Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 195 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

} } | , The Lone Star Gambler. ee ————_____———_——_—____ Inn TERETE pace and entered softly and without having at- tracted the notice of any one on the premises, their whole actions and the manner of their ap- proach showing plainly that such was their ob- ject. Hastily removing the equipments of their horses, they secured them in stalls and then entered a small apartment to the right of the stable door. This done, they hastily closed and secured it. The room was finished with planed, unpaint- ed boards, and had various closets for harness and the different appointments of the stable, and the windows had close shutters which pre- vented any light in the apartment from being geen from the outside. One of the young men was James Carbury, the brother of Cora; the other was known as Hank Roberts, and had of late been the recdg- nized boon companion of the heir to the Mag- aolias. Young Carbury has been already described as singularly attractive in person; indeed, both Ste men were well formed, and would have en considered us possessed of a more than or- dinary share of good looks, had it not been for a general air of recklessness and the unmis- takable marks of dissipation, which had begun to tell upon them. James Carbury was elight and elegant in his build, and with the graceful bearing of a gentleman, notwithstand- ing the habits into which he had fallen, while Roberts was much more fully developed, with broad shoulders and a sinewy frame. In the room attached to the stables, into which we have just seen them pass, and which was some distance removed from the mansion, éhese and other young men of the neighbor- hood, of similar stamp, had been wont for some years back to meet for the purpese of eard-playing, carousing and drinking; and many thousands of dollars had here changed hands, sometimes in a single night, during the stormy, which was par excellence the idle sea- son on the plantations. A goodly store of such necessaries of a dolce jar niente life as liquors, cigars, pipes and to- bacco were secreted’ in a private closet, which was unknown to any except the parties most interested, and the one faithful old negro who had the charge of the stables. “When the two young men entered this room they at once proceeded to make themselves comfortable, as well as to prepare for business. Lighting some candles and procuring a bottle and glasses, together with a pack of from the sanctum sanctorum of the delectable James, they seated themselves at a table in ‘the middle of the apartment, and after tossing off a succession of stiff drinks, began the great occupation of their lives, each placing a tempt- ing pile of gold near at hand, some of which was neatly rolled up in paper and sealed, show- ing that it was only recently safely deposited in the bank of the nearest town. We may, however, with profit to our read- ers, pass over some four or five hours of the time that followed, and again look in upon the pair, who have meanwhile been not only play- ing for heavy stakes, but drinking deeply. James Carbury’'s long, tawny hair is dishev- éled, his face flushed and his eyes glassy, as he throws down the cards with an air of desper- ation, and grasping the brandy bottle, pours out two glasses more than half full of the fiery » liquid. Taking up one and clicking it against the other, he drank, without diluting it, the entire draught at a single gulp; then, pushing the re- maining goblet across the table toward his companion, he hastily drew his handkerchief from his pocket and for some moments con- tinued to wipe his forehead and eyes. Quick as a flash Roberts caught up the glass, poured its contents upon the floor alongside of ' and then as quickly held it to bis lips, the bottom considerably elevated, until Carbury lowered his handkerchief; he then smacked his lips, closed his eyes and contorted his face, as though he had found the brandy more powerful than he had expected, at the same time replacing the empty goblet some- what violently upon the table. Although Hank Roberts has every appear- ance of being considerably intoxicated, it is nothing more than a well-assumed pretense; he has naturally a much stronger head'‘than his more reckless companion, and, besides, he has been very careful to drink only when he could not in any way avoid doing so without attract- ing notice. Olearly he might be classed as a professional in that respect, while poor Car- bury was nothing more than a not particularly promising amateur. Hank is gotten up in the last extreme of the flashy style of dress, which invariably fixes the position of the wearer asa fast man. A gor- geous diamond pin, with heavy chain, and a number of pendent seals, also several of the ‘loudest ” description of rings on his fingers; these told the whole story. But, along with this, his face showed deep cunning, and un- scrupulous villainy; and these were intensified by the potations which he had been unable to avoid swallowing. In short, he was a repre- sentative man of a class which bids fair néver to become extinct. “Your deal, Hank,’ exclaimed his com- panion, as he removed the bandanna from his eyes, ‘‘and it is the last deal to-night! I want you to remember that. I have lost every infernal game in the last two hours, and down goes my whole pile on this hand, even if you have got the handling of the paste-boards. I wish I hadn’t poured down quite so much of that brandy; but, confound it, how can a fllow-help himself? The stuff is fourth-proof, and goes to the spot every time; but a man has to gulp it down every few minutes, or else feel as squirmish as blazes, I don’t know what the deuce you are made of. You seem to be able to sit all day and all night at cards, drink- ing right straight along at every deal, and still you are able, up to the last moment, to dis- tinguish a queen from aking. ButI can tell you one thing. I have been going it a little too heavy of late, and I shall be forced to let up, and taper off, or else, hanged if I don’t bave snakes in my boots before I know where I am, or what I’m about!” While James Carbury was speaking, it was plain that he was trying bis utmost to appear indifferent and unaffected by the liquor he had been drinking; but his trembling bands, and wild, almost insane stare toward his partner, as the latter went on shuffling the cards, told too plainly that he