Connecticut western news., 1921-03-17

| { eye of man. There were no mirrors on the walls.
 ! Mir. Randolph's entry was greeted first with consternation and then with shouts.
 Bobby, you old scout 1"
 "Herv, by great balls of sweat" Randy, from where the devilf" The speakers arose and pump. handled MT. Randolph's arm. "Ye gods, man, where you been | Strayed in from a fancy dressT' "Never mind the glad rags, fellows" ," said MT. Randolph "I was just feel : ing lonely for the sound of chips. Room for another" "The surest thing! You don't know these two chaps, do you? MT. Seegar. passed on to us from Frisco, and Mir. BOwling-True our latest new member. Gentlemen, this Is MT. Randy Ran dolph of New Haven and New York, in disguise but still the best ever"
 "Table stakes?" murmured MT. 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 a year? He drew out hts sixty-eight dollars and fifty cents non- chalantiy, as thenga they were merely the lsose ehaE~s ke ksS ca sfs Pse- son, boug@a @ = @ eA t=4 tAS small heap ~ wat vss lee ss A9 cash on the beard. T9sS strain on hts nerves during the next haif-hour put that of the five days wait for hunch on the Street to the blushs There came a moment when all his chips were gone, and he was forced to see with a full house for his small pile of change only.
 Serves you right, Randy" said MT, Mein. "For forgetting to pile up the ready in a table-stake game; there are two and a half million walking the streets"
 "Oh. stow 1t !" murmured MT. 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 the next best hand. He looked up and smiled. Boys" he remarked frankly, "Pm riding hunch with four legs. Watch me-"
 Five spectators did, but got little excitement of their pains. MT. Ran dolph was playing that most difficult and uninteresting of poker corollaries "a tight game. MT. 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 out a sigh to a low straight unseen. He began to make facetious remarks in connection with the safety-first cam- paign which was then at it's height.
 MT. Randolph nursed his pile through five long hours up to eighteen hundred dollars Then 1t was that he suddenly met q raise of two hun dred on the part of MT. Seegar, tackled on three hundred more, waited for that individual to throw in his very good hand, face up, with the resigned smile of wise one, and then careless ly displayed in the same manner, his own three-hush, 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 MT. Seegar was more full and free than even such occasions usually produce. MT. Mein pounded MT. Randolph on the back
 Bobby, old boy" he said, "that was the eternalest, patientest, and deepest laid trap I've ever witnessed in a life long pursuit of the only national pas timel"
 The light merely fickered in Mir. Randolph's blue eyes, and he returned to his old job of saving wood Nss=- for nothing had he made that grand stand flourish, and his object had been gained. A new seriousness masked in cold-edged, classic poker smiles, set tied upon the table as a whole The idea that they were gathered together merely to while away an idle evening faded into the background, and, one by one. like stars coming out at evening time, supper trays began to make their appearance. All but Randolph, they