Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1919-10-03

"And house servantsP
"Three or four"
The gamblers lips set more tightly,
Il dull CLEAN creeping into his eyes.
"See here, Beaucaire," he Kissed |
sharply. "Thls is my game, and
play square and never squeal. l know |
about what you've got, for I've looked |
them over; thought we might get |
down to this sometime. l can make a |
pretty fair guess as to what your mig
gers are worth. That's why | Just |
raised you ten thousand and put up |
the money Now if you think this is
bluff, call me-"
"What do you mean?
"That I will accept your niggers as
covering my bet"
THE field hands?"
Kirby smiled broadly.
"The whole bunch--feld hands and
house servants. Most of them are old
| doubt if altogether they will bring
that amount, but I'll take the risk.
Throw in a blanket bill Of sale, and
wen turn up our cards. If you won't
do that the pile Is mine as 1t stands"
Beaucalre again wet his lips, staring
at the uncovered cards in his hands.
He could not lose; with what he held
no combination was possible which
would beat him. Yet in spite Of this
knowledge the cold, sneering conf
dence of Kirby brought with 1t a
strange fear. The man was a profess
sional gambler. What gave him such
recklessness? Why should he be so
eager to risk such sum on an in
feror hand? McAfee, sitting next
him, leaned over, managed to gain
swift glimpse at what he held, and
eagerly whispered to him word OF
encouragement. The judge straight
ened up in his chair, grasped filled
glass someone had placed at his elbow,
and gulped down the contents. The
whispered words, coupled with the
fiery liquor, gave him fresh courage.
"By heaven, Kirby, I'll do it," he
blurted out. "You can't bluff me on
the hand I've got. Give me sheet
of paper, somebody-yes, that will
do"
He scrawled a half-dozen lines,
fairly digging the pen into the sheet
In his fierce eagerness, and then
signed the document flinging the pa
per across toward Kirby.
"There, you bloodsucker," he cried
insolently rs that all right? VIII
that do?'
The imperturbable gambler read l.
over slowly, carefully deciphering each
word his thin lips tightly compressed.
"You might add the words, This in
cludes every chattel slave legally be
longing to me-" he said grimly,
"That is practically what did say"
"Then you can certainly have no
objection to putting it in the exact
words / choose calmly Il intend to
have what is coming to me if I win,
ana KNOW tile Ia"'
Beaueaire angrlly wrote IN the re-
CURED extra line
"Now what?' he asked
'Let McAfee there sign # as a wit
ness, and then toss it over into the
pile" He smiled, showing line Of
white teeth beneath his mustache
'Nice little pot conference.-the Judge
must hold some cards to take chance
like that" the words uttered with q
sheer "Fours, at least or maybe he
has had the luck to pick a straghl
flush"
Beaucare's face reddened, and his
eyes brew hard.
"Tbats nv business" he said terse
IL. "Sign it. McAfee, and I'll call This
, growing coclierel. You young fool,
ploved noIler before YOU were born
There now, Kirby. I've covered you
bet"
"PerhaDs YOU would prefer to rails,
it?"
,you hoI1.bo,1nd- That is m,
limit and Won know it. Don't craw
now or do any more bIufIing Shov
yonr lnnd-Tye called you.o
Kirbv saf absolutely mofton1ess, hi
., oo,,ls Vino faco down ,,non the fable
= tbo wbitn Gncars If ono hand restfn!
: rqbtl, mo, them the other arm con
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