Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 420 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

-yere game.” & An expression of intense annoyance came over the young man’s face, and he threw down the cards that he was to deal. He possessed one good point, however—he was not so far gone in any kind of dissipation as to — his sister or Gisregard her wishes. hough he had been drinking heavily and was deeply absorbed in the game, he rose from his seat almost immediately, though a little un- steadily. ‘“‘f am sorry to leave you, gentlemen,” sail he; “but my sister wants me, and [ must go to her.” The man who sat opposite to bim said noth- | ing; but a sneer expressed what he might have | said, and the sneer did not escape the notice of | sister. young Talcott. ‘*Out yonder, but not to play or to drink. I ** Aslam a heavy loser,” ke remarked, rather | want to watch the two men who were playing hotly, ‘‘I havea right to quit the game if I with me, and to see how they get on with the old choose; but I will return soon, if you careto chap who took my place.” keep the place open for me.” | ‘*I trust you, Gerald.” Surely they did care to, and a smile took the | place of a sneer on the face of his principal op- | nent. ‘* Pll play the hand while you’re gone, if you say so,” observeed Benjamin Gray. THE BITER BIT. ‘I am willing,” answered Talcott, ‘‘if these, Wuern Gerald Talcott returned to the card- gentlemen have no objection.” | table, which he had lately left, the progress of No objection was made, and the ‘‘ gray” | the game had become so unsatisfactory to Silas slipped into the seat which the young gentie- | Birch and Mark Hannafin, that they would man had vacated, while the latter went back to | gladly have ended it if they could have found a the ladies’ cabin. | Seceit excuse for doing so. “Do you understand this game, stranger?” | The return of Talcott seemed to afford a pre- inquired the gambler who faced the new-comer. | text, and Birch hastened to take advantage of “ Jest you let old Ben Gray alone for not tack- | the opening. lin’ anythin’ he don’t understand. This yere’s; ‘‘I am glad to sce that your sister let you poker, ain't it? Well, ’ve played a sight of it | come back here,” he said, with a sneer that was up in Posey county, though seven-up is what | scarcely suppressed. ‘‘Are you ready to take we mostly do stick to as a stiddy game.” your place?” “all right, Mr. Gray. Glad to know you. ‘** Not to-night,” pleasantly answered the young This gentleman is Mark Hannafin, of Cinzin- | man. ‘‘My sister objects to my playing cards nati, and Iam Silas Birch, of Louisville. Tne | for money.” young fellow whose place you took is Gerald ‘*That’s what’s the matter, hey? And of Talcott, of Louisiana. Now you know each | course you mind her. What a good boy you other, and all’s straight. It’s your deal, my | are!” friend.” ‘* One of the best kind of boys when I take a “That suitsme. You fellersissmart enough, | notion to be good, and when I take a notion I know; but you'll have to git up ’arly in the | to be bad I am one of the worst. Remember mornin’ to beat your Uncle Benjamin at this | that as you go along.” Whether this statement was or was not in- No empty boast was this, as the sequel speed- | tended as a threat, it had the effect of quiet- ily showed. | Ing the gambler’s tongue and subduing bis Ben Gray, picking up the pack, shuffled an‘ | sneer, dealt the cards, aol a decided change in the “Tf you fellers are tired of mec,” observed game was manifest from the start. Ben Gray, ‘‘ ’m ready to drop out, as I reckon The luck, or whatever it was, which had en- | I’ve won asymuch money as you got out o’ abled the professional gamblers to win the | that young feller. But I'd like to have jest money of their victim so easily, had entirely de- | one more deal around, to give you satisfaction.” are on this boat, and to be very careful how vou ‘is very anxious about us both, and I promised her that 1 would bring you home in the best pos- Sible shape. You know, too, how much depends on you, and I am going to rely on you todo just what 1 tell you to do, until we are safe at 1ome,” ‘‘ You may rely on me, sis. I would be noth- ing less than a brute if I should go wrong when I have you to look after. I will leave the cards alone, and will keep away from the bar.” After a little further conversation, Gerald Talcott left his seat, ‘Where are you going now?” inquired his CHAPTER IV. touch liquor, if you must touch itat all. Mother | Lhe Old River Sport. Le Ben Gray, who had quiet ocketed the stakes, did not seem to be in the least aggriev- ed by this statement. Gerald Talcott went back to the ladies’ cabin, and the old man after a little pause followed him thither. Silas