The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-02-27

high on 'emw
He chuckled but there was no mirth
in the sound, Kerry thought. He judged
that Sawyer had another queen In the
hole; he was the aggressor and a bit
too aggressive for a man with only
the high card showing. No pair was
in sight; the queen dominated the
board. Before Tod West were exposed
an innocuous four and five and nine
spot of three suits.
Jim Hinkle and another had dropped
out.
$50 we spin 'em for the final heat"
drawled West. I'VE drop a jack to
you, neighbor, and Sawyer catches
himself six and -. Take look!
/ draw myself large ball of fire!"
The top card had finally dropped. 1t
was the ace of diamonds and Kerry
Strengthened slowly. Vests hole card
had been dealt from the bottom; sure
", Ii was another ace!
snow, with this large ace shown,
II puts the bet TO me, I take it. +.
Hum. Sawyer, you got a queen
shown nd you been proud of her.
wonder what else, II any, you've got.
:. But this old ace Of mine ;. Now,
it'd be downright insult to bet less n
ten dollars"
The tourist folded and Sawyer eyed
Tod's hand. He was breathing just a
bit rapidly, Kerry noted, and fingered
his remaining bills in manner which
proved him i'll at ease.
"But me. 1 got only eight bucks left,
Tod" he said.
''Then I'd be pretty sure I had some
thin before l used EN-. Honest, Saw
yer,"-with a grin-"Pd stay out until
! was sure had EN-"
But that was no sincere advice. It
was a goading, an invitation, a chal-
lenge He knew his man.
"All right For the eight. then.
CALI"
Sawyer showed in his money and
turned his hole card. "Pair!" he said,
showing the second queen, and leaned
forward.
81 warned you" chuckled West. 81
told you to stay out. All along, / had
him" He turned the ace of clubs.
The man rubbed his chin.
"Well," he said, guess better. That
cleans me out, as the Teller said. II
just amt my night, / guess"
$50 you're leavin' US fiat, Sawyeri"
put in West. -Four handed's not so
good Anybody else want to try his
luck just TO keep the game goin'?"
"It's too rich for my blood!" youth
giggled.
Anybody else? Last CALI"
He looked up and around, grin
ming, and the grin changed, ran into
stir sort of grimace as Kerry Young
moved out from his position against
the wall. as
IF the games open," he said, 81
don't mind trying my luck now and
| again"
Eyes were on him, not on Tod; so
the group missed one half the exchange
, of glances which followed. Emotion
chased emotion across the older mans
eyes: surprise, hatred, chagrin and
| malevolent sort of inspiration; one
after the other they f1ickered against
those gray depths.
'Why, sure" Tod said but could not
keep the grudging quality from his
| tone
Young moved, then, to the chair just
vacated by Sawyer. seated himself and,
| thrusting a hand inside his shirt, drew
a packet of bills from his money belt.
A change had come over the place.
The onlookers had ceased their idle
talk; the two fishermen from Nan
Downer's eyed Young appraisingly and
| Tod West. showing the deck to the
dealer, lighted cigar with hand
which was not just steady.
change come over the play, too.
| OF a sudden, it was more intent, sea-
soning of savagery in the betting put
there by Vests sudden silence and the
| sharpness of his gestures.
Kerry played cautiously. His luck
was not good. Through the first half
dozen deals he stayed only once after
the second card. Jim Hinkle, at his
left, lost repeatedly and, losing, his
tension increased.
In a new game, strange game, a
man with wit watches everything. So
Young watched this game. His eyes
never left Tod Vests hands as the
man dealt but despite the fact that
he detected nothing to arouse sus-
| picion there he passed tens, back to
back, and let Jim Hinkle fight it out
with West. Jim lost again and, thumb
| ing his bills, muttered savagely:
Back where / started tonight"
Kerry stayed for the first time He
won and laughed. He had won with
mines. The nine of spades, his hole
card, had bent corner. He remarked
/ that
West began to talk again, making an
obvious attempt to resume his banter
which had been soured by Young's ap-
! pearance. He succeeded badly.
Tod and Hinkle clashed again; Him.
kle won. A few moments later. he lost
most of what he had gained. West
was watching him closely, Young OBJ
served
ITO BE CONTINUED