The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-03-08

All Told, There Were Not a Dozen
RespectabIe-L People In the
Room.
who was no doubt the "chucker-out."
He. too, looked them over closely, but
after glance Mt the card drew aside
to let them pass.
Through door near the head of the
stairs they moved into q large room,
evidently made from several smaller
oi.es win the partitions torn sown and
the ceilings pillared at Intervals.
Clay had read about the magnifi-
cence of Canfield's In the old days
and he was surprised that one SO fas-
tidious as Bromfield should patronize
place so dingy and so rough as this.
At the end Of one room was marble
mantslpiece above which there was n
defacod. gllt-frame mirror. The chan
delieri. the chairs, the wallpaper, all
suggested the same note of one-tilne
opulenee worn to shabbiness.
A game of Klondike was going.
There we're two roulette wheels, a faro
table. Ind one circle of poker players.
The cold eyes of sleek, slippery
nun sliding cards out of faro-box
looked ut the westerner curiously.
Among the suckers who came to this
den of thieves to be robbed were none
OF Gays stamp. Lindsay watched the
white, dexterous hands of the dealer
with On honest distaste. All along
the border from Juarez to Calexieo he
had ssen just such soft. skilled fingers
heecirg those who tolled. He knew
the floodless. impressive face Of the
professional gambler as well rs he
knew the .nxious. reckless ones of his
victims. His knowledge had told him
little good of this breed of parasites
who preyed upon a credulous public.
The traffic of this room was cracked
business by day as well as by night
A partition ran across the rear of the
back parlor which showed no opening
but two small holes with narrow
shelves nj the bottom. Back of that
was the paraphernalla of the pool
room, another device to separate GUS
toners from their money by playing
the "ronies."
As Clay looked around II struck him
that the personnel of this gambling.
denis patrons WIS II singularly depress
Ing one. All told, there were not a
dozen respectable-looking people In
the room. Most Of those present were
derellcis of life, the failures of n great
city wished up by the tide. Some
were rnllid, haggard wretches cIinging
to the vestiges of prosperity that
had once been theirs. Others were
hartl-faced ruffians from the under
world. Not few bore the marks of
the drug victim. All CT those playing
had manner of furtiye snspIcion
They knew that II they rlslled their
money the mouse would rob them. Yet
they played.
Bromfield bought a small stack of
chips at the roulette table.
won't you take whirl at the
wheeii" he asked Lindsay.
Thanks. no. believe not" his
guest answered.
at his hosts lack of discrimination.
~Does he think I'm a soft mark too?"
he wondered. eff this is what he calls
high life I've had more than enough
already"
His disgust was shared by the club.
man. Bromfield had never been IN
such dive before. His gambling had
been done in gilded luxury. While he
t"nched shoulders with this motley
crew his nostrils twitched with fas.
fidious tlsdain. He played, hut his
Interest was not In the wheel. Dn-
rnnd had promised that there would
be women and that one of them should
be brf5ed 10 make claim unon Clay
at the proper moment. He had nm nm.
happy feeling that the gang politician
had thrown him down In this. II So
whst Old thns meant Hin. rmruuu