Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

| | | - we } - . ™ . * oO *, £ ria . te ‘ ‘ r e, Se ¥ tA aye Flush Fred, the River Sharp. 23 —— aleleelel_e__e_e_e_ee nn eeeeeeeeeeuQ5“5“Qlha vc 0 Flush Fred, who was never without the tools | of his trade, brought out an unopened pack, and ’Bijah, as if the contingency had been fore- seen and provided for, produced a similar pack. The question which cards should be used was decided by tossing a coin, and the Stacey side won. ‘“‘Hred Henning carefully examined his ac- versary’s pack, satisfying himself that there was nothing the matter with it, and the game be- gan, after each side had placed on the table the amount of money to which the freeze-out con- test was limited. Beyond that limit there could of course be no betting, and the man who first ‘‘ went broke ” would lose the game, As the window and the door of the cabin were wide open, there was plenty of light for the gamesters and the watchers. Scarcely was the game begun when Flush Fred became sure that he would make a great mistake if he shonld despise his countrified and seemingly thick-headed opponent, as ‘Bijah played a game, both as to the manipulation of the cards and his general style of using them, that any professional gambler must have ad- mired. He could put the cards in the pack where he wanted them, and draw them out as be wanted them, almost as successfully as Fred Henning himself when he was obliged to resort to such methods; but not quite, and on that margin of superior skill Fred relied for safety. 30 the game fluctuated, now one man ahead, and then the other, but neither at any time in danger of getting ‘‘ froze out.” Moreover, the contest was Jonger and more tedious than it had been expected to be, promis- ing to continue for an indefinite length of time, Flush Fred perceived that he must use his best endeavors to beat the countryman, and he watched the chances closely. When his opportunity came, he did not hesi- tate, in gambler’s parlance to “play the game for all it was worth.” Abijah Stacey had the deal, and he shuffled the cards carefully and with a rare degree of skill; but Flush Fred, who was noting the opera- tion narrowly, had about as good an idea as the dealer had of the position of certain cards in the pack, ‘It is allin the cut,” he thought, as the pack was laid down. Then he cut the cards with great exactness, just where he wanted to, but at the same time so quickly that his careful work could scarcely be noticed. Yet ’Bijah glanced up at the young man quickly, with a puzzled and displeased look in his wrinkled face. Clearly the cut did not please him, and that Was no wonder, as the cards had been so disar- ranged as to give his adversary those which be intended for himself. As it would never do to let them go in that shape, he dealt so clumsily that the deal passed. Flush Fred then proceeded to shuffle the deck, which he “‘ stacked” in the most approved and effective manner; but he did this work so quickly and deftly and gracefully, that even his keen“eyed antogonist could not distinguish it from an ordinary innocent shuffle, Abijah Stacey, indeed, was so completely de- ceived, that he cut the cards just where Fred wished them to be cut, and then the young man from the river bad a death grip on the game, This was of course, very wrong; but it was neither unusual nor unfair. There is no such thing asasquare game of poker, the scanty exceptions merely proving the e. The most reputable players will cheat if they - “ean, and gambler’s gamesare necessarily played with ‘‘ advantage,” to whatever extent may be required to win. red Henning was only doing what Abijah Stacey had done and attempted to do, but was a little more skillful than his antagonist. The latter got a hand that made him wink. From the deal he received two aces and two queens, and in the draw he caught another ace. Then he was willing to bet to the limit of his money on the table, Flush Fred encouraged the other by drawing two cards, and he went cautiously into the bet- ting, but finally concluded to risk the limit, and then he “ called.” Abijah Stacey showed three aces and two queens, and Fred Henning laid down four kings, This moment of victory was the real crisis of the game, when a row was to be expected, if ever. As Flush Fred laid down his cards with his left hand, his right hand stole around to his fe pocket, and he watched his antagonist _Jim Maybie and Ben Stanniford could be re- lied on to watch Colonel Jeff Stacey and his comrade, and they did watch them closely. But there was no row, nor was there anything _ to indicate that a row had been contemplated by the other side in the event of their defeat, Colonel Jeff and his companion made no _ Move, and Abijah Stacey, quietly pushing the “= . : | & ie. hs ay Pe \ wes =v. + a t. ¢ oo™ + fs SSS est Sn POE SEE nee URIAI-EREE ERR aan Tern emmna nee eaaaea je money toward his adversary, got up with a sigh. as You're too much for me,” he said, ‘I al- lowed that I knew all about poker; but you know a heap more’n Ido. You must be a world beater at that game.” ‘You give up, then?’ inquired Fred, ** Hain’t got nothin’ left to give up. Reckon I know when ’m whipped.” ‘‘Wasita fair game, gentlemen?’ demanded the winner, appealing to ’Bijah’s friends, ‘‘Tt was all right as far as I could see,” an- swered Colonel Jeff. ‘“’Bijah was beat, and the thing is settled, and thar’s nothin’ more we’ve got todo here. Our folks will draw out and go off, and your crowd can go ahead and have your own way, and we won’t bother you any more,” Colonel Jeff stalked solemnly out of the cabin, followed by ’Bijah and the other Staceyite. This result was almost too good to be true, but was apparently unquestionable, and the three men who were left congratulated each other warmly. Ben Stanniford was in ecstasies over this un- expectedly easy settlement of the affair, and Jim Maybie was also jubilant, though he would have preferred a fight. They bastened back to their friends to give them the joyful news, but had hardly reached them when they saw the Stacey party mount and ride away up the road. ‘Who would ever have thought that Bram'll Stacey would give in so easy as that?’ mut- tered Jim Maybie. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE WINNERS BEATEN. THouGH the dispute had been, as Ben Stanni- ford said, settled so unexpectedly and easily, there could be no doubt of the result, which could only be attributed to such a stomp onthe part of Judge Stacey as nobody coulc have looked for. Tt was certain that the Staceys had cleared out, and there was then nothing left to do but to ride on to the Allstrup house, rescue Eva Bramwell from her imprisonment, and take her to friends who would be glad to see her and care for her. They bad no order from Judge Stacey that would cause her to be peacefully delivered to them; but they were sure that their force would be sufficient to overawe anybody who might have been left to guard her. So Flush Fred and his friends mounted, and rode merrily up the Jane, Ben Stanniford in the lead. When they reached the house, they found everything quiet there, and nobody about, not even a yellow dog; but that merely argued desertion on the part of Judge Stacey’s adher- ents, The leaders dismounted, and knocked at the door. After pounding there a little while, and get- ting no answer, they broke open the door and eptered the house, It was empty. The furniture remained, and there were some signs of hasty departure; but there was no hu- man life left in the building. After a thorough search, the men who had entered the house came out, disappointed, de- jected, disgusted, and sadly reported to their comrades what they had found or failed to find. ‘* So they were playin’ a game, arter all,” ob- served Jim Maybie. ‘* And now it is easy to see what the game was,” assented Ben Stanniford. ‘They were merely trying to occupy our attention and kesp us from interfering with them, while they sneaked some men around and stole the prize that we were aiming at. Is not that so, Fred?’ Fred Henning could not do justice to the sub- ject. ‘‘Tt is the meanest, dirtiest, and most damn- able game that white men could be guilty of,” said he. ‘‘If I ever again come across any of the scoundrels who were mixed up in it, they will have to settle with me on the spot and right away. Ifeel just now as if I would like to sweep every Stacey from off the face of the earth.” The game had been played pretty much as the victims guessed it, with the exception of a spe- cial performance that was intended to favorably impress the unfortunate Eva. ramwell Stacey, when he was surprised by meeting a strong force of his enemies, had form- ed his plan with remarkable quickness and ex- traordinary acuteness. Though he had been a conspicuous failure in the ordinary, business of life, he was an adept in underhand work, priding himself upon his ey to do mean acts without being caught at them, The sight of Abijah Stacey inspired him with an idea, and he went to work on it immediately, with the valuable aid of Colonel Jeff. It was not supposed that Abijah, though un- deniably a first-class poker-player, would win against such an expert as Flush Fred Henning; ie there was a chance that he might win, and he chance was worth taking, Anyhow, he might be