The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-08-13

Well" said the other, 81 cashed in
long o. the cashin' in beln' still good.
II I'd Il played along a spell they
wouldn't a been none s fur Is | was
concerned. When One Eye gives a
wlnnin' hand to anybody but hlsself,
it's nigh bout time TO- Others TO pull
out, so l done pulled.
Not n Case Of Happening.
"HaDpened HI" was the profanc
reply. "They don't nothin' happen
when One Eye has the deal. He does
it his own self"
A similar feeling OF dIslrlst was
reused in the minds Of Others who
had been looking OF at the game, and
this was greatly strengthened when
on Blaisdell's deal One Eye held cards
which proved to be better at the show
down than those held by any one
else.
81 don't mind takin' most any kyind
OF a chanst at poker" observed one
exceptionally bold player when the
matter was discussed afterward. "I'll
set in with One Eye in the game, or
I'll set in with Blaisdcll, or ri set in
when they's any other two men play
in together, and m reckon on hold
in my own, even II ! don't win no
gre't, but tn amt no man llYIn' what
en- play again them two II they is a
understandln' betwixt EN-, II they
is done hitched up they amt no
chanst TO- to be Token, an l amt
gwino TO to take IT,"
Their PIay Carefully Observed.
From that time on the dOings OF
the two master players, for they were
accounted such by all who watched
their game, we're observed infinitely
by the shrewd spectators who follow
ed the same line OF cndcayor in which
they eXcellcd, Not only was there
n spirit Of emulation of the obsorv-
ers, who n and all admired them
as greatly as they hated them, so that
there was a hope Of discovering some
new and valuable method of play, but
there was also an expectation and
even a hope that there would be a
clash between the two sooner or la
ter, in which case something Of great
Interest would eventulate.
So far rs the observers could dis
cover the two men never met except
Ing ut the poker label when u game
was in progress. If indeed, there was
an understanding between them it was
evidently so complete as not to require
discussion. Their play was therefore,
s%crutlni2cd carefully for Indications
which would betray them to their rly-
ais, but only one was ever discovered.
This pointed to a method so simple
and SO bold as to rouse much criticism
from some, while 1t commanded the
admiration Of others.
They neyer exchanged words, and
so far as could be seen no signals
passed between them. There was no
seesaw play, for 1t was seldom that
both entered a contest for any partic-
ular pot, and never for any consid-
cradle sum.
Too Clever for Detection.
1t could not be learned that there
was ever any division Of spoils be-
tween them. Neither could ANYBODY
detect evidence that either one Of
them was guilty of crooked dealing,
but this last provoked no comment,
for 1t was known TO all that the skill
OF each of them was SO great as to
defy detection. 1t was assumed as
a matter Of course that either one of
them could deal any cards he chose
to any player in the game.
1t was seen, however, that while
neither Of thom as a rule won any
thing on his own deal when both were
the game, each Of them would gem
win when the other dealt. Aside
from that nothing showed COLLISION
between them, but nothing more was
needed. And The two prOspercd great
~ for a while.
Meantime there was a feeling Of de-
preston in Arkansas City. Poker was
stllI played in the back room OF old
man GreenlQw's saloon with fairly
satisfactory results to everybody eX-
ceptIng such strangers as sometimes
sat in, but something seemed lacking.
Tho old man expressed 1t fairly we'll
when he said:
This yer game with Blaisdoll not
into 1t is something linke lrlnkin'
billed whisky. TIL amt no bite to 1t,
and the flavor is different somc way"
Considerably Cut Up
Then Mr.. Pepper called in one even
ing. They asked him If Blalsdell was
likely to return.
"Oh, ! don't know" he said, "They
pears to be some question O. whether
hOll git out again. The doctor says
'twont be TO a month or two any
ways"
"whar is hc? asked the old man.
is he slck%
ooh, don't know" said Mr.. Pepper.
Gle was c'siderably cut up but l
didn't hear nothing bout him bein'
sick, They said they vas gwine to
put him an One Eye in tho hospital
when they took 'em often the boat, but
| come up the river, an | don't rightly
know whar they be, Somores in
Vicksburg, though"
what %happened?'
"Oh, / don't know" said Mr.. Pep
per. "They was Considerable cnfusion,
an mebbe | didn't see it all, but they
was a game OF poker on an they was
both into it. Feared like things was
gwlno their way, too, TO- fust one'd
take in a pot an then t'other, hut they
didn't nobody else pear to take moth
in worth takin.'
One Eye Starts Something.
"They was c~'nsidable few lOokin' on,
IL -. lLL-LL Anl-aL.. .. ----lAral