Adventure Magazine Cover — page 92: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

we 3: _ as as “When I’m in luck it sticks clear through. Some paper money you're toting. You ought to be the “Greenback man’ I’ve been hearing so much about.” “Deal a card! Red,” called Dinsdale. - Black came up. The dealer said, “I don’t think you’ve got enough of the green to last till all these dark cards run out. But of course the deal ends when either color is exhausted.” “That wasn’t specified, but let it go— Red.” Red came up—a diamond. Dinsdale swept in the money and asked— “How did you hurt your head?” “Think I’m a newspaper?” queried the dealer, smiling frostily. “‘We’re playing at gambling.” “Red.” A club showed. Pyrites was showing the effect of his hurried drinks and was now leaning his back against the bar, glass in hand, and beaming joyously on the monte table. taking the whole room into his confidence he boasted of his discoveries and reached the glass over his shoulder to be refilled. While he talked two dark and two red cards showed. “Red!” barked Dinsdale. He won. “Red!” Again he won. “I’m even,” he said as the dealer waited for him to name the color. “And quitting?” sneered the dealer. Dinsdale shook his head. “It’s slow. It tires me. Two thousand on a single card. What say?” _ The other stared up into the steady eyes for a fraction of a minute, then shrugged his shoulders and lightly said: “All in a lifetime. Ill go you.” He counted out two thousand dollars in greenbacks. - With a dry laugh Dinsdale observed: “They'll be calling you the ‘Greenback man’ next. But I'll be mighty glad to get them. Never could get enough green- backs.” The stranger took the deck in his left hand, poised thumb and finger ready to deal a card. Dinsdale quietly informed him: “T couldn’t help seeing the bottom card. - Tm sticking to red.” And his hand fe!l to his side. The stranger’s eyes dilated until they reminded Dinsdale of Sitting Bull’s, the owl’s yellow orbs, and for a moment he seemed to hesitate. Then he slowly turned Re ee Tne Ss ices, Impartially ~ Adventure - the top ¢ard. It was the ace of diamonds. With his left hand Dinsdale pulled in the money, his gaze never quitting the set face across the table. Pyrites, growing noisy at the bar, alone broke the breathless silence of the room. Leaning back and clasping his hands be- fore him the dealer said: “T don’t mind your winning. I’d rather win, but it doesn’t give me heart-trouble to lose. But I do mind your telling me that you know the bottom card.” “T thought it right I should tell you,” serenely returned Dinsdale, now standing erect, the money still clutched in his left hand, his right hand hovering over a gun. “Tt was the same as saying I was thinking of dealing the bottom card,” continued the dealer, speaking very slowly. “Now just to prove what kind of a bluffer you are I'll bet fifteen hundred, about my whole pile, that you can’t name the bottom card.” Ugly lines drew Dinsdale’s face into a snarl. “Keep your hands away from that deck,” he sharply commanded. “T’ll take that bet, but some one besides you must turn the deck over. Pick whoever you please in this room.” *““____ you!” softly murmured the dealer. Pyrites advanced toward them, shouting in a raucous voice: There was an old woman had three sons, Joshua, James and John.” : “Pick your man!” snapped Dinsdale. “T’ll ask the young lady to turn the deck over,’ called out the dealer in a loud voice. “Josh was hung and James was drowned, And John was lest and never was found,” howled Pyrites. “Excuse,” coldly refused the French girl. “Here you, Paper Dolls! Turn this deck over after this man has named the card,” hoarsely called the dealer to Scissors. ~ “And that was the end of the three sons, Joshua, James and John.” Scissors timidly sidled to the table, his eyes blinking nervously. “The bottom card is the seven of spades,” spoke up Dinsdale. Taking great care not to touch the cards with his hands Scissors inserted the points of his scissors under the deck and tipped the pack over. Dinsdale had named it COPMICLOOOKS (E@)