The Coolidge examiner., 1936-05-01

came up the one pack was thrust
into the little stein shelf beneath
the table top while it was the new
one he thrust toward Jim Hinkle
for the cut. :.
Kerry Young did not know this.
But his heart raped smartly with
suspicion.
Cut 'em, James!" the man said.
"And cut 'em deep becaus. I've
got another feeling aboUr this
handw
He looked about and grinned.
more affable than he had been
since Kerry entered the game. Hin
kle cut; West beamed and +.
slipped" the cut!
Young saw that clearly. Back to
the top of the deck went the sec
ton that Hinkle had cut away and
West was dealing, talking, chuck
ling over some joke he had made
but to which Kerry gave no heed.
To find Tod West playing the role
Of ruthless aggressor this after
noon; to find him cheating at cards
tonight and after all these
years of suspicion and resentment !!
To the tourist at Tod's left q
king, next four, to Young seven,
to Jim Hinkle a queen and to him.
self, six spot.
'The king" said its possessor,
will risk a dollar"
Kerry looked at his down card.
1t was the nine Of spades and
nine of spades without a bent cor
ner! The deck had been switched,
he knew!
The man at his left came in;
Kerry, thinking quickly, paused and
caught a little flicker of misgiving
on Tod Vests face. The man want
ed him in! He tossed a dollar bill
to the pot.
"And a dollar!" said Jim Hinkle
promptly and Tod nodded wisely.
THAT queen must be proud of
herself again. Queens ruined Saw
yer, James. Well, I'll trail along"
The rest, also, saw the raise.
Tod set the deck on the table be-
fore him, ostentatiously, Kerry be-
lieved. He hitched his chair closer
to the table and dealt, taking cards
one at a time from the pack.
The showing king drew a ten
spot; the four caught a nine,
Young was given a deuce and be-
side Hinkle's queen dropped an
other. :.
"Oh-oh" muttered Tod. "You
must've felt her coming, g,"-turning
himself king.
Excitement showed in Jim Hin
kle's sallow face. Why shouldn't it?
With queens back-to-back, and now
a third? And two kings showing
in two hands?
'Ten dollars" he said and his
voice was too eager.
"Well, now, James I'm just
a little bit proud of what I've got.
I've beaten those dam queens once
or twice tonight. I'll just tilt it a
mite this time to try my luck. Let's
bet twenty-five and keep the retail
ers out"
The man at his left folded: the
second hesitated and again Kerry
caught that little flash of misgiving
in Vests eye. He wanted them all
out now; all except Jim Hinkle
who was already lingering his
money, ready to call or raise.
The second tourist folded and
Kerry silently showed his cards
away.
"Raisin' fifteen, Tod?" Jim asked
and this time his voice was husked.
That's the way l feel. I'll back
at you!"
West rubbed his chin and grinned.
"By gosh," he said, as if in cha
grin. by gosh, Jimmy, you tryin'
to beat me?" An onlooker laughed.
Il think you're downright tryin' to
take my money and that amt quite
right. Back at you with
twenty!"
His voice snapped on this last
and the watchers crowded closer
to the chair backs.
"Well, seem as you've got so
much confidence and seein' as how
we've got cards comm Call v'
Three cards were dealt. now.
with two showing; pair of queens,
with a lone king against them.
From the top of the deck, lying
so openly before him, West picked
an ace and tipped it toward his ad-
versary. For himself he turned a
nine-Spot.
"The queens bet twenty-five
bucks !" Jim's voice was tight.
"And the king will see the twen-
ty-five and raise ten!" said West
mellowly.
Hinkle shifted his weight. He
wet his lips and looked nervously
at Tod's hand. Then, as if decid-
ing on caution after a struggle, he
called. His stack Of bills was thin,
now; the heap of currency in the
center had attained considerable
size
Now for the last heat, Jimmy.
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