{ title: 'The Niagara sun. volume (Lockport, N.Y.) 1896-19??, December 26, 1911, Page 4, Image 4', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn94057632/1911-12-26/ed-1/seq-4/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn94057632/1911-12-26/ed-1/seq-4.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn94057632/1911-12-26/ed-1/seq-4/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn94057632/1911-12-26/ed-1/seq-4/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: New York State Library
Ao e LI R2. ( ps All {3 , aim Joss than thirt Define whoa ARO-BANE is an expen- sive game when luck turns a cold shoulder on any player, and \going broke\ is as casy as rufiling a deck. When a man finds he has two dollars left out of more than two months' pay and that it has taken y minutes to get down io that mark, he cannot be censured such if he rails at that Will-o'the-wisp, 'he Goddess of I1 ick. Put him a good ien days' ride from home, acquaintances ind money, and perhaps he will be justified a adding bek in [ jlenty to his denuncia- gon. Me had played to win when he should two coppered, coppered when he should tave played to win, he had backed both nds against the middle and played the ugh card as well --but only when his bets | vere small did the turn show him what he b' ranted to see. Perhaps the case-keeper had i~edooed him, for he never did have any uck at cards when a tow-headed man had , finger in the game. Fuming imyotent ly at his helplessness, a nan crossed the main street in Colby, limp- « 18 almost inipercep [ ittle awleward in hi f ow, squeaking boot tiffness. The ouly ould regard as old tibly, constrained and a s new store clothes and s that wore clumsy with things on him that he and tried friends were he battered sombrero and the heavy, wal- ut handled Colt's . srtably with cach t Po \Fe weapon, to be nfue=-but he could 45, which rubbed com- novement of his thigh. sure, had a ready cash not afford to part with 2 The horse belonged to his ranch, and the idle must not be sold; to part with it ould be to lose his sme a walking man 's despised. \''I'en days from home, know | vo measly dollars E mil agin me,\ he gv mail; of caste and be- , which all good punch- _ iu eopody, in my pocke, «- fuck owled with pugnacious ssimisim. \Oh I'm a wise old bird, 1 am! he- of a wise bied,. Real smart an' ite an' shiny, a cachs of wisdom, a real, »mnyfied Smurt Aleck with a head full of mavined brains. I copper th' deuce an' th' mice wins; I play th' King to win for ten iltara when I ought to copper it. I lay ro-hbits and it comes right -ten dollars an' ssg my dusss go dogo. p these boe twin 1 e«s00n buotg afors Reckon I better »icks down in my kill« : sorae hlind papoose kes 'om away from my. Wihior'n Solomon, ants T've sat old C paar cltiinabin' a cactus rplstsate un' joy. Emb Moe almost stum is S-m-c=l-e«r is my mid- lad.\ €) d over a little tray of a re-trggsl fible an the commer of the rset noel hus aso in ARL ells lay on the fads d ao blackson, sf \xt husl as he saw the Tass» haless of Eaglish walnut L ant soiled green cloth wiveled per was still Was \yom tho saaking he had given the brie, Ho stooped. and regarded it gravely, ving hiis two dollars disconsolately. Jou't this town d o nothin' else besides rabls?\ ho muttered, looking around. strange in who hastened t aX you?\ Th“. punclhor's anger was nroused to a t, licking (ame; hat it passed swiftly and sold, calculating Took came into his eyes. s glanced around a # cappers, but they were not to be seen, ri\ cheerfully cried a g. \Waut to see me wiftly, trying to locate math avai rgor e e seri Hot AM which worried him a little. Healways liked to have possible danger where he could keep an eyo on it, Perhaps they were eating or drinking-the thought stirred him again to anger: two dollars would not feed him very long, nor quench his thirst. \Pick it out, stranger,\ invited the pro- prietor, idly shifting the shells. \It's easy if yo're right smart. One little pea, three little shells-see how it's done?\ and the shells moved swiftly but clumsily. \Now where would you say it is?\ The puncher gripped his two dollars firmly and scowled; he knew where it was. \Do I look like a child? Is it necessary to coax like a fool to make me eager to show ° how really and truly smart I am? You ain't, by any sort of a miracle, anything like a blind papoose, are you? \ I & ‘NH‘IAT you mean?