Birch and Mark Hannafin walked out on the forward guerds, out of sight and hearing of the others. ‘Have you gone back on me, Mark? grum- bled the elder man. ‘I never knew anybody to throw off on me worse than you have done to-night. You not only made me do all the playing, but when a pinch came you refused to stand up to me, and acted as if I] wasan utter stranger to you. Is that the way to back up your partner? What’s the matter with you?” ‘You know well enough what the matter is,” answered Hannafin. ‘* You know that you have been doing just what I wanted you not to do. What sort of a chance do you suppose [ can have with Miss Talcott unless I get on the right side of her brother?” ‘** Oh, bother the girl!” ‘You are more likely to bother me than to bother her. She is the daughter of Colonel Talcott, who died last year, leaving a big pile of property to his two children, and I thought I had made some way with ver when I came up on the Memphis. I wanted to improve my op- portunities on this boat, and might do so if you would help me, instead of hurting me.” “How have I been hurting you?” ‘*I told you that I was going to propose a game to that brother of hers, so as to get better acquainted with him, and that it must be a straight and gentlemanly me, with the chances in his favor, as [ could affcrd to lose a little money for the sake of getting cn the right side of him. Instead of that, you set in to skin him. and you did skin him most outrageously.” ‘* Well, Mark, you see I know that a birdin the hand is worth two in the busk.” ‘*What has become of your bird in the hand? It flew right into the pocket of that ‘gray,’ and you lost more than you had made.” ‘‘ Confound that old cuss! I shall never have any respect for myself until I get even with him insome way. He is a sharp from Sharpville, and I know that he was playing it fine on us all through the game. If they train that sort up in Posey co-nty, I want to go there to learn to play cards.” ‘** You had ketter let that old cuss alone, Sile, and I hope that vou will manage matters ro as not to interfere with my game any more. You have given me such a set-back that [am at my wits’ end now to know how to play it.” veg them, and their utmost efforts could nos It was agreed that there should be one more ‘*T believe, Mark, that the young fellow and Day "> induce it to return. deal around, and again a change was manifest | the old one were in cahoot,” va In vain they brought into play various tricks , in the course of the game. ‘*That is not a bit likely.” if and schemes that are supposed to be singel | ,On Hannafin’s deal and Birch’s the cold man ‘*They went off together, or nearly together, a. | to professional gamblers, as at every step they | lost, and on his own deal, which was the last of | and Iam keen to bet that they went to divide | fo’ were met and foiled by Ben Gray, and more | the round, the cards seemed to run against him, | spoil.” » | | than once the twinkle of his keen eyes warned | to judge by Birch’s triumphant glance when he ‘*Nonsense! Can't vou think of enything a ms them that he had detected them in their attempts | had filled his hand, and by the despondent look | but that infernal game?” a = at foul play. | of the dealer. ‘“‘T think I can tell you how to play your Eee There was nothing for them todo but submit | Hennafin passed out, but the cld man hung | game,” ) ae to the loss of their money or quit the game, and | on, and the betting became brisk between him ‘“T wish you would. What do you sug- | He the latter alternative was of course out of the | and Birch. gest?” # question, as it involved a confession of defeat, When there was considerably more than ‘* A better scheme than getting on the right . MH Gerald Talcott did not return to the card- enough money on the beard to cover his recent | side of that young chap, as well as an easier | : Bs table immediately, or very soon, as his sister de- | losses, tho cld man called, and bis antagonist | one, would be to get rid of him.” : tained him in an earnest conversation, though | laid down a king full. ‘You are proposing a crime to me, Sile.” sorely against his will. | Ben Gray promptly responded with an ace ‘*Many things that are done might pass for oH “T sent for you, Gerald,” said she, ‘* because I | full, and covered the stakes with his broad | crimes; but they are all right when they pay. | an wanted you to quit playing cards down there. I | hand. Better think it over, Mark.” : | ee know it was a gambling game that you were in, ‘* Drop that!” fiercely ordered Birch. ‘* The Gerald Talcott bad gene hack to the ladies’ 2 | ra and I see that you have been drinking, too,” money is mine.” cabin, where he explained to his sister as much q ye “You are right about