Year: 1878




want you TO fork over, and the quick
er you do it the better it


He never finished the sentence.
Hsrpers eyes Utterly blszed with fire
As he leaped over the table. The bully
drew his knife; he was bending his arm
to strike when Harper's lady-like fist
struck him square between the ewes.
The knife fell from the bully's hands
as he measured his length on the floor.
As he sprang up the muzzle of a re.
volver glistened in the light Instant.
ly score of revolyers covered the
man from Pike.


For a moment there was silence.
/ The Pike county bully looked at those
reyolvers, at the eyes of their owners.
and seeing the determination there ex-
pressed, quietly put up his revolver.
Had he hesitated a moment longer.
half the cleaning barrels would have
been emptied. there would have been
one bully less, and my story would end
/ here.


That's sensible said q miner. We
are here to play quiet game-a square
game. You pays your money. If you
win, it's good thing; if you lose. that 8
u good thing too for the bank.
-eckon. 1t seems you've got a spite
agin some one, glancing at Harper.
IF you have, why don't you fight it out
like man. You might as well, stran.
ger, for tell you we're here for quiet
little game, and, with an oath that
added emphasis to meaning speech.
we're going TO have it,


I'll make proposition said Harper
He seems to be spelling for a fight.
He boasts about his knowledge. II the
gentleman really graduated at Vicks-
burg, he ought 20 know something
about brag. For my part believe he
lies. Vicksburg must have changed it's
style greatly if its graduates make the
pass he makes. | know something of
brag. too. I'll play him for the shot
Either be is to mean to live or / am.
Let the game decide. Instead of put
ting up few hundred in checks, let US
play for the first shot The crowd
murmered. One man from San Jose,
Big Sam, laughed uproarously at the
proposition. The Pike county man
turned like bear with a load of shot
in his cheek-then blurted out I'm
agreeable


. Without another word Harper made
a motion TO q dealer, who took his
place. and Immediately left the place,
followed silently by the crowd to his
room In the Graham House. The
crowd was not led by curiosity If
any man among the witnesses of the
incident / have related had been asked
what prompted their action, the answer
would have been. for the purpose of
seeing fair play.


When they arrived at the Graham
House, liquor and cigars were provided
. for the crowd, twenty red checks were
placed on the table and. the opponents
began the game. The crowd looked
from the rosy counters to the faces of
the men who sat opposite to each other


The events that ensucd may be one
of the most remarkable chapters of
California life. and the game was re-
ferred to afterwards as one of the most
extraordinary contests witnessed in
lS49.


The Pike county boaster was com
pletely sobered by the circumstance in
which he found himself involved. He
played with discrimination. and for q
time displayed considerable firmness.
but the extraordinary GOODNESS and
finesse of his antagonist appalled, him.
In the well-ordered assaults and re-
treats the skill exhibited by the rival
players would have made tho fortune
of general.


The first deal was made at half past
eleven. The game went on with vary
ing fortune for half an hour. Not
word was spken by the principals or
lockers on. A human life was at stake,
and little as the value of life was
rated at that time, the circumstances
surrounding the case invested it with q
degree of interest rarely manifested.
A moral insult had been given, and the
custom demanded that it be wiped out
Mt the earliest moment That was
sufficient.


The table at which the players sat
was near the door of the room. The
last deal, the deal that was to decide
the fate of one of the players, was made,
and Just as Harper. whose "say" it was,
was revolving the matter in his mind, q
newcomer strobe in and stood silently
behind him.


The Pike county man, who had
grown pale since he sat down at the Ia
Die. held his hand low, and glancing at
il furtively bending over it, bestowed
on Harper stare that seemed to search
his very soul Those who observed
that silent. prolonged, breathless stare
never forgot it. IL revealed to them
what they suspected from the first,
that the Pike county man was mortal
coward, who shrank from the fate he
had invited.


As the newcomer stood ut his back,
Harper, who had paid 10 attention to
the opening and closing of the door,
without so much as moving finger or
eyelid. said


i go my last check.


Take them said the bully.


Harper had three kings. The boastet
had two jacks.


As the crowd involuntariiy moved
back-then reached forward 10 look at
the hands of the players, there was
low groan, and the Pike county man
lav in a heap on the floor. The keen
eye and swift hand of the gambler were
too much for him. Ere he could draw
his revolver, Harper's bowie had done
his business for him.