The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-12-05
CHAPTER III.
Plucking a Pigeon

Steve slept almost around the
CLOCK. He lost breakfast, but was
there promptly FOR luncheon.
Orman and Shorty had reached
town some time about daylight
and had spread the story of the
hold-up. A dozen questions were
flung at Steve before he had well
taken his seat.
Before he had finished telling
mis- edited story, Shorty drifted in
and took the stage away from
'Yeager, whereupon Daisy Filing
ton absorbed the attention OF
Steve. A provocative audacity
was In the smile she flashed at
him.
Breeze on, Steve. You're dom
fine. Next scene"
That's ALL"
Say, do | look like | was born
yesterday"
He grinned.
You're sure wise, compadre.
But the rest is mostly suspicious"
rs 1t Harrison, Steve?"
Amusement sparkled for a mo-
ment in his eyes.
with your Imagination, Daisy
=" he was beginning, when she
cut him short.
I'm tell you something you
don't know. It's through that
wild young brother of hers tina,
he's got q hold on Ruth"
You mean"
She flung his question aside.
Il can't tell You what l mean.
I've got no evidence. But she's
ridiculously fond of that young
scamp Phil. Somehow-in some
way-Harrison has got the whip
hand over him."
Four Bits carried Yeager away
from Los Robes.
! 1t was after sunset when they
drew up at a feed-corral in Arixi.
co.
This side of the business street
was the territory of Uncle Sam;
the other half floated the Mexican
flag. After he had eaten, the young
man drifted across to one of the
gamling houses.
| Within vaqueros brushed shoul
ders with Chinese laundrymen
cowpunchers with soldiers, poems
with cattlemen from Arizona ant
Texas.
Yeager sauntered over to the
lroulette-table. He intended to play
just enough to give colorado
reason for his presence.
His rowing eye settled on the
poker table at the rear of the
room. Six men were playing
Three were Mexicans, three Amer.
leans.
Two of the Americans were dis
missed from Steve's mind with 9
casual glance. The third had hi,
back to the observer, but the fig.
ure had a slender, boyish trimness
that spoke of youth.
The Mexican sitting to the boys
right was a square-built fellow
with scar on the cheek.
The boy was the pigeon, and the
Mexicans were plucking him. Steve
observed the play without appear
ing to do so.
They were playing jack-pots
The slender Mexican was dealing
One Of the Americans opened the
pot. The bulky Mexican stayed
The boy pushed in small stack OF
blue chips.
1t was now up to the dealer
his name, 1t appeared, was Ramon
Culvera. After moments hssita.
tion he measured stack of blues
by those the boy had put in the
pot and added to ii another pile
OF yellows. With a grunt OF protest
the older Mexican stayed. The man
who had opened the pot dropped
tout.
"Enough's a plenty" he OK.
lplained.
Different here" commented
the boy.
| Culvera examined his hand
carefully, met the raise, and pick.
ed up the deck.
The range-rider knew without
being told that this hand had beer
dealt from a cold deck for the OK.
press purpose Of cleaning out the
boy. From the tenseness OF the
1.-THE body he knew that the lad'i
suspicious were stirring to life.
The greedy little eyes of Culvera
fastened on the boy. He made hii
first mistake.
"Cards?"
Philip hesitated. He had tn,
nine. ten and jack of clubs, tn