Beadle's Dime Library No. 429 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

ee , ee a we ——— Shaw nodded and picked up his cards, the rest following suit. The result of the inspection was that all three went into the pot to capture quite a tidy little sum of money, Boutelle calling for two cards, Darelle three, while the governor con- tented himself by remarking that he would take one. A gleam of pleasure lit up the colonel’s face as he gathered up the pasteboards that fell at his hand. He was not altogether a stoic, and until he was thoroughly settled to business was liable to give himself away. Darelle received his more calmly. Indeed, from the moment that Shaw began to run the -cards his countenance took on a wooden cast, that gave no more expression than a white oak stump. He drew his three cards up one by one.and arranged them in his hand, and then louked up ‘expectantly at Shaw, as though he expected to tell by the back of the one card the size of the hands against him. The thumb of the governor rested on the center of the card, but just as it began to slide forward there was a slight rap on the door, which almost instantly opened, and Fairy Fan glided into the room. ‘‘] hope I don’t disturb you, gentlemen. - I said neither yea nor nay to the colonel’s invi- tation, but afterward it kept bothering me more and more until 1 could stand it no longer. Deal me a hand, somebody, as soon as you can. I have ten thousand dollars here to win or lose, and while it lasts I prom- ise you I mean to make the game very lively.” CHAPTER XXXITI. A STRAIGHT FLUSH. For ordinary noises without, the three men were prepared and would have taken no notice of them; but this intrusion was just then so unexpected that it doubtless gave all a start. Boutelle, who sat with his back to the door, half rose in his chair, but was cool in an instant. “ Really, Tam glad you thought better of what I took for a refusal. We thought some about the advisability of sending out for you, but decided you would come when you were ready. Take a seat. There’s a bottle of choice cognac on that chest and a case of cigars, if you have occasion for either, and ou can look on till this hand is played out. 1en we will attend to your case. You couldn’t persuade Miss Darelle to keep you company, 1 suppose?” ‘* What what, for heaven’s sake!” ex- claimed Darelle, looking up hastily at having his daughter’s name mentioned. ‘Don’t speak of it, if you don’t want a scene. She has, ough, a prejudice against the royal game, and | was only too thankful when she announced that at last she was worn out, and would retire early. Don't amention her name or she may awaken.” The ludicrous dismay in his voice hardly indicated a preper frame of mind for proper playing, and Boutelle answered with some contrition: ‘‘Pardon me, my dear Darelle, I didn’t intend to unstring your nerves just at this stage of the game. It seems to me I am not in the mood for this to-night, and I’ve half a mind to draw out and devote my time to entertaining Miss—Miss Auburn I believe it is. The advent of your brother has given us azame that otherwise would have probably remained forever unknown.” The governor with his five cards held to- gether in a little pack, rapped sharply on the table and recalled him to the serious busi- “ness.” ‘“Oh, yes, excuse me. I—I hold the age.” ‘‘ A thousand!” said Darelle, stringing out his money as he spoke, with more prompt- ness than had been looked for. The governor said nothing, but from the wallet at his elhow drew out five thousand, which he placed on the pile. “It's going to size my pile before this hand is out if that’s the way you begin,” exclaimed the colonel. ‘‘I suppose you will give mea sight for my money when | can’t go any further. You will have todrag me to the Hair ‘Tr | rack; but I declare I can’t allow a hand like | this.to be ashamed of my nerve for lack of him against all the thieves, cut-throats and backing. There’s the buckskin, and there’s’ gamblers from here to Frisco. just six thousand in it,” ‘‘Very creditable in you, partner, and I —— eS Cee igger Tom of Red Bend. — i i would not say another word if we were alone ; the governor answered in his very silkenest in the game. same way, and we must give him—ough—a chance to express his sentiments,” Darelle’s words were cooler than his man- ner, as, between the succession of rapid coughs that his excitement brought on, he piled up ten thousand. ‘‘Eh? Money speaks for itself?” ‘‘Certainly,” said Shaw putting down another ten thousand, ‘‘It was hardly necessary for Boutelle to ask his question. Of course he has an inter- est in the stakes to the extent of his money; and no more, unless Miss Fanny chooses to lend him enough to come in.” ‘On that hand?” queried Boutelle, flirting ue cards open, and holding them toward ler. ‘‘Notacent. Ill ante up with the rest of you if you'll deal mea hand, and then decide what it ought to be worth to me; but it’s my own luck I back, or none at all.” ‘“‘Then,” said the colonel in a tone of resignation, ‘‘ | shall wait until it is my time to show up. If l had known it was to be a tooth and nail affair | would have stopped out altogether.” ‘If it will stop your everlasting clatter I for one, would be willing that you should draw down your stakes and go court Fan in some other room. We act like a gang of boys playing seven-up for fun behind a barn. What do you do, Darelle? The more money you put down the more you have a chance to take up.” ‘“Exactly, ough! Five thousand to make good and twenty thousand as an inducement to come up higher.” **Oh, deur,’ groaned the colonel quietly with an audible aside to Miss Fanny, who was leaning forward to watch the game. ‘Who will own the Isabella this time next week? If the governor has his usual luck it will not be Darelle and lL. [ll have to form a stock company yet, and put theshares on the market. By the time a few sharpers have got in and had a say-so