that, Eva,” frankly ““T don’t seom to see it in that light, Mr. | as he chose to, of the termination of the card a cay answered the young man. ‘I did not want to | Birch.” controversy at the other end of the boat, not : A quit when you sent for mo, because it would ‘Look at it in this light, then!” exclaimed | caring to particularize the part he bad taken in ps look like showing the white feather; but I ad- | the gambler as he drew and levelled a revolver. | the affair, ; . | wy mit that I have lost some money.” The money is mine because you havebeen cheat- | Then, seeing Benjamin Gray saunterin | yt ** How could you help losing money, when you ing. I saw you palm that ace of clubs.” about, he went to meet him, and the two sa : | were playing with _ essional gamblers?” | ™T don't deny it,” calmly answered the old | down and had a little talk. ; “Sem + ow do you know that they were profes- | man, without removing his hand from’ the ‘*T wanted to speak to you, my friend,” said | eae sional gamblers, my sharp little sis?” money. ‘‘But I had a right to do it. You | the old man. ‘ You chip in like a hero | a “It is easy to see that they are not gentle- | have been cheating and trying to cheat all | when I had that little difficulty at the poker a ad men.” through the game. I had to fight you with your | table, and I ought to thank you for that. I ' | 4 ki ‘1 don’t know about that. It is hard to say | own weapons.” don’t think you needed to do it, though, as I i Ps who is or is nota gentleman. One of them may ‘Drop that, I say, or I will bore a hole! hain't no idea that the feller meant to shoot, t L have been a gambler by trade—the man who mange oo head!” That was only a bluff game that he was play- re de won most of thre money; but the other surely A small but sinewy band seized the gambler’s | ing.” ‘Print cannot have had anything to do wich that man, | collar, and Gerald Talcott, who was standing ‘*Perbaps so,” answored Gerald; ‘tut it | for he lost as well as I did.” behind his chair bent down and whispered to | looked rather scary, and I had a grudge against he oe ‘‘Do you mean Mr. Hannafin?” him, that man. He had not only swindled me, but a AT “Yes, Eva. How did you know his name? ‘* Put up that pistol, or I will drive my knife | you heard how he sneered at me for allowing * | ae What do you know about him?” into your neck!” myself to be controlled by my sister. I can’t 1 on * He was on the boat when I came up to meet This admonition was accompanied by a touch | stand much of that sort of thing.” a} De x! 4 , and I saw more of him than I wanted to, of cold steel against the gambler’s skin, and it ‘* Tt’s easier to stand, thoveb, when ycu know “| ru, ough [ was under the special care cf the cap- | was not the only thing that made him hesitate. | that you’re right, and such a young ladv as fe” ie tain, and he showed me some attention thet was | ‘The old man is right,” said one of the seven- | your sister is mighty apt to be right. Yes, Mr, | " Newt unwelcome, to say the least of it.” | up players, who had quit their table and come | Talcott, that man Birch had been cheating you | Me) | ‘““T must see about that. He had better not | to the other. ‘I’ve been watching these deals, | —robbing you, as I may say, and when 1 took oe. pany try it again.” and it’s just as he says. He has only beat you | your place I thought I had a right to get even vee - tag *‘ Do not trouble yourself, Gerald. If he had at your own game, stranger. and everybody | with tim, I was playin’ your game, you know, ; ed really annoyed me. I would have complained | will admit that he had a right to do that.” and I reckon I won your money back, and here ; ta against him, and I think he will keep away | This was clearly the opinion of the majority, | it is for you.” ae from me now.” las expressed by remarks to that effect and by a Ben Gray dived into his pockets and brevght ae * Perhaps ho has come down on this boat for | general murmur of assent, and Silas Birch sub- | up a misceJJaneous assortment of bills and ae the purpose of following you.” mitted with an ill grace, coins. « ay . « Possibly: but it is more likely that he is; As vouseem to be running this game, gentle- ‘No, no, Mr. Gray,” protested Gerald. rt a merely plying bis trade, as I believe him to bea | men, I will have to give in; but it is nothing | ‘“‘ That is one thing that Tcan’t stand at all, I ' oe river gambler. What I want you todo, Ger- | less than highway robbery for a man to carry | could afford to lose what I lost, and what you ; oie ald, dear, is to leave the cards alone while you off that money on a clear swindle.” won is your own,” aaa ies tk Lae COMIEHDOOKS:com | 7." erent _ a ine a = ers ee 1 Oe. ae Lt RH re PP Ree Ua Aras. Ke! ’ ligt