o
rR to
HKN'H UUM.KTIN, 1IKN1), OHK0N, TIIUUHDAV, MiVT. II, lll
V
The
COWRIGMT fl
CHAPTER III.
The End of the Game.
It must linvc been nearly midnight
before I finally decided to seek n few
hours' rest below, descending the short
lnddcr nnd walking forward along the
open deck for one Inst glance, nhend.
Bonio time the next day wo were to
bo In St. Louis, nnd this exportation
Rcrvcd to brighten my thoughts. I
turned back Mong the, deserted deck,
only pausing a moment to glance care
lessly In through the front windows
of the main cabin. The forward por
tion was wropiwd In darkness, nnd un
occupied, but beyond, toward the rear
of the long saloon, n considerable group
of men were gathered closely about n
email table, above which n swinging
lamp burned brightly, the rays of light
Illuminating the vnr.lous faces. Gam
bling was no novelty on the great river
In those days, gambling for high
stakes, and nurely no ordinary game.
Involving n small sum, would ever
nrousc the depth of Interest displayed
by these men. Some Instinct told mo
that the chief players would be Klrby
nnd Deaucnlre, nnd with quickening
pulso I opened the. cabin door nnd en
tered. No one noted my approach, or so
much ns glnnced up, the attention cf
the crowd riveted upon the plnyere.
There were four holding amis tho
Judge, Klrby, Carver nnd McAfee; but
I Judged nt n .glance that tho lnttcr
two were merely In the game ns n pre
tense, the betting having already gone
far beyond the limit of their resources.
Without n thought ns to the cards
they held my eyes sought the faces
of the two chief players, nnd then vis
ional the stakes displayed on the table
before them. McAfee and Carter
were clearly enough out of It, their
cards still gripped In their fingers, ns
they leaned breathlessly forward to
observe more closely the rday. The
Judge sat upright, his attitmib strained,
staring down at bis band, his face
white nnd eyes burning feverishly.
That he had been drinking heavily was
evident, but Klrby fronted him In ap
parent cold indifference, bis feelings
completely masked, with the cards be
held bunched In his bands and entirely
concealed from view. Retween the two
rested a stack of gold coin, 'a roll of
crushed bills and n legal paper of
some kind, the exact nature of which
I could not determine. It wns evident
that a fortune already rested on that
table, awnltlng the flip of a card. The
silence, the breathless attention, con
vinced mo that the crisis had been
reached It was the Judge's move; be
must cover the last bet or throw down
his hand a loser.
Tersplratlon beaded his forehead.
nnd he crunched tho cards savagely In
Ids hands. Ills glance swept past
the crowd as 'though he saw nothing
of their faces.
"Another drink, Sam," he called, the
voice trembling. He tossed down the
glass of liquor as though It were so
much water, but made no other effort
to speak. You could bear the strained
breathing of the men.
"Well," said Klrby sneeringly, his
cold gaze surveying his motionless
opponent. "You seem to be tnklng
your time. Do you cover my bet?"
Someone laughed nervously, nnd a
voice sang out over my shoulder, "You
might ns well go the whole hog,
Judge. The niggers won't be no good
without the Innd ter work 'era on.
Fling 'em Into the pot they'ro ns good
as money."
Beaucnlre looked up, red-eyed, Into
the Impassive countenance opposite.
Ills lips twitched yet manuged to make
words Issue between them.
"IIow about that, Klrby?" ho nsked
hoarsely. "Will you accept a bill of
ualo?"
Klrby grinned, shuffling bis band
carelessly.
Why not? 'Twon't bo tho first time
I've played for niggers. They are
worth so much gold down tho river.
What have you got?"
"I can't tell offhand." sullenly.
"About twenty field hands."
"And house sen-ants?" ij'-
"Three or four."
Tho gambler's lips set more tightly,
a dull gleam creeping Into his eyes.
"See here, Beaucalre," he hissed
sharply. "This Is my game, nnd I
piny square and never squeal. I know
about what you've got, for I've looked
them over; thought wo might get
down to this sometime. I can make n
prttty fair guess as to whnt your nig
gers nroworth, That's why I Just
raised you ten thousand and put up
the money. Now If you think this Is
bluff, cull me."
"Whut do you mean?"
"Thut I will uecept your niggers ns
covering my bet."
"Tho field hands?"
Klrby smiled broadly. 'I'7?"
The wholp bunch field hands and
house nervnnts. Most of them nro old,
I doubt If altogether they will bring
that amount, but I'll tnko tho risk.