for six months you know what they will leave for me?” “Den’t talk, but watch the whispered back Fanny, sharply. “If the worst comes to the worst with you, and my affairs go right maybe | can uy an interest. I’m giving up the Quartz anyhow; sold out, lock, stock and barrel. Now, hush.” The governor held his cards by the ends with both hands the back of the lower card out, of course, while he stared a moment at Darelle. Then he laid them carefully face down, drew out his pocket-book, from which he took a paper. The back of this he indorsed with a stylo- graphic pen: ‘** Pay to bearer. ‘* Eapert SHAw.” He tossed this over to Boutelle. ‘*Tt was understood we were to use collat- eral, As you are to be Mr. Darelle’s partner you can assure him that it is all right.” The face of the paper was a Wells-Fargo receipt for fifty thousand dollars. “| will accept it as it stands for a half in- terest in the Isabella,” responded the colonel, turning it over to look at the indorsement, and then placing it in the pool, as Fanny whispered in his ear: “By the lord of luck, he was getting ready to bolt.” The governor said nothing; but turned in- quiringly toward Darelle, carefully smooth- ing out the smile that seemed to be trying to break out around his lips. There was a momentary but painful hesi- tation about the old gentleman, He rubbed his eyes with a hand that trembled more than usual, and his voice was almost a whine as he glanced appealingly at Boutelle. ‘it’s an awful lot of money, ough, but I ought to play my game, oughtn’t 1 now? Shall I—” ‘‘No, for heaven’s sake, no!” exclaimed the rich clear voice of Leona, as she sprung into the room, her hand in her bosom. ‘Where is your promise, Egbert Shaw, given to me, but this afternoon? Would you ruin him, soul and body? I will defend game,” Lead hima step further if you dare!” ‘You had better retire, Miss Darelle,” f é ; | |S SS LLL ES But Mr. Shaw may feel the | tones, smoothing again out of his face the smile of triumph that more than once had struggled to rise there, “You come too late. The game has reached such a stage that your interference, even if successfui, can only cost him a fcr- tune, while if let alone, he seems to stand a remarkably good chance of winning one. I don’t play my cards for what they are worth, but only for all that is in them, Sidney Dar- elle, do you allow your daughter to dictate to you?” ‘* And this is all your word is worth?” she retorted, with cutting scorn, waving her hand around, and letting one shapely slender finger point at last at Darelle, ‘This is the way you keep your sworn oath; this the value of the vows you made me this very day.” ‘Pardon me, but since then some things have happened, and | have heard others that would release me from any promise I might have made, express or implied. | was an un- seen but interested witness of your friendly interview this evening—I hardly suppose you wish me to speak of its termination, Al- low me to run my business affairs to suit myself; or-must we doth speak? If so you should know who will be the heaviest loser?” He shot a malignant glance at her that she met for only an instant, then her nerve gave way. She saw that her secret was known, and sunk back with a low cry of dismay into the seat that Fairy Fan pushed toward her. ** Now, Mr. Darelle,”’ the governor contin- ued, ‘‘ what are you doing? This all is dis- gcustingly irregular; but between gentlemen whose hands have been on the board the whole time, it can be overlooked.” ‘“What—ough! What was | going to do, Boutelle? Oh, dear, Leona, you have set me quite abroad. I—let mesee: thirty thousand tocomein. Yes—ough!” A number of thousand dollar-notes he quaveringly counted out, and then began from a hitherto unopened pocket of his wal- let to count out United States bonds. “Thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seven—no, I will stop there. Does that—ough—look as though I was the slave— ough—of a woman?” He pushed them toward the rest of the notes, and with his cards lying on the table between bis elbows, he rested bis chin on his hands while he tried to look triumphantly into the face of the governor. ‘‘Money talks,” was the hard, terse an- swer. Then Shaw drew out another Express re- ceipt of one day later date than the other in- dorsed it as before, and passed it to Boutelle. “Fifty thousand again,” said the latter, bowing. He was almost as cold now as the governor, since he saw that the struggle was to the death; and he suspected that Shaw was near the end of his resources. No one else said a word, while Darelle stared at the receipt; but the hushed breath- ing of all sounded painfully eager. Then siowly Darelle began again his count, his fingers clinging to the bonds, and so quivering that it seemed as though he would tear them ere they fell. “Call!” he said, in a hollow tone, that came near being a groan, and startled Bou- telle, who, for the instant, felt a cold shiver of apprehension run from eyebrow to heel, lest the old gentleman had been making a magnificent bluff all through, and lost his wits at the last moment. ‘A straight flush in diamords with the king at the head,” said the governor, string- ing them out on the table. . | ‘Good for me,” bowed the colonel, throw- ing up his hand, in which nestled four little eigh¢s. “ Not good!” shouted Darelle. “A royal flush in clubs, with the ace at the head, and there are the cards!” stringing them out and looking up at the governor For answer Shaw threw both hands for- ward, intending to grasp all in the pool and draw it toward him. In a flash Sidney Darelle was transformed. From his shoulder out shot his right fist across the table, taking Shaw well upon the face and hurling him backward as if shot from a catapult. ‘‘Here, Boutelle, watch that this thing is straight as a string!” the old gentleman shouted, ‘‘and you, Fanny, and Thompren, you’ve seen his hand and mine; now lock EComicbooks SO r Fs; = my es