The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-04-07
Copyright, Tho Bobbs- Asr'in company

The speakers arose ana pump
handled Mr.. Randolph's arm.
eye gods, man, where YOU oeeh
Strayed in from a fancy dress! -,
"Never mind the glad rags, fellows,
said Mr.. Randolph. Il was just lee''
jny lonely for the sound Of chips. hooh
for another? \
"The surest thing! You don't know
these two chaps, do you? Mr.. Seesar'
,ossed on to us from Frisco, and Mr.
Bowlns-Tme, our latest new member
Gentlemen, This is Mr.. Randy h'l'-
lo]ph Of New Haven and New York.
in disguise but still the best ever.
"Table stakcs?" murmured Mr. Ran
dolph, as he took his place, apparent
" at random, but at the left OF t'le
two comparative strangers.
"Of course! Same old ante. Same
old game, You talk as though you'd
been away for a month"
For a moment, but for a moment
only, Mr.. Randolph was dazed' was
# nossible that the last three weeks
hadn't been a year? He drew out his
sixty-eight dollars and fifty cents non no.,
chalantly, as though they were merely
the loose change he had on his per-
son. bought fifty in chips, and lald the
small heap of what was left OF MS
cash on the board. The strain on MS
nerves during the next half hour put
that Of the five days wait for hunch
IN the. Street to the blush. There
came a moment when all his chIps
wore gone, and he was forced to see
with full house for his small pie
Of change only.
"serves you right, Randy" said Mr.
Mein, "For forgetting to pile up me
ready in a table-stake game; there are
two and half million walking the
Streets
"Oh stow it," murmured Mr.. Ran
dolph. as he counted out his share,
amounting TO ninety-two dollars and
fifty cents, and pushed across the rest
Of the fat pot to tie next best hano'
He looked up and smiled. "Boys'" he
remarked frankly. "I'm riding a hunch
, with four legs. Watch me-"
| Five spectators did, but got lltt'e
: excitement of their pains. Mr.. IAN
/; dolph was paying that most dllhcul1
t and uninteresting of poker corollar'es
y "A tight game. Mr.. Seegar turned I'M
$ natient as the conviction grew upon
e him that he had run up against the
:. original hard-shell who never drew tt
less than a pair of tens, never blulted
n land could surrender three kings with
q ont a sigh to a low straight unseen
(. He began to make faeetious remark!
in connection with the safety-tirst cam
p. Daien which was then at its height.
d Mr., Randolph nursed his pill
d through five long hours up to eightee1
" hundred dollars. Then it was tina
s. he suddenly met a raise of two hun
It dred on the part Of Mr.. Seesar, tacke
id on three hundred more, waited 10
Dr. that individual to throw in his yer
good hand, face up, with the resigne
smile of a wise one, and then careless
~ ly displayed in the same manner NJ
- own three-hush, so bobtailed that tn
in attention of the S. P. G. A. should nav
a. been called to the case.
nj The roar of laughter that went u
~ from all but Mr.. Seegar was more I'll
No. and free than even such occasion
usually produce. Mr.. Mein poundt
81 Mr.. Randolph on the back.
NJ, Bobby, old boy" he said, that WI
the eternalest, patientest, and deepes
N laid trap I've ever witnessed in lit
NO long pursuit of the only national pa
ri time!"
The light merely tlickered in N
II Randolphs blue eyes, and he return
TO his old lob of saving wood. N
for nothing had he made that gran
stand flourish, and his object had be
gained. A new seriousness, masked
cdd-edged, classic poker smiles, S
s. tied upon the table as whole. 1
IA idea that they were gathered togetf
a merely to while away an idle event
"a faded into the background, and, one
! one. like stars coming out at event
: time, supper trays began to make tn
81 appearance. All but Randolph, Il
Cd had been toying with poker; now Il
I'd began to play it.
Wi That gentleman continued Tor
I1 nonce the even tenor of his stride
NM cept for "A Lenten concession to
1I insides. He ordered placed on ST
~ at his elbow a large jug Of ice wa
. and a platter containing four do
M sandwiches. No added touch CO
wv have done more toward persuading
m friendly antagonists that he, Rando
I'm was out for thick blood. If any
U|n of the five had joyed in the knt
|VM edge that two slices, thin, of butte
. bread embracihg-a silver Of meat
~ been named eternally after the
Is of Sandwich on just such an epo
rs occasion as this, he would prob'
- have seen the high sign and bea
< for home and bed -
Night was fast Joining the dis
when the weary Herbert dared Il
Her. terrupt.
lated "Please, Mr.. Randolph, the Of
, for on the beat says the grass is III
there your cab, sir, and he thought
u m oupht RI renOrt ANYTHING like thu