Throw In a blanket bill of sale, nnd
we'll turn up our cards. If you won't
do that tho pile Is mlno as It stands."
Heaucnlrq ngulit wet his lips, sturlbg
Ht the uncovered enrds In Ids hands.
Ho could not lose; with what he hold
00 gunblniitjon was nosslhlo whJUi
Vs
Devilfe Own.
ABoimmceofilteBldck Hawk Waff
Xuiker ofhrniraiaadTSWcJ fltf!r1i8afc.
When midcrttes vras txuxq, etc.
Ifl.ulf.dc4 bylrvAnlfyur
woufd bent him. Yet In splto of this
knowledge tho cold, sneering confi
dence of Klrby brought with It n
strango fear. The man wns n profes
sional gambler. What gave him such
recklessness? Why should bo be so
eager to risk such n sum on nn In
ferior hand? McAfee, sitting next
him, leaned over, managed to gain
swift glimpse nt whut ho hold, nnd
ongcrly whispered to him n word of
encouragement Tho Judge straight
ened up In Ids chnlr, grasped a filled
glass someone had placed nt his elbow,
nnd gulped down tho contents. The
whispered words, coupled with the
fiery liquor, gnvo him fresh courage.
"By heaven. Klrby, I'll do It!" be
blurted out. "You enn't bluff mo on
tho hand I'vo got. Give mc n sheet
of paper, somebody yes, that will
do."
Ho scrawled n half-dozen lines,
fairly digging the pen Into tho sheet
In his fierce eagerness, nnd then
signed the document, flinging the pa
per across townrd Klrby.
There, you bloodsucker," bo cried
"There. You Bloodsucker!" he Cried
Insolently.
insolently. "Is that all right? Will
that do?"
The Imperturbable gambler read It
over slowly, carefully deciphering each
word, his thin II pi tightly compressed.
"You might ndd the words, This In
cludes every chattel slavo legally be
longing to me,' " he said grimly.
That Is practically what I did say."
'Then you can certainly hnvo no
objection to putting It in tho exact
words I choose," calmly. "I Intend to
have whnt Is coming to rao If I win,
nnd I know ttio law."
Beauculro nngrlly wrote in tho re
quired extra lino.
"Now what?" he asked.
"Let McAfee there sign It ns n wit
ness, and then toss It over Into tho
pile." Ho smiled, showing a lino of
whlto toeth beneath his mustache.
"Nice little pot, gentlemen the Judge
must hold some cards to tako n chance
llko that," tho words uttered with n
snocr. "Fours, at least, or maybe be
has had the luck to pick a straight
Hush."
Beaucalrc's face reddened, and his
eyes brew hard.
'That's my business," he said terse
ly. "Sign it, McAfee, and I'll call this
crowing cockerel. You young fool, I
played poker before you were born.
There now, Klrby, I've covered your
bet."
"Perhaps you would prefer to ralw
It?"
"You hell-hound no I That Is my
limit, nnd you know It. Don't crawl
now, or do any moro Muffing. Show
jour hand I'vo called you."
Klrby sat absolutely motionless, his
cards lying face down upon the table,
the whlto fingers of ouo hand resting
lightly upon them, the other nnn con-
ceafed. He never once removed his
gaze from Beauca'lre's fare, nnd his
expression did not change, except for
tho almost Insulting sneer on his lips.
Tho silence wns profound, the deeply
Interested men lennlng forward, even
holding their breath 'n Intense eager
ness. Each realized that a fortune
lay on the table; knew that tho old
Judgo had madly staked his all on tho
value of those five unseen cards
gripped In his fingers. Again, ns
though to bolster up Ids shaken cour
uge, ho stared at the face of each, then
lifted his bloodshot eyes to the Im
passive face opposite.
"Benucalro drew two knynrds,"
whispered nn excited voice neur me.
"Hell I So did Klrby," replied an
other. 'They'ro both of 'em old
hands."
Tho sharp exhaust of a distant
steam pipe below punctuated tho si
lence, and several glanced ubout ap
prehensively, As this nolso ceased
Beaucalre lost all control over his
nerves.
"Come on, piny your hand," ho de
manded, "or I'll throw my cards In
your face."
Tho inslmmjlng sneer on Klrby'H
lips changed Into tho semblnneo of u
smile. Slowly, deliberately, never
once glancing down nt tho face of his
enrds, ho turned thpin up ouo by one
with his wljlto lingers, his challenging
eyes tho Judge; but tho others saw
what Man revealed a ten-spot, a
knave, queen, u king and tin nco.
