Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 292 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

22 Moke Horner, the Boss Roustabout. sionals now can thoroughly ‘‘skin” a novice or any one who plays a “‘square game.” And all knew that to be detected in the use of such, at that day, was to forfeit life unless able to defend it against odds. Yielding to bis pet vice, Shaky Joe passed nearly all of his waking bours at the card- tables, playing squarely, possibly because as yet he had struck no game where the stakes ran high enough to justify his cheating. He was at the tab’e with one, among others, whom he had marked in his mind as a pigeon especially intended for his private plucking, when the row occurred between Purty Paddy and Moke Horner. Though he saw his snug little game interrupted, just as he felt his intended victim growing ripe for the plucking process, heated by cards and wine, Shaky Joe fol'owed the others to the front guards, ready to take a minnow while waiting for the whale. He placed his money freely on the ebony athlete, and it was partly this fact—for Shaky Joe was known as a cool and shrewd judge who rarely posted his cash without a fair certitude of raking it in again with additions—more than aught else, that Jed to installing Moke as first choice. However the battle might have re- sulted, had it been fought to 4 finish, the abrupt abandoning of the ring by Purty Paddy was adjudged a defeat, and it was with replenished pockets that Shaky Joe once more sat down to the card-table. The shivering gambler was in high feather. He had not only made a snug little sum by the affair, but his judgment was confirmed, and when he next met Purty Paddy, he could set ‘*T told you so!” with a clear conscience, e had other cause for feeling good humored. Though the stakes bad not run high in any of the games that trip, the play bad been so con- stant aud fortune bad stood beside him so stead- ily, that he was well satisfied with the wages he had made. There was more hard cash in his pockets than had been his for many a long day !” The young planter on whose wealth he had meditated and figured so long, was slowl (oh flushed with the wine: he had swal- owed, and instead of the brief interlude hay- ing cooled his blood any, the direct contrary was the case. A patron of the ring, be had seen Purty Paddy perform in the “magic circle” more than once with nature’s weapons, and feeling that the tall negra would be nothing more than a chopping-block in those tricky and skillful hancs, be had wagered freely, giving beavy odds that the white would win. Considerable of bis money had owe over to Shaky Joe, and his loss heated the fiery planter more bes all the rest which had been won from “I wouldn’t give a curse, if the nigger had won, on his merits,” he growled, as their seats at the card-table were once more taken, ‘‘ But to see hirn come out on top, by the purest fluke! that’s what gravels me the worst!” “Tf Purty Paddy hadn’t turned tail, it would have come to the same thing in the end,” chuckled Shaky Joe. ‘I know ’em both, and I tell you, gentlemen, that darky is a bummer, and no discount on it! I don’t believe there’s a men in the business to-day that can cut his comb in a twenty-four-foot ring!” “Talk is cheap, my friend,” laughed the half- drunken planter, slapping his pocket with a sig- nificant air, “but it takes money to buy good land in these degenerate days. I’m open to match the Irishman against your black pet for any amount up to a plantation and five hun- dred slaves, the fight to come off at the first landing we make, or at St. Louis, just as you may elect.” Though made im all earnestness and good faith, this proposal to match two men who might even then be lying dead at the mercy of the mad waters, struck those within hearing as more than ordinarily comical, and a roar of laughter greeted it. The fiery blood glared around him with clinched fists, as though about to take vengeance on one and all, but then the ridiculous side of the case presented itself to bim as well, and his laughter rung out with the chorus. ‘* All the same,” he added seriously, after the merriment subsided. ‘I stand to my offer, if they both turn up alive.” ** And I'll back the ’coon for all I can'raise, if we can gain his consent to go into training,” re- plied Shaky Joe. ‘*Good enough! In the mean time, the cards vr: waiting on us,” added the planter, taking is seat. ‘The game was draw-poker, then as now a aVorite with men who pride themselves on theih skill as short card-players, and who are ready to back their skill with heavy stakes. here were two in the game besides Shaky Joe and the planter. For a tew hands after the game was resumed fortune still smiled on Shaky Joe, but then the tide began to turn against him, despite bis ut- most skill and care. He touched no liquor While playing, never smoked, keeping his nerves steady and