Beadle's Dime Library No. 828

# Short-Card Charlie at Boot Jack

This dime novel, published in September 1894, features "Short-Card Charlie" (Charles Turner), a professional gambler also known as "the Sport from Denver." The serial, written by W.M. Eyster, follows events at The Tiger Saloon in Boot Jack, a frontier mining town controlled by Vance Ullman, the saloon proprietor and local gunfighter.

The narrative centers on the arrival of the "Kid from Kirby," a ragged, red-haired man claiming to possess wealth. After a tense confrontation with Doc Andrews—another skilled gunfighter—the Kid enters a faro game against Ullman. Experiencing extraordinary luck with his modest five-dollar stake, the Kid's bets escalate rapidly. Short-Card Charlie, intrigued by the stranger's unusual winning streak, proposes a partnership. Together they continue winning at faro, with Charlie and the Kid dividing profits as they bet progressively larger sums.