\ asked the other, smiling as he waited for the joke. It did not come, so he continued. \Don't take no harm in my fool wind-JjJammin', stranger. It's a habit; I say it so much I just can't help it no more-I said it at a funeral onct: that's right! I reckon I'm wastin' my time- unliss you happen to feel coltish an' hain't got nothin' else to do. I've been playin' in hard luck for a week past-you see, I ain't as good as I uster be. But th' game's squarc-an' that's more'n you can say about most of 'em.\ The puncher hesitated, a grin flickering around his lips, and calm joy warmed him comfortably. He knew that face, the pecu- liar, crescent-shaped scar over one brow, and the big, blue eyes. The past, sorted thoroughly by his memory, shoved out that face before a crowd of others. Ten years may or may not be a long time to carry in mind a countenance seen but once, but there were reasons for him to remember it, and he was sure, Knowing the face, he also kneiv that the man at one time had been far from \square.\ He laid a powerful forefinger on the edge of the tray. 'Start th' machinery-I'll risk a couple of dollars, anyhow. Two dollars that I can call it right,\ he said, watching closely. He won, as he knew he would; and it told him that the gambler had not re- formed. The dexterous fingers shifting the shells were slower than others he had seen operate and when he had won again he stopped, as if to leave. \When I hit town i short time ago I didn't know I'd be so lucky, or I wouldn't 'a' drawed them two months' pay when I left th' ranch. Shuffle 'em again-it's yo're money, anyhow.\ \Goin' back to work purty soon?\ cueried the shell-man, wondering how much this \sucker\ had left unspent. \Not me! I've only just had a couple of drinks since I hit town-an' I'm due to celebrate,\ * The other's face gave no hint of his thoughts, which were that the fool before him had about a hundred dollars on his person. - \'Well luck's with you to-day you've called it right twice. I'll bet you a cool hundred that you can't call it th' third time. It's th' quickness of my hands agin yo're eyes-an' you can't beat me three straight. Make it a hundred? I hate to play all day.\ \T'll lay you my winnin's an' have some more of yo're money,\ replied the puncher, feverishly. \Ain't scared, are you?\ \Don't know what it means to be scared,\ laughed the other. \But I ain't got no small change, nothin' but tens. Play a hundred an' let's have some real excite- ment.\ * Nope; eight or nothin'.\ He won again. \Now sixteen even. Come on; I've got you beat.\ \But what's th' use of stringin' 'long like that?\ demanded the shell-man. \Gimme a chance to get my hand in, won't you? \ retorted the puncher. \Well all right,\ replied the gambler, and he lost the sixteen. \Now thirty,\ suggested the puncher. \Next time all I've got, every red cent. Once more to practice-then every red,\ he repeated, shifting his feet nervously. \I'll clean you out an' have a real, genuine blow- out on yo're money. Come on, I'm in a hurry.\ \I'll fool you this time, by th' Lord!\ swore the gambler, angrily. \You've got more luck than sense. An' I'll fool you next time, too. Yo're quicker'n most men I've run up agin, but I can beat you, shore as shootin'. Th' game's square, th' play fair- my hand agin yo're eye. Ready? Then watch me!\ He swore luridly and shoved the money across the board to the winner, bewailing his slowness and getting angrier every mo- ment. \Yo're th' cussedest man I ever bet agin! But I'll get youikis time. You can't guess right all th' time, an' I know it.\ \There she is; sixty-two bucks, three score an' two simoleons; all I've got, every cent. Let's see you take it away from me!\ The gambler frowned and choked back a curse. He had risked sixty dollars to win two, and the fact that he had to let this fool play again with the fire hurt his pride. He had no fear for his money-he knew he could win at every throw -but to play that long for two dollars! And suppose the sucker had quit with the sixty! \Do you get a dollar a month?\ he de- manded, sarcastically. \Well L reckon you carn'it, at that. Thought you had money, thought you drew down two months' pay an' hain't had nothin'{more'n two drinks? 'Did you go an' lose it or th' way?\ \Oh I drew it a month ago,\ replied the sucker, surprised. \I've only had two drinks in this town, which I hit 'bout an hour ago. But I shore lost a wad playin' faro-bank agin a tow-head. Come on- lemme take sixty more of yo're money, any- how.\ \ Sixty-hwo!