his brain clear. He was playing 2 square game, for he saw that the two men, who were now interested, were old hands at the business, who kept a close watch on the actions of all others, as well as of their own affairs, and he disliked to run the risk of ‘‘ put- ting up” a hand or any other crooked action. e used his best judgment in discarding and in betting, playing us be had seldom played be- fore for equal stakes; but do what he might, fortune continued to frown. He could not ‘‘hold the cards,” somehow, and against a streak of luck of that sort pure skill and judg- ment are of little avail. Had he not been for the past week or more trying all he knew to get the level-headed young planter sufficiently ‘‘off his base” to render the plucking certain, Shaky Joe would bave drawn out of the game then and there; but be doubted whether he would ever be granted a similar opportunity on that trip, and so he played on, expecting the tide to turn again in his favor before many deals, Thus they were engaged when the loud up- roar without announced the return of the Boss Roustabout, followed soon after by the return of Mate Devlin and the nearly-drowned Irishman, The two other players deserted the game to see the end of the curious affair, but Shaky Joe and the planter stuck to the cards, fogetting all else in that absorbing pursuit. Now that. the two cooler heads were out of the game, fortune seemed to favor Shaky Joe a little more, and he won several pots in succes- sion. All the time the planter was showing tbe effects of his drinking more and more, and as the tide of ‘‘ luck” once more veered, Shak Joe resolved to bring sleight of band to his aid. ‘We'll try afresh deck of cards, for luck!” he cried, turning and giving the order. At that time—and still, for that matter— every boat that plowed the Mississippi river was amply supplied with cards, and frequently made a neat little thing of it through selling them to passengers, who would call for a fresh pack after almost every reverse meted out to them by the old ones. The planter made no objections to the change for be knew that no marked cards could thus be rung in on him, and tearing off the wrapper,the game was renewed. By thia time tho wooding-up was completed and the Water Witch was again breasting the swift current, running by the light of the full moon. Their curiosity satisfied by the report of the mate, the passengers had for the most part returned to the interior. There were several games in progress in the office as well as in the gentlemen’s cabin, the curtains and slid- ing doors having shut off view from the ladies’ cabin, but the interest in the long protracted duel between Shaky Joe and the planter excited the greatest degree of attention, and a number of watchers gathered around, not a little to the secret annoyance of the former. He dare not object, lest suspicions of the fairness of his pla he thereby awakened, and thus entirely foil b ee is scheme was a very simple one, and had there beem no curious eyes to guard against save those of the planter, half drunk as he then seemed, a skillful manipulator like Shaky Joe would have found little difficulty in turning the trick. As it was, he kept his brain cool, bet- ting carefully and only on good hands, watch- ing his chances to steal the four aces out of the deck and stow them away on the “ lower- deck” of the round card-table. All this he managed without suspicion being awakened, and was then all ready for business. It chanced to be his deal, and as it was policy for bim tomake the bold stroke when his opponent bad charge of the cards, Shaky Joe trusted to his regular hand that turn. Itwasa strong one, and he won the pot, barely out- holding the planter, who uttered a savage oath and tossed the cards across the cabin, shouting for a fresh pack. It was a bitter pill for the gambler to swal- low, but he had no excuse for objecting to the change, and sullenly he accepted the situation. The cards were brought, evidently taken from the same gross as the others, as they were. of the same pattern and quality. ' The planter dealt, and Sbaky Joe found two aces in his hand. He ‘considered for a brief space, then discarded a]] but the pair, drawing three cards. In these he caught a third ace, and his ferret-like eyes glanced covertly into the face of his opponent. Good player though the young fellow was, he could not keep from show- ing to such a close observer that he had been very fortunate in the draw. Shaky Joe, having that privilege as elder hand, passed. ‘The planter coolly counted outa number of bills, “‘ spreading” them so that a glance would determine the amount of his bet. There were five hundred dollars, and a terrible temptation began to assail Shaky Joe. He held seven of the eight aces which the two packs had contained at his disposal, Tbe planter had drawn three cards, like himself, and the fact of his (Shaky Joe) catching