Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-08
Jake W|NTERBOTTOM
TRIES THEIR FAITH
But His Associates Say No More
After lie Explains His
Break.
THREW DOWN FOUR ACES
Tells Friends That Stranger i'm Poker
Game Was Accustomed to Shoot
From His Pocket, and He Heard
Faint Click.
THREW DOWN FOUR ACES
ny DAVID A. CURTIS.

law as If talking to himself. what's
that can,anarous what pears like
they goes wrong fo' the pleasure they
finds in being dln'rent firm wha,
they'd ought TO to be-"
The manner of his uttcrancc as was
said, WAS such would have made 1t
appear 10 be soliliquy. but there WAS
that in the faraway gaze he bent on
Jake Wintcrbottom while he was
speaking that made that gentleman
squirm. Moreover. the ~thcrS in the
room seemed to hnd Il personal april
cation In the words they had just
heard. and they. too. regarded the sec
ond oldest man in the room In a man
ncr that seemed TO add TO his cmb;ir-
rassmcnt Nevertheless. he said moth
ing. continuing TO busy himself with
his pipe and tobacco AS If striving I"
maintain AN appearances Of indifference.
IL was not altogether a successful
effort that lie made. Even though he
maintained his silence dogscdly there
was evidence In his performance on
his pipe that lie was somewhat an
noycd. If not angry. His pulling was
staccato. and they gathered from tn"
tempo that he was defiant.
II was realized BY all that the stua-
ton was delicate. BY virtue o: his
established standing In the community
Mr.. Wintcrbottom was clearly entitled
to exercise his own Judgment in rcgu-
latine his own actions, ana up TO
certain point not even the old man
himself would have vcntured to criti-
cize him for doing 80. But there were
things
only the night before, and II was not
yet high noon when they sat looking
"a, him. thcr" had been poker game
in the back room OF the old mans
saloon on tho lcvec In Arkansas city.
That of itself was no, specially no
table fac,. for there WAS always
poker game in the back room provided
there was an outsider willing TO play.
But this particular game had beer
curiously differentiated from other
games hy In" unexpected behavior OF
Mr.. Wintcrbottoin. which behavior had
Thus far h"cn unexplained And TN"
outcome OF the game had been far
from satisfactory
PARTY DISpERsES
SLOWLY AND SADLY
II was felt that some explanation
was due from him. and there hal been
inuUiring glauccs directed at MIN as
coon ~ the stranger had left the rooiri
at the conclusion OF the game, BAL My.
Wintcrhot,om's real or assumed In
difference had been so complete and
even hau.hty that the others were
dauntcd H. his m!cn and forborc to
question him. slowly and sadly The
party had dispersed.
There had been cause FOR sadness
The STRANGER had come ununnounc.d.
hut az NJ bore his credentials with
him. rolled up IN u bulky wac with
8, stronE rubber band around them he
had been received atfably He coin
2 portea himself in a cock-n whoop
manner that was not altogether pleas
ing 10 thc company. but no spoken
objection was entered against IL, there
beihh strong impression on the part
OF old man Grecnlaw and his friends
that his manner would change after
Become
All went pleasantly until in due
course inc old man introduced Tho.
game of draw poker as a tonic OF
conversation. Even then. no friction
was Immediately felt. The stranger
asserted hts fondncss for the game
and fell In readily with the surros
ton OF sitting. All thought OF arcr
ment was deferred.
EFen when the stranger hesitated
ABOUT buying chips, and suggested thar
II was Just as easy 10 piay fnr r.,I
money. 1t was thought that any sho.
, or opposition might he premature. ANA
the assault on his wad began wiihout
dcNlur or delay.
For a time IL seemed as - :, 49,
HEei! 10 he successful assault .rharn
were several occasions OH which ror
siderable chunks were torn away fron,
the ~ad by sktlful maneuverinE on tho
part OF me home players. but the
stranger. though somewhat ovcrbolJ T.,
the earlier stages of the game, provcI
TO be a wary person In some rcsncc,s
and forbore TO bet several times yhnr
II was confidently expected ,hnt he
would back his cards heavily.
SURPRISES CROWD
BY WINNING ToT
Then" as Mr.. Sam Pcarsall subse
ouently narrated the circumstances
he done win pot unexpected. 'Twan't
such hellroarin' big one. but the way
OF ~ sho was some s'prtsin', mo- spc-
clal long o him not havin' the deal.
II he'd gave out the guards hisself
We uns mought not a thought nothin
O him holdin' straight flush pat. but
Joe Bassett doled 'em an we knowed
IT must been accident.
We'll. he played 'cm all right. If
they'd a been better hands ont ag'in
him he'd made KILN, o. co'se. but
he got all was comm to him. c'nsid-
rim what on'y helt three tens afo
the draw, an Jim Blaisdell fell down
on busted straight.
The stranger he bet out an 7 rose
him. Jim trailed, Bassctt droppcd. an
Winterbottom skun his cyards down
careful TO to sec If twas with while
TO ptect his ante. him havin' the ace,
but he didn't had nothin' so he throw
ed his hand in the discyard.
Then the stranger he rose me- but
not much an some hesitatin' like he
mought beer doubtful, ain | give it
other boost. takin' chanst on the
draw. Twan't what I'd call doEgoned
good play. but I done IL. Feared like
they want no good wastin' time.
They was c'nsid'ablc mo- did afo'
the showdown, hut the details is some
painful. | made a full House in file
draw. an I'd lose mo- n what done
ner Of his mouth what looked kyind o.
s'piciOuS when he rose to call on n