expected to stretch out ‘ LE OT TTT rr the game, and make such a delay as would give his friends time to carry out their secret purpose, Tom Stacey had an important part to play in that scheme, and he was quietly sent away, with a few others, as soon as the game was de- termined on, Though he was known to be unreliable be- cause of his aptness to get drunk when he ought to be sober, and nobody was more fully aware of that failure of his than his father, he had not been able to get hold of any whisky since he left Staceyville, and it was presumed that he could be depended on for such an easy affair, especially when it so nearly concerned his per- sonal interests. Tom was to play the part of a hero, and this was a new character for him to assume; but he took it the more readily because his heroism was to be essentially fraudulent. He was to reach the Allstrup house by a roundabout route as speedily as possible, and was there to rescue Eva from the villains who had captured her and held her asa prisoner, thereby earning her gratitude and establishing a claim upon her affection, At the same time be would get her out of the reach of Ben Stanniford and his friends, and surely the attainment of that object would bea neat game to play. It may be said for Tom Stacey that he played this game to the best of his ability, and that his success was not to be sneezed at. As soon as he and his comrades were out of sight and hearing of the force that faced the Staceys, they put their horses to a gallop, and rushed them for all they were worth, over the ridges and through the ravines of the Staghead Hills, until they reached the Allstrup house pretty well played out by their rough and rapid ride, A brief conference with the men on guard there, and a few words of instruction to them, settled the manner in which the rest of the scheme was to be worked. Then the racket began, and it was a racket that was calculated to inspire poor Eva with hope, if it should not frighten her out of her senses, If there was a fight at the house, and there surely was a fight there, it must be that her friends had come to rescue her from her cap- tors. There was every evidence, indeed, of a close and deadly combat at the front of the house, There were plenty of shouts and cries, mingled with pistol-shots which could not be heard down at the mouth of the lane, but which sounded very warlike right there. hen Tom Stacey and his comrades had achieved an easy and signal victory over the men who guarded the house, he requested one of them to tie a handkerchief around his left arm to give him the appearance of having been wounded in the affray. Having ascertained the location of Eva’sroom he rushed up there, calling her eagerly as he reached the door. The poor girl, who had been hoping and pray- ing for the success of the supposed friends who had come to rescue her, did not recognize the voice as that of the man she had hoped to meet; but she opened the door instantly, and there she saw—Tom Stacey! This was not by any means what she had ex- peered, and she was at first astonished and cast own, Tom did not allow her Jook of evident amaze- ment, if he noticed it, to interfere with his plans in the least. He hastened to repeat the speech which he had been instructed fo make, and which he had carefully rebearsed for the occasion, ‘*My dear Eva!” he exclaimed. ‘Have I found you at last? This is indeed a joyful meet- ing!” ‘Ts it you then, Cousin Tom?” she mildly re- marked, having quickly regained her self-pos- session. ‘“ Yes, Eva, it isme. Who else should it be? It is me, and I have rescued you from the vil- lains who carried you off and kept you here.” ‘Indeed! Who were the villains?’ ‘¢ J-J—don’t know yet. My dear Eva, how vou must have suffered, My heart has been broken about you.” ‘*Poor fellow! Is it broken yet? some whisky might help you. there is any here.” This brought Tom’s speech to a pause at once, Perha et me pos as he stopped and looked anxiously !0 see if Eva would find the whisky which she seemed to be seeking. ‘‘There is none,” she said, as she shook her head sadly. ‘‘ Major Stacey must have drank all there was. I am so sorry, Cousin Tom, that therg is no whisky.” ‘‘ Never mind the whisky,” he exclaimed, get- ting back to his heroie role, ‘‘I don’t care about whisky. I am glad that I have found you and rescued you, and that is all I care about.” ** But I am afraid that you are very dry.” *“*T can stand it. Let me tell you what [ have done. As soon as I learned that you were miss- ing, I got some friends together, and started out . ’ a es = PS ¥ s* te” Se a en - ‘ a sv at tins r 7 ? a a ~ 7: ° = Goya auve oyvoxyoy <