another ace in the draw, proved clearly enough that his opponent was holding kings or less. There was only the faint risk attending that fourth, ace to deter him, while the rich store of the planter urged him on—and as Shaky Joe counted out enough ae a. = to cover the bet and raise it one thousand, he resolved to make his stroke for a fortune then and there. As he had anticipated, from that tell-tale flush, the plucky planter never thought of ‘calling ” him, but covered the ‘‘raise” and then continued adding to the pot. And while he was thus engaged, Shaky Joe stealthily se- cured the ace of diamonds, which he lacked to make his hand invincible, from the store hidden in the lower deck, **] see your raise, and top you ten thousand dollars!” quietly uttered the young planter casting a keen glance into the quivering face of his adversary. ‘*T haven’t that sum about my clothes, but I suppose you will grant me the privilege of bor- rowing? I only ask ten minutes,” said Shaky Joe, placing bis cards in full view on the table-edge, and weighting them Gown with a derringer. awe aey a) is your right,” was the polite reply. shaky Joe arose from his chair, casting a swift glance around him, He caught a glimpse of the man he wanted in the office, and steppin hastily that way, opened the glass door an called Gideon Gillespie by name, That worthy, pale as a ghost but outwardly as calm as though he bad not such a short while before hurled the woman whom he had given the sole right to his name down to what seemed certain death, responded promptly, and the two men turned so as to command a full view of the card-table, as they conversed in guarded whispers, eagerly watched by the spectators, ; ‘It’s a dead sure thing!” muttered Shaky Joe. ‘I’ve got four aces, and the fellow has a hand that he’s willing to bet his plantation on, Just lend me the money for five minutes!” Why take so much trouble, when in a little while— ‘Bot what I win now, won’t have to be divided up in, the general pile,” grinned the gambler, knowingly. ‘* You won't go back on ie that way?! There’s no possible chance to ose!’ Gideon Gillespie strode toward the table, and Shaky Joe showed him the face of the cards. Without another word, Gillespie counted out the required sum, then drew back. Sbaky Joe dropped the bank notes on the pile, crying: ‘‘T only wish it was a million, but us poor devils are compelled to creep before we can fly. I call you, Mr. Stone!” Letting bis cards speak for themselves, as all good gamblers will, the planter deftly * strung” his hand, showing four kings and a small card to complete the five. ** No good, my dear sir!” laughed Shaky Joe. ‘““Who says so?” relat demunded the propia, all traces of drunkenness vanishing ike magic, his face flushing botly, his eyes flashing vividly. ‘‘ We are not playing royals!” ‘Of course not, my dear sir,” coolly retorted Shaky Joe as he deftly spread his cards along- side the other hand, ‘But! believe four aces lay over kings, all the time!” is quivering band was stretched out to rake down the goodly pile, when it was knocked rudely aside by his opponent. **Not yet, my fine card-sharp!” he grated the picture of fiery determivation, ‘We'll argue that point a little before you claim the pot, and these gentlemen around us shal] be the judges. I claim foul play! And to show you the proof, let any disinterested person in the company lift the discards in regular order.” ‘You dare accuse me of cheating?’ bhoarsely muttered the gambler, turning livid and tremb- ling with more than his disease. “Ill make you swallow those words—” ‘*When and where you please—as soon as your foul play meets the exposure it merits,” was the swift retort. ‘I beld the ace of dia- monds in my first hand. I kept a pair of kings and discarded the ace, with two other cards, Turn the pile, somebody, and if I lie, the loss be mine!” Aneager hand turned the cards which had been discarded according to rule, and still lay separate from the deck. And there, the second card from the top, as they originally lay, was the ace of diamonds! ‘Four kings lay over a foul hand, I believe,” parodied the planter, reaching one hand for the stakes, while with bis other he deftly knocked the derringer to the floor. With a snarling curse, Shaky Joe flashed out a knife and drove it through the throat of his adversary ! CHAPTER XIX. A MAN FOR THE EMERGENCY, ALMOST too swiftly for the astonished eye to follow, Shaky Joe dealt that vicious stroke, the keen-pointed blade, razor-like in its sharpness, cutting through flesh and muscle as though they were naught but paper, his weapon pass- ing entirely through the throat of the unfor- tunate planter from side to side. The mur- derer gave his weapon a terrific wrench that tore it from the horrible wound, almost sever- ing the head from its trunk, the resistance caused by the windpipe and muscles of the a a ) 7 & Ee - “ ? books.com ©