The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-11-06
The End Of the Game.
IL COPYRIGHT q
MQURo1cQ
CHAPTER III.

lAlIC lax uSAI Nuy WV l"
be in st. Louis, and this expectation
served to brighten my thoughts. 1
turned back along the deserted deck,
only pausing a moment to glance care
leSsly in through the front windows
Of the main cabin. The forward por-
ton was wrapped in darkness, and I'M
occupied, but beyond, toward the rear
Of the long saloon, a considerable group
of men were gathered closely about n
small table, above which a swinging
lamp burned brightly, the rays of light
Illuminating the various faces. Gam
bling was no novelty On the great river
in those days, gambling for high
stakes, and surely no ordinary game,
involving q small sum-, would ever
arouse the depth Of interest displayed
by these men. Some instinct told me
that the chief players would be Kirby
and Beaucaire, and with quickening
pulse I opened the cabin door and en-
tered.
No one noted my approach, or 50
much as glanced up. the attention of
the crowd riveted upon the players.
There were four holding cards-the
Judge, Kirby, Carver and McAfee; but
I judged at a glance that the latter
two were merely in the game as a pre-
tense, the betting having already gone
far beyond the limit Of their resources.
Without a thought rs to the cards
they held my eyes sought the faces
Of the two chief players, and then Wis.,
toned the stakes displayed on the table
before them. McAfee and Carter
were clearly enough out Of it, their
cards still grfpped in their fingers, as
they leaned b~reathlessly forward to
observe more closely the play. The
judge sat upright, his attitude strained,
staring down at his hand, his face
white and eyes burning ~feverishly.
That he had been drinking heavily was
evident, but Kirby fronted him in ap-
parent cold indifference, his feelings
completely masked, with the cards he
held punched in his hands and entirely
concealed from view. Between the two
rested a stack Of gold coin. a roll of
crushed bills and a legal paper Of
some kind, the exact nature of which
I could not determine. 1t was evident
that a fortune already rested on that
table, awaiting the flip Of a card. The
silence, the breathless attention, con-
WINGED me that the crisis had been
reached-it was the judges move he
must cover the last bet or throw down
his hand a loser.
Precipitation beaded his forehead,
and he crunched the cards %savagely in
his hands. His glance swept past
the crowd as though he saw nothing
of their faces.
"Another drink, SAM" he called, the
voice trembling. He tossed down the
glass of liquor as though it were so
much water, but made no other effort
to speak. You could hear the strained
breathing Of the men.
"Well," said Kirby sneering1y, his
cold gaze surveying his motionless
opponent. "You seem to be taking
your time. Do you ove my bet?"
Someone laughed %nervously, and q
voice sang out over my shoulder, "YOu
might as we'll 60 the whole hog,
Judge. The niggers won't be no good
without the land ter work 'em on.
Fling 'em into the pot-they're as good
as money"
Beaucaire looked up, red-eyed, into
the impassive %countenance opposite.
His lips twitched yet managed to make
words icc1Ja hofvuoop fhanp
"How about that, Kirby?" he asked
hoarsely. "Will you accept a bill Of
sale?"
Kirby grinned. shutting his hand
carelessly.
why not2 Twon't be the first time
I've played for niggers. They are
worth so much gold down the river.
What have you got7"
II can't tell offhand," sullenly.
"About twenty field hands,"
"And house servants2"
'Three or four"
The gamblers lips set more tightly,
q dull CLEAN creeping into his eyes.
"See here. Beaucaire," he Kissed
sharply. "This Is my game, and I
PLAY square and never squeal. I know
about what you've got, for I've looked
them over; thought we might get
down to this sometime. I can make a
pretty fair guess as to what your mig
gers are worth. That's why I just
raised you ten thousand and put up
the money. Now IL you think this is
bluff, call me-"
"What do you meant"
''That I will accept your niggers %
covering my bet"
''The field hands2"
Kirby smiled broadly. II ~
''The whole bunch-6eld 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 q blanket bill Of sale, and
well turn up our cards. II You won't
do that the pile Is mine as It stands"
Beaucaire again wet his lips. staring
1T the uncovered cards In his hands.
He could not lose: with what he held
M continuation was possible which