"A straight flush I" fcomcono yelled
oJiodjy. "D d If I over saw ouo
fieforu'P
For an lnstnnt Benucalro never
moved, never uttered n sound, Ho
scorned to doubt tho evidence of his
own eyes, nnd to hnvo lost tho power
of speech. Then from nerveless
hands his own cards fell face down
ward, still utmwealod, upon tho table.
The next liniment hu was on his feet,
tho chair In which ho had been sontod
Hung crashing behind htm on tho deck.
"You thief I he roared. "You dirty,
low-down thief; I bold four nces
where did you get tho fifth one?"
Klrby did not so much as move, nor
betray even by a change of oxprcsslon
his souse of the situation. Perhaps ho
anticipated Just such an explosion mid
was fully propnred to moot It. One
bnnd still rested easily on tho table,
the other remaining hidden.
"So you clnlm to hnvo held four
nces." bo, said coldly. "Whcro nro
they?"
McAfee swept tho discarded hand
face upward and the crowd bent for
ward to look at four aces nnd a king.
'That was the Judge's hand," he de
clared soberly. "I suw It myself bo
fore ho called you, and told htm to
stay."
Klrby laughed an ugly laugh show
ing his whlto tooth.
'The h I you did? Thought you
know n good poker hand, I reckon.
Well, you eo I know a better one, and
It strikes me I am the ouo to ask ques
tions," he sneered. "Look here, you
men; I held one nco from the shuffle.
Now whnt I want to know Is whero
Benucalro ever got his four? PIciih
nut little trick of you two only this
time It failed to work." '
Beaucalre uttered one mad oath, and
I endeavored to grasp him but missed
my clutch. The force of his lurching
body ns he sprang forward upturned
tho table, tho stakes Jingling to tho
deck, but Klrby reached bis feet In
tlmo to avoid the.jdiQck,, 111 hand,
which had been hidden, shoFout sud
denly, the fingers grasping n revolver,
but ho did not fire. Bcforo tho Judgo
had gone half the dlstnnce he stopped,
reeled suddenly, clutching nt his
throat, nnd plunged sideways. Ills
body struck tho upturned table, but
McAfee und I grasped him, lowcrlug
the stricken man gently to thq floor.
(To Bo Continued.)
Not Ah Old As Kho Looks.
Women do not llko to look older
than thoy really nro. Nolthor do
men. Both sexes nro subject to kid
ney trouble, nnd kldnoy trouble
makes tho mlddlo aged look old.
Foley Kldnoy Pills act promptly to
restoro weak, overworked or disord
ered kidneys and bladder to n
hoalthy condition nnd banish lamo
ncss, aches and pains. Sold Evory-
Wlllnmetto valley.
CAMP FIRES AGAIN
ALLOWED IN FOREST
That tho mattor of camp flro per
mits on tho national forest Is now
left to tho dlscrotlon of tho forest
supervisors wns tho information ro
eelved on Saturday by Supervisor
N. O, Jncobson. Until tho coming
of rain, tho securing of permits whb
mandatory, but from now on will
not bo enforced, Mr. Jacobson
states.
The Country
you think has gone
price mad, but it hasn't
Buying conditions are
not nearly so hud as
might be thought. If
the
Buyer
will inquire, ask ques
tions and think. He
can obtain very fair
prices, and with it he
will get what he
WantsService
Service is not all. He
must have
Best Prices
and when he pays the
price he wants
Highest Quality
He gets it at
Smith's
Grocery
WW lmiiiJliLP m 3
c a pacf&ase
xjf
S
5
c a package
c a package
THE FLAVOR LASTS
SO DOES THE PRICE!
$50 FINE IS LEVIED
ON LARCENY CHARGE
Pleading guilty to larceny of n
carburetor, colls and othor neces
saries from nn auto owned by J. C.
Brawn, K. O. Lognn of Bond wns
fined fGO In Justlco court by Judgo
J, A. Bastes Friday afternoon,
and was ordered to pay costs
nmounting to J12.7G, t Lognn as
sumed complete responsibility for
tho nffalr, exonerating Lnno Cnssol
borry, who was nrrcstod on tho
snmo ohnrgo Thursday. As his do
fenso, howovor, Logan stntcd that
ho had no reason for bollovlng that
either tho car or Its parts wore of
any commercial value.
