Desert Dust

E ON T

way to another monte table there he was, his

s save for nose somewhat cruelly beaked, of short black moustache, dead black long wavy hair, and, placed boldly wide, contrastive hard gray eyes that lent atmosphere of coldness to his face. His hat was

raked in a few notes, adding them

119 one; that is not so. You make the choice. Always the queen, always the queen. You have only to watch the queen, one card. I have to watch t

ked us as

n' now?" he g

llar," My La

d the choosing

same card, you said," she promp

e here? I've been keepin' cases and luck's breaking ag'in the

e till we get his s

are set? There you are. Pick the queen, some one of you. Put your money on the queen of hearts. You can turn the card yourself. What? Nobody? Don't be pikers. Let us have a little sport. Stake a dollar. Why,

Jim stepped closer and planked down a dollar. The de

Here is my dollar. Now, to prove to these other peop

ly; and sure enough he fac

," the dealer acknowledged, imperturbable-for he evidently was one who ne

d ear; while he inclined farther they whispered together, and I witnessed an arm steal swiftly forward at my side, and a thumb and finger slightly bend up the extreme corne

my breath. But the gambler resumed his flow of talk, while he finge

ll have to close early to-night. Make your hay while the sun shines. Who'll be in on this turn? Watch the que

the bent corner of the queen, raising this end a lit

Jim responded. "I'll pick out

d grimly and shru

stakes. You'll never get rich a

set my own limit

oin this gentleman in his guess? Who'll ba

half circle; and still I, too, hesitated, alth

whispere

his on, 122 with yours, for me." She sl

shirt, belted trousers and six-shooter and dusty boots, so indicated. And his beard

you a doll

yself saying, and I saw

his gentleman's

bearded man t

queen if you can," the g

bent-corner card, and the queen he

bler ex

close up?" He gathered the three cards. "You see the queen-my unlucky queen of hearts. Here she is." He stowed the card between thumb and 123 finger. "Here are the other two." He held them up in his left hand-the eight of clubs, the eight of spades. He transferred them-with his rapid motion he strewed the three. "Choose the queen. I put the game to you fa

be mistaken by the knowing. And a sudden shame possessed me-a glut of this crafty advantage to which I was

ant it," said Jim, slapping down two

ster bac

e same car

e-I boldly followed with my own two dollars, reasoning that I

e, cool and 124 impertinent, envelop

But six or eight dollars is no money to me. It doesn't pay for floor space. Is nobody else in? What? Come, come; let's have some sport. I dare you. This time is my revenge or your good fortune. Play up, gentlemen. Don't be crabbers." He smile

s rained in upon the table-bank notes, silver half dollars, the rarer dollar coins, and the common g

he said, direct to me. "Are you in such short circumstances that you have no spunk? Why did you c

w was hot with the same design. I extracted my twenty-dollar note, and deaf to a quickly breathed "

two dollars in all, which is my limit to-ni

. Forthwith he straighte

splits in monte. Not at this table. Our friend says the right-end card. You, sir," and he a

finger stubby, and

he queried us, sweeping his cold gray eyes

card, fearful yet, some of u

re the heaviest better. Suppose you turn the

my own contribution was my last cent. As I fumbled I felt the strain of bodies pressing against mine, and h

tain as of my own name; I faced it up, confidently, my capital already

eight of clubs! Where I had seen, in fancy, the queen of hearts, there lay like a

ambler raked in the bets-a slender hand flashed by me

ened, gathering

tone passionless. "But I am willing to gi

thing I pushed through into the open, painfully conscious that I was flat penniless and t

Washington had cast a dollar across the Potomac; but here I had lost my all, whether large or small; and not only had I bee

Lady speaki

ve. "You should have been content with sma

t time," I blurted.

on't m

obbed at the h

Jim sidled to us. "Th

y scratche

ike the card; I never took my eyes off'n it. We'll try ag'in, and switch to another layout. By thunder

"You watch here a moment"; and close following, a slim white hand fell heavily upon My Lady's shoulder. It whirled her about, to f

me-ons, will you?" And he slapped her with open palm, so tha

all in a singl

ang between the two. Forgetful of my revolver, remembering only what I had

from the shock-his gray eyes, contrasted with his black hair, fastened upon my eyes almost deliberately and his upper l

mpsed as with second sight (for my eyes were held strongly by 129 his) the twin little black muzzles of a derringer concealed in his palm; a spasm of fear pinched me; they spurted, with ringing rep

, Mister.

nist's handsome face, leaving it olive tinted, cameo, inert. He steadi

ger into his waistcoat pocket again. "That gentleman struck me; he was about to draw o

giving look upon the lady; with a bow he turned for

knees; there were congratulations, a hubbub of voices assailing me

d have a

You must. I want to

arcely utter a word; my brain was in a smother. My n

onfab, lady. We've got matters

eyes implored me, but I had no will of my own and I certainly