Adventure, February 1917 — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

A Royal Flush of Hearts it was worth, promising faithfully to redeem it the next day, and emphasizing again and again the arrangements he had made to collect a large amount of money from an old debt. It was good as gold, he = me almost hysterically. I deliberated. I said: “But that’s hardly fair to me—and if you. lose, you'll say I coaxed you into it. How do I know that isn’ta Chessie Chadwick bluff?” If I would only take his word! He was well known. Watson knew him. Jones knew him. Bristol knew him» He had independent means. He was good for any amount. That paper would be redeemed tomorrow—the rising of the sun wasn’t any more sure than that he could redeem that paper. “All right. I said reck- lessly. His voice was high, hysterical as he called out: “T’ll raise you $20,000. Nowcomein you tin horn, you piker. Get aboard that if you dare!’’/ I will say it to my credit now—for after Let her go.” the show-down I couldn’t claim any credit— that I never batted an eyelid. I simply reached into my pocket, drew out a check- book and wrote a check for $20,000, and on a bank where I didn’t have one-fourth of that amount deposited! “T call,” I said. Findley jumped up gleefully and spread his five cards face upward on the table, and began raking in the pot. “Wait a minute. Wait a minute,” I said. ‘Let’s have a look.” | “Your fours ain’t worth a ——!” he oa “I’ve got a ateen flush, jack “Who said I had fours?” I demanded indignantly. “You drew one card.” “Of course I drew one card. I needed a nine or an ace—and I caught the ace!” I spread before his astonished eyes a royal flush in hearts—the highest possible hand in poker. I wasn’t taking any chances with Find- ley. I knew enough to steal as big a hand as the deck contained. He hadn’t dared go so strong. It was a raw thing to do, but when I thought of that boy and girl sitting together anxiously waiting and watching for the ringing of the telephone, with their 125 whole future hopes and happiness shuffling and slipping back and forth across. the green cloth of the table, there was no chance too desperate for me to take. Findley crumpled into his chair and sat with open mouth and glazed eyes, staring at the hand which has but one chance in exactly 649,739 of being dealt honestly. © I tore up my own check, cashed in, stuck the marriage certificate into my pocket and stood up. Findley was . crouching forward on the table, leaning on his elbows and with face distorted was glaring at me. He knew no man would have played a four-card, even royal, flush as I had played it before the draw, without being sure that the other needed card would come into the hand. “You stole that!” he began menacingly. But he didn’t finish. I leaned over and with open palm struck him full on the mouth. Never, but once before, had a man called me a cheat—while looking into my face. The other man was near-sighted. He apologized when I brought my face close enough for him to see-it distinctly. For what does it profit me to have all the arts of a magician at cards if there is the weak- ness in my eyes that permits any disgruntled loser to dare accuse me of cheating? But Findley was well-nigh insane. He knew well he could never redeem the fabulous amount he owed me. He felt dimly that I had bilked him of his precious income, that I had deliberately trapped him. He arose from the floor, for mine is not a gentle arm when [ am angry, and in his uplifted hand a sinister bit of steel flashed as he lunged forward at me. Watson leaped up and grabbed at him. But Watson was slow. ~ I shot from my pocket—one made specially to accommodate the rebound of a large automatic; and as I did it I was aware of thankfulness for the thick, practically sound-proof rooms of the Bristol, which, selected with a view of keeping the raiders of the district attorney’s office outside, in case police protection proved inadequate, would not permit the report of the gun to reach the street. Findley’s arm, shattered, dropped weakly 3 like a broken stick and the dagger fell noiselessly onto the thick carpet. Noisy, excited men rushed in from the room outside. IOOK =COMIC (E@)