Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-07-26
when Wentworth ana General Roper

with large features, sweeping mus
tachios, aggressive eyes, wearing q
broad plainsman's hat, dusty vel
veteen suit, and huge solitaire dia-
mond in the bosom Of his gray wooden
shirt, was familiar figure to Selwood.
who knew his peculiarities well.
General Roper was an object Of
much greater interest to Selwood. he
was shorter and stouter with the ad-
vance Of years than his companion
wore a black SLOUGH military hat and
a soldiers mustache. gray and close
cropped. Selwood, when he could de-
Gently do so unobserved, looked at
this man very closely and inspected
him very coldly-he felt that he had
particular reason to do 30.
The usual program Of Went
worth's inspection trip was observed.
After the horses, wagons, equipment,
and shops had been gone over, Sell
wood took his guests to the hotel for
dinner, stopping on the way at Tracy's
tent that Wentworth might 60 In to
speak to him.
The old man looked frail. "Tm
going to miss my game Of poker with
you, Dave" remarked Wentworth, In
the rough sympathy Of men Of his
kind. Brought up man to trim you
this time-General Roper"
"You won't miss me-" retorted
Tracy huskily, and the old gambler,
in turn, named Selwood. "Hell give
him game"
After dinner the construction en-
gineers took Roper away, and Selwood
drove Wentworth to Thief River for
the mine inspection. They got back
late to the hotel, where Carpy and
Roper Joined them. After a good bit
of talk and more or less action in the
barroom, the four went to the dining
room for late supper. The meal
was prolonged. Roper, old army off,
Ger and STEPPED in the traditions Of
autocracy and action, began to mani
fest Impotence as the early night
wore on and no game was in sight.
"When does this poker player Of
yours show up2" he asked Of Carpy.
"what did you call him-'Gentleman
John'?'-
Carpy touched the old gentleman's
breast with his finger. HE was with
US at supper tonight-John Selwood.'
'That young fellow? Wentworth's
superintendent
''That's Gentleman John'-but don't
call him that" explained Carpy with
his broad smile, sunless you want
row."
Roper shrugged his shoulders.
"We're going to miss Dave Tracy to-
night"
"You may; you may" assented
Carpy enigmatically. 'But the young
fellow will do the best he can"
The four men sat down In Carpy's
room. Carpy supplied the chips and
opened big box Of cigars while Sell
wood placed a new deck Of cards on
the table, the seal Of the packet un-
broken. He acted as banker.
Midnight found the four men fresh
at the work, the gains and losses see
saving from one pile Of chips to
another. At two o'clock In the morn
ing Carpy, moderate winner,
dropped out on the plea Of necessity.
Wentworth and Selwood were behind |;
Roper was winning and In excellent
humor. With the day breaking In the
east and the air Of the room, vitiated
by the kerosene lamps, heavy and
enervating, Wentworth, a considerable
loser, quit.
IT hope you're not done, young man"
exclaimed Roper, whose palate was
whetted for further victories.
81 don't usually sit in game long
er than this" responded Selwood,
whose composure seemed proof
against adverse fortune. "But II you
want to make it noon, I'm agreeable"
Wentworth threw himself on the
bed beside Carpy, whose snoring was
of q peaceful nature. Selwood pushed
aside the calico curtains, threw open
the windows for air, put out one Of
the hot lamps, dashed some cold
water over his face, and sat down to
finish with the man best known among
the poker players Of the Mountain
divide.
The young gambler meant to trim
him; and all that had gone before
was only preliminary to what was
now in hand From the moment Sell
wood had sat into the play the night
before, he had done little more than
to study Roper's game. Roper liked
the two-handed game-Selwood meant
that he should-meant that his conf
dence should be firmly established.
The general continued to win until
within half an hour Of breakfast.
when a bad streak cost him heavily.
Over-confdence led him for just q
little while too far afield; that mys-
terious agency Of chance, poker luck,
momentarily deserted him. In 1T Of
pique, the general tried to discipline
ito drag it rudely back to his aid
with the Notifying result that in half
q dozen hands he lost every dollar he
had made In the early morning hours.
Selwood was showing his teeth.
Nor WAS tho strato0v ho made uS0