\ snapped the proprietor, de- termined to have those two miserable dol- lars and break the su ker for revenge. «\Every cent, you remember.\ \All right; I don't care! I ain't no tin- horn,\ grumbled the other. \Think I care 'bout two dollars?\ But he appeared to be very nervous, nevertheless. \Well put it on th' table.\ \After you put yourn down.\ \There it is. Now watch me close!\ A gleam of joy flashed up in the angry man's eyes as he played with the shells. \Watch me close! Mebby it is, an' mebby it ain't- th' game's square, th' play's fair. It's my hand agin yo're eye. Watch me close!\ \Oh go ahead! I'm watchin', all right. © Think I'd go to sleep now!\ The shifting hands stopped, the shells lay quiet, and the gambler gazed blankly down the unsympathetic barrel of a Colt. \Now Thomas, old thimble-rigger,\ crisply remarked the supposed sucker as he cautiously slid the money off the table, to be picked up later when conditions would be more favorable. \TH little pea ain't under no shell. STOP! Step back one pace an' elevate them paws. Don't make no more funny motions with that hand, savvy? But you can drop th' pea if it hurts them two fingers. Now we'll see if I win; I allus like to be shore,\ and he cautiously turned over the shells, revealing nothing but the dirty green cloth. \I win; it ain't there.\ \Who are you, an' how'd you know my name?\ demanded the gambler, mentally cursing his two missing cappers. They were drinking once too often and things were going to happen in their vicinity, and very soon. \Why you took twenty-five dollars from me up in Alameda onct, when I couldn't afford to lose it,\ grinned the puncher. \I was something of a kid then. I remember you, all right. My foreman teid me about yore bang-up fight agin th' Johnson broth- ers, who gave you that scar. I thought then that you were a great man-now I know you ain't. I wouldn't 'a' played at all if I hadn't knowed how crooked you was. Take yo're layout an' yo're crookedness, find th' pea an' yo're cappers, an' clear out. An' if anybody asks you if you've seen Hopalong Cassidy you tell 'em I'm up here in Colby makin' some casy money beatin' crooked games. So long; an' don't look back!\ . TI HOPALONG,having disposed of a square meal, called for a drink and a cigar, and sat quietly smoking for nearly half an hour, so lost in thought that his cigar went out repeatedly. As he reviewed his disastrous play at faro many small details came to him and now he found them interesting. The dealer was not a master at his trade and Hopalong had seen many better; in fact the man was not even second class, and this fact hurt his pride. He had played a care- ful game, and the great majority of his small bets had won-it was only when he risked twenty or thirty dollars that he lost. The only big bet that he had been at all lucky on was one where doubles showed on the turn and he had been split, losing half of his stake. But when he had played his last fifty dollars on the Jack, open, the final blow fell and he had left the table in disgust. Why weren't there cue-cards, so the play- ers could keep their own tally of the cards instead of having to depend on the cue-box kept by the case-keeper? This made him suspicious; a crooked dealer and case-keeper can trim a big bet at will, unless the players keep their own cases or are exceptionally wise; and even then a really good dealer will get away with his play nine times out of ten. While he seldom played a system, he had backed one that morning; but he was cured of that weakness now. If the game were square he figured he could get at least an even break; if crooked, nothing but a gun could beat it, and he had a very good gun. When he thought of the gun, he reviewed the arrangement of the room and estimated the weight of the rough, deal table on which rested the faro layout. He turned to the bar-tender. \Hey bar-keep! Got any paper an' a pencil?