Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-10

i I've just tapped the monte bank. I'm
banker and dealer. House limit is
fifty. That doesn't interest me. And
monte is slow game"
Banker and dealer, both, eh?"
| unused Dinsdale, smiling pleasantly.
"And what's your idea of a good
gamer"
The stranger estimated Dinsdale
rather shrewdly, and with drop of
the lids glanced at the two big belt
guns.
Color of the card. Five hundred
q guess"
Get to your table. I'll help you
pass the time," said Dinsdale.
La Ia! Oh, no! M'sieu Is not re
gambling mani" trilled the Twenty
i one dealer.
Pyrites at the bar was taking his
second drink and talking volubly to
the patient bartender. A new deck
was brought to the monte table and
/ thoroughly shuff1ed.
How did you tap the bank?' care
lessly asked Dinsdale as he felt for
his money.
"Bet two thousand a card would
be red"
Short and sweet. Red ought to be
some lucky" unused Dinsdale, produc-
/ ing a stack Of greenbacks. There's
| five hundred. Give them cut, please.
I call red"
Black came up. The stranger
smiled and remarked:
when I'm In luck it sticks clear
through. Some paper money you're
toting. You ought to be the green
back man. I've been hearing so much
about"
Deal a cardl Red" called Dins-
dale.
Black came up.
! The dealer said, II don't think
you've got enough Of the green to last
till all these dark cards run out. But
Of course the deal ends when either
color is exhausted"
"That wasn't specified, but let 1t
go-Red.'
Red came up-a diamond. Dinsdale
swept In the money and asked:
"How did you hurt your head?"
Think I'm a newspaper queried
the dealer. smiling frostily. We're
playing at gambling"
RED" A club showed.
Pyrites was showing the effect of
his hurried drinks and was now lean
ing his back against the bar, glass In
hand, and beaming joyously on the
monte table. Impartially taking the
whole room into his confidence he
boosted Of his discoveries and reached
the glass over his shoulder to be re-
filed. While he talked two dark and
! two red cards showed.
4 "Red!" barked Dinsdale. He won.
"Red!" Again he won. "Tm even,' =
he said as the dealer waited for him
to name the color.
"And quittingY sneered the dealer.
Dinsdale shook his head. TITS
slow. 1t tires me. Two thousand on
a single card. What say?"
The other stared up into the steady
| eyes for a fraction of a minute, then
shrugged his shoulders and lightly
said:
/ "All in lifetime. I'll go you"
He counted out two thousand dol
lars in greenbacks.
/ With dry laugh Dinsdale observed
They'll be calling you the green.
back man next. But I'll be mighty
glad to get them. Never could get
enough greenbacks."
The stranger took the deck in his
left hand, poised thumb and finger
ready to deal card. Dinsdale quiet
| ly informed him: 81 couldn't help
seeing the bottom card. I'm sticking
to red"
| And his hand fell to his side.
The strangers eyes dilated until
they reminded Dinsdale of the vel
low orbs of Sitting Bull, the owl, and
for moment he seemed to hesitate.
Then he slowly turned the top card.
It was the ace of diamonds. With
his left hand Dinsdale pulled In the
money, his gaze never quitting the
set face across the table. Pyrites,
growing noisy at the bar, alone broke
the breathless silence Of the room.
Leaning back and clasping his hands
before him the dealer said:
ST don't mind your winning. I'd
rather win, but it. doesn't give me
heart trouble to lose. But / do mind
your telling me you know the bottom
card
II thought 1t right should tell you"
serenely returned Dinsdale, now stand
ing erect, the money still clutched in
his left hand, his right hand lowering
over gun.
"It was the same as saying I was
thinking Of dealing the bottom card"
continued the dealer, speaking very
slowly. Nov just to prove what kind
of a buffer you are I'll bet fifteen
sN ~