Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-09-17
I
By George Agnew Chamberlain

far from the maddening tumult of the
streets The said apartment at the
moment Of his arrival contained five
occupants seated round a circular table
OF convenient height and clothed In
pale green, kindest Of all shades to the
eye or man. There were no mirrors
on the walls.
Mr.. Randolph's entry was greeted
hrst with CONSERVATION and then with
shouts
Bobby, you old scout!''
"Herv, by great balls Of sweat
Randy, from where the devilf"
The speakers arose and pump
handled Mr. Randolph's arm.
Eye gods, man, where you beenf
Strayed In from fancy dress7"
"Never mind the glad rags, fellows"
said Mr.. Randolph. II was just feel
Ing lonely for the sound of chips. Room
for anOtheri"
"The surest thingi You don't know
these two chaps, do you? Mr.. Seegar,
passed on to us from Frisco, and Mr..
Bowling-True, our latest new member.
Gentlemen. this is Mr.. Randy RAN
dolph Of New Haven and New York,
In disguise but still the best ever"
'"Table stakesT murmured Mr. RAN
dolph, as he took his place, apparent
ly at random, but at the left of the
two comparative strangers
"Of counsel Same old ante. Same
old game. You talk as though you'd
been away for month"
For q moment, but for moment
only, Mr.. Randolph was dazed. Was
1t possible that the last three weeks
hadn't been year? He drew out his
slxty-eight 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 a bunch
on the Street to the blush. 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 Mr..
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 III" 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 the next best hand.
He looked up and smiled. Boys" he
remarked frankly, "Tm 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 uninteresting of poker corollaries
"a 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 a pair of tens, never bluffed,
| and could surrender three kings with
out sigh to low straight unseen.
| He began to make facetiOus remarks
in connection with the safety-first cam
paign which was then at It's height.
Mr.. Randolph nursed his pile
through five long hours up to eighteen
hundred dollars. Then 1t was that
he suddenly met a raise of two hun
dred on the part of Mr.. Seegar, tackled
| on three hundred more, waited for
| that individual to throw In his very
good hand, face up, with the resigned
smile of a wise one, and then careless
| ly displayed in the same manner, his
own three-hush, so bobtailed that the
attention of the s. p G. 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 rye ever witnessed In life
Ions pursuit of the only national pas
time"
The light merely fIckered In Mr..
Randolph's blue eyes, and he returned
to his old Job Of saving wood. Not
Tor 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
had been toying with poker; now they
began to play 1t.
That gentleman continued for the
nonce the even tenor Of bis stride ex-
cept for Lenten concession 10 his
insides. He ordered placed on stand
at his elbow large jug Of Ice water
and a platter containing four dozen
sandwiches. No added touch could
| 49, -. 1850 tnu,o rd nprStiading his