\ After some rummaging the taciturn dis- penser of liquid forget-it produced the arti- cles in question and Hopalong, drawing some hurried lines, paid his bill, treated, kept the pencil and headed for the faro game across the street. When he entered the room the table was deserted and he nodded to the déaler as he seated himself at the right of the case- keeper, who now took his place, and oppo- site the dealer and the lookout. He was not surprised to find no other players in the room, for the hour was wrong; later in the afternoon there would be many and at night the place would be crowded. This suited him perfectly and he settled himself to be- gin playing. When the deck was shuffled and placed in the deal box Hopalong put his ruled paper in front of him on the table, tallied once against the King for the soda card and started to play quarters and half dollars. He caught the fugitive look that passed be- tween the men as they saw his cue-card but he gave no sign of having observed it. After that he never looked up from the cards while his bets were small. Two deals did not alter his money much and he knew that so far the game was straight. If it were not to remain straight the crookedness would not come more than once in a deal if the frame-up was \single-odd\ and then not until the bet was large enough to practically break him. His high-card play ran in his favor and kept him gradually drawing ahead. Helost twice in calling the last turn and guessed it right once, at four to one, which made him win in that department of the game. When the fifth deal began he was quite a little ahead and his play became bolder, some of the bets going as high as ten dol- lars. He broke even and then played heavy- ier on the following deal. His first high bet, twenty dollars, was on the eight, open, only one cight having shown. Double eights showed on the next turn and he was split, losing half the stake. It was about this time that the look out discovered that Mr. Cassidy was getting a little excited and several times had nearly forgotten to keep his cases. This informa- tion was cautiously passed to the dealer and case-keeper and from then on they evinced a little more interest in the game. Finally the player, after studying his cue-card, placed fifty dollars on the Queen, open, and coppered the deuce, a case-card, and then put ten more on the high card. This came in the middle of the game and he was prepared for trouble as the turn was made, but for- tune was kind to him and he raked in sixty dollars. He was mildly surprised that he had won, but explained it to himself by thinking that the stakes were not yet high enough. From then on he was keenly alert, for the crookedness would come soon if it ever did, but he strung small sums on the next dozen turns and waited for a new deal before plunging. As the dealer shuffled the cards the door opened and closed noisily and a surprised and doubting voice exclaimed: \Ain't you Hcngflong Cassidy? Cassidy, of th Bar- 207 Hopalong glanced up swiftly and back to the cards again: \Yes; what of it?\ \Oh nothin'. I saw you onct an' I won- dered if I was right.\ \Ain't got time now; see you later, mebby. You might stick around outside so I can borrow some money if I go broke.\ woz The man who knew Mr. Cassidy silently faded, but did not stick around, thereby proving that the player knew human na- ture and also how to get rid of a pest. When the dealer heard the name he glanced keenly at the owner of it, exchanged \it's MY HAND AGAINST YOUR EYE: waATCH mB cuosE|\ significant looks with the case-keeper and faltered for an instant as he shoved the cards together. He was not sure that he had shuffled them right, and an anxious look came into his eyes as he realized that the deal must go on. It was far from reassur- ing to set out to cheat a man so well known for expert short-gun work as the Bar-z0 puncher and he wished he could be relieved. There was no other dealer around at that time of the day and he had to go through with it. He did not dare to shuffle again and chance losing the card beyond hope, and for the reason that the player was watching him like a hawk. A ten lay face up on the deck and Hop- along, tallying against it on his sheet, began to play small sums. Luck was variable and remained so until the first twenty dollar bet, when he reached out excitedly and raked in his winnings, his coat sleeve at the same time brushing the cue-card off the table. But he had forgotten all about the tally sheet in his eagerness to win and played several more cards before he noticed it was missing and sought for it. Smothering a curse he glanced at the case-keeper's tally and went on with the play. He did not see the look of relief that showed momentarily on the faces of the dealer and his associates, but he guessed it. ‘ He had no use for cue-cards when he felt like doing without them; he liked to see them in use by the players because it showed the game to be more or less straight, and it also saved him from over-heating his mem- ory. When he had brushed his tally