
! amt saNin nothiu' bout what's 10
played first on"
HiAISDEIL. LEADS WAY
no THE BACH ROOM
ma these words decided Mi Rlais
deils choice. He turned and led tho
WAY 10 the back room. The on..cycd
man followed eagerly. and so. 100. hut
NOR" slowly. did Jake Wintcrhottom
follow, with set lips and Il determined
look.
fearsall baked. however. till the old
man said: Git his wad first off. sam.
an then Kill him s quick $ yo' damn
piease' Then he went in and took
his place at the table where the others
had already seated themselves
Elsewhere in Arkansas CITY other
doinSs were being done. Unfortunately
large AS the onc-cycd mans wad stiiI
was. he had dipped into it already in
no niggardly fashion to secure the
services OF Mr.. owen Pepper, and that
gentleman, as his myrmidon. had by
Il mastery stratagcm engaged the at
iention OF the sheriff. Joe Eassc,t.
leading him away from the old mans
saloon in the pursuit OF mythical
ahscondcr by tho arrest OF whom a
large profit was to no made
Furthermore. Mr.. Pepper had dis
tractcd tho shcriffs attention from this
GRAND. after getting him started on II.
by the simple cXpcdicnt OF innaminu
him with pota'tons. Given II certain
number Of drinks, Mr. Bassett could
always he relied on to take moro. and
he was now taking them.
WIDE APPLICATION
or THE WORD .MORI''
In this connection the word more
has Il wide application. With Mr.. Bas-
sctt more drinks meant more than
any one else could possibly take, ana
more liquor meant more than there
was. And being person Of logged
persistence in tho pursuit OF anythin:;
on which he fixed his mind. Mr.. E:tS-
sctt frequently went far toward the
accomplishment of his purpose of get
/ ting more liquor.
Eminently qualified as he was how
! ever, To distinguish himself in tho Of
! fort 10 drink tho Mississippi va
dry. il had hccn expected by the one
eyed man and Mr.. Pepper that tine