was on the verge of mania. Nervously the young man clutched the cards as they were dealt to him, glancing quickly at the faces as he ran them through his hands, He then looked up at Roberts, who asked care- lessly: ‘‘What are they worth, Jim?” “Just what I told you, Hank,” was the reply. ‘I am going to draw two cards, and bet my pile, There’s a chance for you, old fellow, that you don’t often get; but, as I said before, I'm getting desperate.” “Well, I’m in, Jim, every time. Tl ‘see’ your pile, seein’ that is all I can do, and I'll take but one card.” “Tl bet a hat,” said Carbury, ‘that you’re drawing to a flush, and will get a bob-tailed hand. Confound the luck! But I'm after you hot and heavy. Sling me those blasted cards!” Hank deliberately dealt off three cards, as ordered, threw them elessly to his partner, and then pretended to take but one for himself. At the same time, he adroitly secured three, by a sleight of hand movement discarding, with- out, as he thought, being discovered at the trick. As he did so, he called out in o triumphant way: “Pye got you, Jim Carbury; I’ve got you! If you think you're bucking against a bob tailed flush this time, you are bad)y fooled.” “ What have you got, Hank?” asked his com- panion, The tone was the coolest and calmest that could possibly be imagined, but there was a cunning and dangerous glitter in the young man’s eyes. “Three aces and two kings,” was the reply. “Show me your hand!” Hank quietly displayed his cards. “ Well, sir,” said Carbury; ‘the cards call for the money—ro question about that—but you can’t have it, Hank Roberts!” Asa he spoke, ha arose to his feet, placed his hand upon the gold and then reeling back and forth in a drunken manner, he continued in a voice that was strangely steady under the cir- cumstances: ‘‘You will never deal another card in a game with me, Hank Roberts; or pocket an- other dollar of my money. I drew to three queens, and the fourth is under the table, where you threw it. You, Hank, drew to @ pair of aces and a pair of kings, and then filled on aces by giving yourself three cards to select from, in place of one—all you were entitled to. Now, look here, Hank Roberts! You have woh more than twenty thousand dollars from me, on my own premises, and at this very table. You, more than any one else, have ri made me what I am—a drunkard, a gambler, and last—yes, itis true—a forger. Fool, idiee that I have been, I never suspected or mistrust- ed your villainous character for a moment, and I should have been as blind as ever to your infernal tricks, to-night, bad not Dan, the hostler, happened to change tho position of that mirror, and hang it up directly behind your chair!” At first, Hank Roberts turned as pale as death; but, as Carbury continued, he began to assume a bold front, and throwing the cards to the floor, sprung to his feet, his fists clinched, and his face flaming with indignation. “Are you drunk, Jim Carbury, or are you crazy? Do you mean to charge me with hav- ing cheated, at this, or at any other game? ‘‘T mean to say just this, Hank Roberts,” said James, in a clear and defiant voice; “ that you are a professional gambler, a cheat, a liar, a scoundrel, and a coward!” James Carbury’s face was no longer flushed, either with brandy or with passion, but was pale as marble; but his form, nevertheless, trembled with excitement the most intense, as he hissed the last words, No sooner, however, had his lips closed, than Roberts dealt him a powerful blow, and he fell forward upon his face on the floor, CHAPTER IV. DISCOVERY AND DEATH, THE gambler clutched the gold, and bad just concealed it about his clothing, when, as he was in the act of pouring out for himself a glass of the brandy wherewith to steady his nerves, an old negro suddenly opened the door, and exclaimed, as he saw his young master stretched upon the floor: ‘Gol a’mighty, Marse Jim! What de debil done make dat jounce on de flo’?” At the first glance Dan did not realize that his young master was insensible, ‘‘Come in, Dan,” invited Roberts, in the most nonchalant manner possible. ‘‘ Your Marse Jim is as drunk as a fool, I am sorry to say. He fell down just now, and I reckon he must have struck his head pretty hard against the planks.” With deep concern and grief pictured upon his ebon face, the old negro, who was strongly attached to his master, ran for water, and with much fuss and lamentation began bathing the young man’s head. Hank Roberts coolly lighted a cigar from Carbury’s box, and pre- pared to leave the room; but, before he could cross the apartment, James revived, and rising to his feet with an effort, sprung to the door, and placing his back against it, glared from his bloodshot eyes the intensest hate and madness, as he cried out: ‘‘Hold, Hank Roberts! I have been told many tales about you in the last few months, but I have heeded them not—well woxld it have been for me if I haddone so. I now be- lieve you to be, as I have been informed, Sneaky Jim, alias Shuffling Cyrus, who mur- dered a young girl on a Red River steamboat, and threw her overboard, having first blasted her life and lured her from a happy home. [ believe you are the same villain for whose ap- prehension ten thousand dollars reward is of- fered for having robbed a bank in New Or- leans. But, whoever or whatever you may be, you cannot leave this plantation until you have first given me satisfaction. Iam no de- tective, and I want nothing to do with law. I shall probably have enough of that on my hands in the near future, thanks to you also, You have swindled me at cards, and made a felon of me to procure the money wherewith I might pay my gambling debts to you—debts which I never really owed, d now you have struck me! “T am no pugilist, and do not propose to fight in any such way. I will leave you here, while I go to the house for my revolver, which, if I had with me now, you would be a dead map, ‘You have your pistol, and you know how to use it. We will have this thing out in a fair and square way, by nwonlight, and without witnesses, Dan, don’t dilow this man to leave the stables! Pass out, and I will lock. the door. ‘Hank Roberts, Iam a dead shot. I shall give you a fair show, which is more than you deserve. But I intend to kil you. No man shall say that he struck a ury—no man. shall do it, and live to tell of it. I shall kill you for that blow; I swear it, by all the {?? The scoundrel, Roberts, would have replied. ~ Gomichbooks (E(0)