sheet off the table he knew 'what he was doing, and he knew every card that had been drawn out of the box. So far he had seen no signs of cheating and he wished to give the dealer a chance. There should now remain in the deal box three cards, a deuce, five and a four, with a Queen in sight as the last win- ner. He knew this to be true because he had given all his attention to memorizing the cards as they showed in the deal box, and had made his bets small so he would not have to bother about them. As he had lost three times on a four he now believed it was due to win. Taking all his money he placed it on the four: \Two hundred and seventy on th' four to win,\ he remarked, crisply. The dealer sniffed almost inaudibly and the case-keeper prepared to cover him on the cue-rack under cover of the excitement of the turn. If the four lay under the Queen, Cassidy lost; if not he either won or was in hock. The dealer was unusually grave as he grasped the deal box to make the turn and as the Queen slid off a five spot showed. The dealer's hand trembled as he slid the five off, showing a four, and a winner for Hopalong. He went white-hbe had bun- gled the shuffle in his indecision and now he didn't know what might develop. And in his agitation he exposed the hock card be- fore he realized what he was doing, and showed another five,. He had made the mis- take of showing the \odd.\ Hopalong, ready for trouble, was more prepared than the others and be was well under way before they started. His lef hand swung hard against the case-keeper' jaw, his Colt roared at the drawing ba tender, crumpling the trouble-hunter into | heap on the floor. He had done this as h sprang to his feet and his left hand, drop ping swiftly to the heavy table, threw i over onto the lookout and the dealer at th instant their hands found their guns Caught off their balance they went dow! under it and before they could move suff ' clently to do any damage, Hopalong vaultet the table and kicked their guns out of thei hands. When they realized just what hat happened a still-smoking Colt covere them. Many of Hopalong's most successfu and spectacular plays kad been less carefully thought out beforehand than this one and he laughed sneeringly as he looked at thi men who had tried to clean him out the seo ond time. \Get up!\ he snarled. They crawled out of their trap and sul lenly obeyed his hand, backing against tht wall. The case-keeper was still unconsciout and Hopalong, disarming him, dragged hin to the wall with the others. \I wondered where that deuce bad crawled to,\ Mr. Cassidy remarked, grimly, \an' I was goin' to see, only it's plain now, I knowed you was clumsy, but my G-dI Any man as can't deal 'single-odd' ought t¢ quit th' business, or play straight. So you had five fives agin me, ch? Instead of keepin' th' five under th' Queen, you bun gled th' deuce in its place. When you went to pull off th' Queen an' five like they wat one card, you had th' deuce under her. You see, I keep cases in my old red head an' 1 didn't have to believe what th' cue-rack was all fixed to show me. An' I was waitin', alf ready for th' play that'd make me lose. \As long as this deal was framed up, we'll say it was this mornin'. You cough up th' hundred an' ten I lost then, an' anothel hundred an' ten that I'd won if if wasn't crooked. An' don't forget that two seventy I just pulled down, neither. Make it in double eagles an' don't be slow 'bout it. Money or lead-with you callin' th' turn.\ It was not a very large amount and it took only a moment to count it'out. The eleven double eagles representing the morning's play seemed to slide from the deater's hand with reluctance-but a man lives only once, and they slid without stopping. The winner, taking the money, picked up the last money he had bet and, distributing it over his person to equalize the weight, gathered up the guns from the floor, Ba- ing towards the door he noticed that the bar-tender moved and a keen glance atthat unfortunate assured him that he would live. When he reached the door he stipped a moment to ask a question, the tenseness of his expression relaxing into a broad, apolo- getic grin. \Would you mind tellin' me where I can find some more frame-ups? I shore can use th' money.\ The mumbled replies mentioned a locality not to be found on any map of the surface of the globe, and grinning still more broadly, Mr. Cassidy side-stepped and disappeared to find his horse and go on his way rejoicing.
