The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-01-21

~o~~FS wv 0~eA~~~~Ae
'Two of you," commented Tension
calmly. 'The clouds are gatherin'
I suppose you've been cleaned by
this Sleep Cat bunch and want me
for pay-off."
Harry" murmured Sawdy, low
er-voiced and very sober. "I'll admit
I couldn't have said it better myself
Come this way. Talk low"
The three found a quiet spot back
of the grandstand. The story of the
cowmen was soon told. It went into
sympathetic and unhesitating ears
AS with all gamblers who play big
Tensions mind was soon made up
II don't bank much on sure things
but you two seem to know what you
are talkin' about. How much do you
boys want?"
"A thousand, Harry"
Tension thought minute. ''Is Jake
Spots in town."
"Here on the grounds, if he's not
up at the saloon"
"Hunt him up. He'll have a few
hundred. I've got few in my peck
ct. Where's the boy that pulls this
stuff for your"
Come over to the horses and meet
Bill Denison. We're keeping him
dark. They think he's a hostler."
Tension, when introduced, looked
over Sawdy's hope in his usual cold
blooded fashion. Jake Spots, the
profane neutrality-suspicious. mag
nate, appear meantime. Tension ask
ed for six hundred dollars. Jake
counted his roll. He showed four
hundred odd. "Give me the four,
jake" said Tension calmly.
II en- get all you want up at the
bar, Harry" suggested Spots, thin,
tall, bald-headed, hollow awed, and
hollow-eyed.
There's no time to make the trip,
jake" interposed Sawdy, nervous.
'The races are pretty near over, and
the trick ridin' comes next"
mo NATTER" interposed Tension.
'Tll borrow a couple hundred from
Harry Boland"
"Why, Boland's backin' the Gun
lock outfit"
'All the better. I'd just like to
QOuDle-cfOSS the
Within the next five minutes he
was talking to Boland. whats next
on the program" asked the Medi-
cine Bend gambler after the prelimi-
naries.
"Trick ridin'," said Boland.
Chance to pick up any money on
it,"
"Sure, if you can place any money.
Bet on McCrossen, ridin' for Gun
lock-"
''The rustler?"
'Hell, he's foreman at Gunlock
now"
II suppose Van Tambel wouldn't
feel easy if he had an honest man
stealin' for him. All right. If you say
it's McCrosson, lend me a couple of
hundred, Harry. I'd like to make my
fare up here, anyway"
Boland counted out two hundred
dollars and handed it over. Tension
handed half of it back to Boland,
"Put this on McCrossen for NELL
see it 1 can place the rest on him
myself. Who's ridin' against him?"
"Two or three buckaroos. The
Circle Dot outfit have entered a
young fellow-we'l clean 'em, same
as we did yesterday" predicted b.
land.
Il heard about that-suckers will
always fall for it, Harry. Well, I'll
go over and talk to SAVOY and Lee
fever-see if they got any money
left-maybe I can get small bet"
Boland was fat and short. He new
er breathed easily; but he would not
have been able to breathe at all if
he had heard the next talk between
Tension and Sawdy.
"How does it look to you, Harry?"
blurted out SAVOY.
Like many things have looked
before takin'; they don't always
look so good after. Here's Jake's
four hundred. I'm addin' six hum
dred-that makes your thousand. !
don't know about that cigarette
trick. I never saw it done but once"
Where was that?"
I'm Madison Square Garden"