Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-02-18

OF convenient height and clothed in
pale green. kndest Of all shades to the
eye OF man. There were no mirrors
on the walls.
Mr.. Randolph's entry was greeted
first with CONSERVATION and then with
shouts.
Bobby, you old scoutr'
"Iierv, by great balls Of sweat"
Randy, from where the devil"
The speakers arose and pump
handled Mr.. Randolph's arm.
aye gods, man. where you been7
Strayed In from fancy dress1'
"Never mind the glad rags, fellows"
said Mr.. Randolph. II was just feel
Ing lonely for the sound OF chips. Room
for anotherT
"The surest thingi You don't know
these two chaps, do your Mr.. Seegar,
passed on to US from Frisco. and Mr..
Bowlng-True, our latest new member.
Gentlemen, this Is Mr. Randy Ran
doph OF New Haven and New York,
in disguise but still the best ever"
"Table stakesr murmured Mr.. Ran
dolph. as he took his place, apparent
ly at random, but at the left OF the
two comparative strangers.
"Of course! Same old ante. Same
old game. You talk as though you'd
been away for month"
For a moment, but for a moment
only, Mr. Randolph was dazed. Was
1t possible that the last three weeks
hadn't been Year, He drew out his
sixty-elght dollars and fifty cents nom
chalantly, as though they were merely
the loose change he had on his per-
son, bought fifty In chips, and laid the
small heap of what was left of his
cash on the board. The strain on his
nerves during the next half-hour put
that of the five days wait for bunch
on the Street to the blush. There
came moment when all his chips
were gone, and he was forced to see
OF change only.
SERVES you right, Randy" said Mr..
Meln. "For forgetting to pile up the
ready In a table-stake game; there are
two and half million walking the
streets"
"Oh, stow i'll" murmured Mr.. Ran
dolph, as he counted out his share
amounting to ninety-two dollars and
fifty cents, aud pushed across the rest
of the fat pot to the next best hand.
He looked up and smiled. "Boys." he
remarked frankly, 'T'm riding bunch
with four legs. Watch me-"
Five spectators did, but got little
excitement OF their pains Mr.. Ran
dolph was playing that most difficult
and unlnteresting of poker cOrollaries
IA tight game. Mr.. Seegar turned i'm
patient as the conviction grew upon
him that he had run up against the
original hard-shell who never drew to
less than pair of tens, never bluffed,
and could surrender three kings with
He began to make facetlous remarks
In connection with the safety-tirst cam
paign which was then at its height
Mr.. Randolph nursed his pile
through five long hours up to eighteen
hundred dollars. Then II was that
he suddenly met raise of two hun
dred on the part Of Mr.. Seegar, tackled
on three huadred more. waited for
that individual to throw In his very
| good hand face up, with the resigned
smile of n wise one. and then careless
| ly displayed In the same manner. his
own three-flush, so bobtailed that the
attention OF the S. p. c. A. should have
been called to the case.
The roar of laughter that went up
from all but Mr.. Seegar was more full
and free than even such occasions
usually produce. Mr.. Mein pounded
Mr.. Randolph on the back
Bobby, old boy" he said, that was
the eternalest. patientest, and deepest
laid trap I've ever witnessed In life
long pursuit of the only national pas
tlmei"
The light merely fllckered In Mr.
Randolph's blue eyes, and he returned
to his old job OF saving wood. Not
for nothing had he made that grand
stand flourish, and his object had beer
gained. A new seriousness, masked IL
cold-edged classic poker smiles, set
tied upon the table as whole. The
idea that they We're gathered together
merely TO while away an idle eveninl
faded into the background, and, one b!
one. like stars coming out mt evening
time, supper trays began TO make thel
appearance. All but Randolph, the!
had been toying with poker; now the!
began to play II.
That gentleman continued for thu
nonce the even tenor OF his stride eX
cept for Lenten concession to hi
lnsldes. He ordered placed on Il stan,
at his elbow a large jug of ice waite
and a platter containing four dozel
sandwiches. No added touch coul'
have done more toward persuading hi
friendly antagonists that he, Randolph
= was out for thick blood. If any on
Of the five had joyed in the know
edge that two slices, thin, OF buttere
bread embracing silver of meat ma
been named eternally after the eaI
Of Sandwich on just such an epOchn
occasion as this. he would prObabl
have seen the high sign and beat
for home and bed.