The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1920-01-15
BY RANDALL PARRISH


I've played for niggera They are
worth 20 much gold down the river.
What have you gotr
Il can't tell offhand," sullenly.
about twenty field hands"
"And house servantsT'
Three or four"
The gamblers lips set more tightly,
dull CLEAN creeping into his eyes.
"See here, Beaucaire." he Missed
sharply. '.This is my game. and I
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. I 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 II you think this is
bluff. call me-"
"What do you meanf"
'That I will accept your niggers as
covering my bet"
1.-THE field handsr
Kirby smiled broadly.
house servants. Most Of them are old !;
I doubt II altogether they will bring
that amount. but I'll take the risk.
Throw In q blanket bill Of sale, and
we'll turn up our cards. II you won't
do that the pile Is mine as It stands"
Beaucaire again wet his lips. staring
at the uncovered cards in his hands.
He could not lose; with what he held
no combination WA possible which
would heat 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
recklessnessl Why should he be 20
eager to risk such q sum on IN in
ferior handf NcAfee. sitting next
him. leaned over. maniged to gain
swift glimpse at what he held. and
eagerly whispered to him q word Of
encouragement. The Judge straight
ened up In his chair. Erasped q filed
glass someone had placed at his elbow.
and gulped down the contents. The
whispered words. coupled with the
fiery liquor. give him fresh courage.
by heaven. Kirby. ri do it!" he
blurted out. "You can't bluff me on
the hand I've got. Give me a sheet
Of paper. somebody-yes, that will
do"
He scrawled q half-doxen lines,
fairly digging the pen into the sheet
In his fierce eagerness, and then
signed the document, fiinging the pa.
per across toward Kirby.
There. you bloodsucker." he cried
insolently. els that all right? VIII
that dor"
The imperturbable gambler read I.
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 Rrimly.
THAT IL practically what did say"
Then you can certainly have no
objection to putting 1t In the exact
words I choose" calmly. II intend to
have what IL coming to me II I win.
and know the law"
Beaucaire angrily wrote IN the re-
CURED extra line.
"Now what1" M\asked.
"Let McAfee thers ~ 1t a. a Wit
ness. and then toss II over Into the
pile" He smiled. showing q line Of
white teeth beneath his mustache.
"Nice little pot. conference.-the Judge
must hold some cards to take q chance
like that" the words uttered with q
aneef. "Fours. At least. or maybe he
has had the luck to pick q straight
fiush."
Beaucaire'a face REDEEMED. and his
eyes brew hard.
THAT'S my business" he said terse.
y. "Sign It. NcAfee. and ri call this
Growing eockerel. You young fool. I
played poker before you were born.
There now. Kirby. I've covered your
bet"
"Perhaps you would prefer to raise
III"
"You hell.hound-ao! That n my
limit. and you know Il. Don't crawl
now. or do any more blufinE. Show
your hand-l've called you
Kirby aat absolutely motion,csa, his
cards lying face down upon the table.
the white fingers Of one hand resting
lightly upon them. the other arm con-
cealed. He never once removed his
gaxe from Beaueaire's face. and his
expression did not change. except for
the almost insulting sneer on hts lips.
The silence Was profound. the deeply
interested men leaning forward. even
holding their breath IN Intense eager.
mess. Each realised that q fortune
lay on the table: knew that the old
Judge had madly staked his nil on the
value Of those Ave unseen cards
Stripped In his fingers. Again. %
though 70 bolster up his shaken cour.
ase. he STARED at the face Of each. then
lifted his bioodshot eyes to The In.
passive face opposlts.
"3eaucaire drew two kayafds,"
whispered an excited voice near me.
"iieili 30 did Kirby" replied an.
other. they're both Of EN- old
hnnfla"