Ciit ThN Out It Ii Worth Money.
rirm'i mlmt thin. ('lit nut tlllH
slip onclosa with Cc to Foley & Co.,
283r, Hliufflold avo., cmcago, in.,
wrlttlnc your numo nnd address
clearly. You will receive In return
n trial package containing Foloy's
Honey nnd Tar Compound, for
coughs, colds nnd croup. Foloy's
Kldnoy Pills nnd Foley's Cathartic
Tablets, Hold Kvcrywhoro adv.
WATER HEARING TO
BE SEPTEMBER 12
Honrlngs will bo hold at Tumalo
September 12 and 13 by Stuto Water
Suporlntendont Cochrnno for tho
adjudication of Snow crook. Ap
proximately 3000 acres nro Included
in tho wator filings on tho creek,
nnd tho adjudication is bolng hur
ried on nccount of tho organization
of tho Snow crook Irrigation dis
trict. Don't Neglect Yourself.
Lumo back, shooting pains, tortur
ing rhoumutlc aches, swollen Joints,
soro muscles, pufflnoss under oyes,
floating specks, und an "always tir
ed" fooling aro indications that tho
kidnoys nnd bladder aro not working
properly, Foloy Kldnoy Pills soothe
und strengthen weak und dlsordorod
kidneys and bladder. Sold Kvcry
whoro ndv,
ROUTE IS SELECTED
FOR STATE HIGHWAY
Locution of Hoad Between Bend nnd
Itedmond Decided On County
Court Has Highway Hession,
Tlint tho rputo to bo followed In
tho construction of thut part of
Thu Dallos-Cnllfornla hlghwuy lying
botwoou Bend and Iludmoud baa
been virtually decided on wns tho
Information rocolved Saturday by
County Judgo Damon.
four chairs nt your sarvica nt the
Metropolitan, No waiting. Adr(
before the war
tag the war
NOW
1B7
MANY AT FUNERAL
FOR SCHOOL GIRL
Funornl services woro hold on
Friday from tho Catholic church
for Cnthorlno Kelly, M-yonr-old
daughter of David Kully, who died
In Portland yostordny following a
long Illness. In u mom filled with
flower nnd crowded with ctilldran,
Hov. Fatbor 8hnrkoy delivered tint
funornl sormnn. Burial was nt
Pilot Butto cemotory.
Getting Children I ': ! - ""'wtl.
Common colds in lii.'ori'otis and
It Is wrong to soil'' a n:ffli rt moz
lug, coughing cbi'.d to heltool to
spread dlsoaso gor'.s among i-thnr
little onos. Fnloy'u lionoy i.fd Tar
rollovoH coughs and mlris. loosens
phlegm und miicu.i . i i i,..u ruw, Ir
ritated mumhrnii with fc healing,
soothing medicine. Contains no
opiates. Hold Kvorywhnro udv.
COUNTY CAN'T AID
OREGON CHAMBER
Opornting under tho budget sys
tem, Deschutes county has no inonoy
ALWAYS A
ET
At
4
Palace Market
Bend, Oregon
for
Eggs,
Butter,
Poultry
Beef,
Veal,
Pork
Sell your products
at home
fc
)
Chas. Boyd
i
available thin your to put Into it
Htuto Oliamhor of Cnmiuorc-ii publi
cation, its. advocated by U, (J, llrnm
woll, vlcu-prcfddoiit of tho nlilo or
gnulxntloii, County .Judgo Bunion ox
platuod today. Ouo thousand dot
Iiu'h wan nnltod from t It It county,
and Judgo Damns slates that tho
court will hnvo no objection to plan
ing this amount on tho uoxt Midgut
for thu approval of tho people.
Put It In Tho Bulletin.
K
5
I Our Grocery
l Prices Are Right
I At AH Times-
I Try Us and be
J Convinced
THE A TO Z
GROCERY i
Your Creamery
Builds Business
for Yourselves,
The Central Oregon
Farmers' Creamery
Will Pay One Cent
Above the Market
Price for Butterfat
Paid by Portland
Creameries
Yearly Market
Fair, Honest Tests.
The Creamery Should
be Your Asset.
Bring in Your Croam
Central Oregon
Farmers' Creamery
Farmers!
Bring your
Eggs
to
for top prices
WE
PAY
CASH
Next to Postoffice
Minnesota Street
Brand 'Directory
vfi
I'ltANK lMCIlftVAMi
Mllllciiii, Oregon.
adv.8l)p
A
Illght sldo; right oar crop-
uuu; wnuio rignt uina log,
O II. t, 'I'M VI,' UIlIkhi M-
Bend Dairy Store
Bend, Oregon
nrlv.innn
t
f
" tBKl't