Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 114: what you’re looking at

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

, beti'g Da ell +6 ce ie 3 > ~~ = S se im tie a3 a = 2 — L-- RTM LW RT Ca NO PO arn TRU RENO RIG © AW): CO TRON A ew 8 212 The evening passed pleasantly indeed. With Covert were his friends Baker and Rittick, who were also guests at the hotel; Carterfield, a stock broker, and Murfree, a wealthy cattleman from the West. Co- vert had secured what he said was real pre- war whisky, and the high balls rolled around with comforting regularity. Frank had never been accustomed to drink much, al- though on previous evenings with members of this group, he had usually taken two or three drinks. For the last six months he had not touched a drop. This evening he indulged himself with one high ball. Covert, on the other hand, whom he had never seen take more than one—and that only as a ‘“‘ nightcap ”’ when the party was breaking up—this evening allowed himself more liberty and refilled his glass frequent- ly, as did the others, Frank had resolved to play moderately and cautiously, but the others were not sat- isied with the comparatively small limit with which the game started. Carterfield and Murfree, who were losing, both insisted on “table stakes.” Baker and Rittick, who had won a little, thought this didn’t give opportunity enough to those who were ahead. They suggested a ten-dollar limit. Covert consented with apparent reluctance. Frank didn’t like to be a piker. “Well,” thought he, ‘I should worry. I’m on velvet right now ’—he was about fifty dollars ahead—“ and I’ve got a thou- sand in my jeans.” | As often happens in a game of such per- sonnel, the cards seemed obsessed by per- _ verse runs of very good and very bad hands. For perhaps a dozen rounds they would show little better than two pairs, with a rare three of a kind. Then, suddenly, there would be a short epidemic of flushes and full houses, sprinkled with occasional fours. Oddly encugh, when these good hands occurred—and they were generally bunched in the same round—Carterfield and Murfree always seemed to lose. Covert lost occasionally, but on the whole was ahead. Rittick and Baker gradually pulled ahead in fairly substantial amounts. At about one o’clock, Carterfield rose. “J’ve lost eight hundred,” said he. “ That’s an evening’s fun. I'll just have ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. another of Brother Covert’s good high balls and watch you fellows for a while.” ‘* Well, let’s all quit at two,” said Frank. “Tm about a hundred and fifty ahead, but I can probably lose it all in that time. I’ve got to go out to the country in the morn- ing.” Murfree approved this arrangement, al- though he was several hundred dollars be- hind. The others did not seem very en- thusiastic about the time limit, but agreed to it. As the play proceeded during the last hour, Frank became convinced that he was going to quit a winner. It suddenly oc- curred to him that, although he had fre- quently been ahead in the early stages of a game, he had never occupied that posi- tion before upon leaving this table. Alto- gether, he must have rolled some two thou- sand dollars in red, white and blue chips into the pockets of Covert and his com- panions, Rittick and Baker. Carterfield had played occasionally and had usually lost, as he had to-night. Murfree was new to this company. The refiection disturbed Frank vaguely. Was the game not square? Was there some element in it other than the superior skill of the more experienced players. No, for Frank was surely ahead to-night. He won the next two small pots. Murfree took the next, Rittick the next, Covert the next, and Murfree the one after that. Frank glanced at his watch. It was two minutes before two. : Baker dealt the cards for the last round. Murfree put in five dollars for the ‘“ edge.” Rittick raised it ten without looking at his cards. Frank picked up his and was greet- ed by an African royal family with one black slave, the king, queen, jack and ten of spades and a little three-spot of clubs. “This is going to be either mighty good or a complete flivver,” he reflected, as he raised Rittick’s ante ten dollars. “Well, boys, it’s going to cost you all ten more bones,” announced Covert cheer- fully, putting three blues and a red into the pot. ‘ Let’s make it a good one,” said Baker, in his turn. He put in four blues and a red. TA (E@) Gomichbooks Se I ee a! * ee fag