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He drifted on to the crap game。
〃Throw us the little bones； pardner；〃 he said。 〃I'll go you a five
on it。〃
He lost here； and so found himself at the table presided over by the
three…card monte men。 The rest of his party； who had according to
instructions scattered about the place； now began quietly to
gravitate in his direction。
〃What kind of a lay…out is this？〃 inquired Orde。
The dealer held up the three cards face out。
〃What kind of an eye have you got； bub？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； I don't know。 A pretty fair eye。 Why？〃
〃Do you think you could pick out the jack when I throw them out like
this？〃 asked the dealer。
〃Sure！ She's that one。〃
〃Well；〃 exclaimed the gambler with a pretence of disgust； 〃damn if
you didn't！ I bet you five dollars you can't do it again。〃
〃Take you！〃 replied Orde。 〃Put up your five。〃
Again Orde was permitted to pick the jack。
〃You've got the best eye that's been in this place since I got
here；〃 claimed the dealer admiringly。 〃Here； Dennis；〃 said he to
his partner； 〃try if you can fool this fellow。〃
Dennis obligingly took the cards； threw them； and lost。 By this
time the men； augmented by the idlers not busy with the card games；
had drawn close。
〃Sail into 'em； bub；〃 encouraged one。
Whether it was that the gamblers； expert in the reading of a man's
mood and intentions； sensed the fact that Orde might be led to
plunge； or whether； more simply； they were using him as a capper to
draw the crowd into their game； it would be difficult to say； but
twice more they bungled the throw and permitted him to win。
Newmark plucked him at the sleeve。
〃You're twenty dollars ahead；〃 he muttered。 〃Quit it！ I never saw
anybody beat this game that much before。〃
Orde merely shrugged him off with an appearance of growing
excitement； while an HABITUE of the place； probably one of the hired
fighters； growled into Newmark's ear。
〃Shut up； you damn dude！〃 warned this man。 〃Keep out of what ain't
none of your business。〃
〃What limit do you put on this game； anyway？〃 Orde leaned forward；
his eyes alight。
The two gamblers spoke swiftly apart。
〃How much do you want to bet？〃 asked one。
〃Would you stand for five hundred dollars？〃 asked Orde。
A dead silence fell on the group。 Plainly could be heard the men's
quickened breathing。 The shouts and noise from the card parties
blundered through the stillness。 Some one tiptoed across and
whispered in the ear of the nearest player。 A moment later the
chairs at the two tables scraped back。 One of them fell violently
to the floor。 Their occupants joined the tense group about the
monte game。 All the girls drew near。 Only behind the bar the
white…aproned bartenders wiped their glasses with apparent
imperturbability； their eyes； however； on their brass knuckles
hanging just beneath the counter； their ears pricked up for the riot
call。
The gambler pretended to deliberate； his cool； shifty eyes running
over the group before him。 A small door immediately behind him
swung slowly ajar an inch or so。
〃Got the money？〃 he asked。
〃Have you？〃 countered Orde。
Apparently satisfied； the man nodded。
〃I'll go you； bub； if I lose；〃 said he。 〃Lay out your money。〃
Orde counted out nine fifty…dollar bills and five tens。 Probably no
one in the group of men standing about had realised quite how much
money five hundred dollars meant until they saw it thus tallied out
before them。
〃All right；〃 said the gambler； taking up the cards。
〃Hold on！ 〃 cried Orde。 〃Where's yours？〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 the gambler reassured him。 〃I'm with the
house。 I guess McNeill's credit is good；〃 he laughed。
〃That may all be；〃 insisted Orde； 〃but I'm putting up my good money；
and I expect to see good money put up in return。〃
They wrangled over this point for some time； but Orde was obstinate。
Finally the gamblers yielded。 A canvass of the drawer； helped out
by the bar and the other games； made up the sum。 It bulked large on
the table beside Orde's higher denominations。
The interested audience now consisted of the dozen men comprised by
Orde's friends； nearly twice as many strangers； evidently rivermen；
eight hangers…on of the joint； probably fighters and 〃bouncers〃；
half a dozen professional gamblers； and several waitresses。 The
four barkeepers still held their positions。 Of these； the rivermen
were scattered loosely back of Orde； although Orde's own friends had
by now gathered compactly enough at his shoulder。 The mercenaries
and gamblers had divided； and flanked the table at either side。
Newmark； a growing wonder and disgust creeping into his usually
unexpressive face； recognised the strategic advantage of this
arrangement。 In case of difficulty； a determined push would
separate the rivermen from the gamblers long enough for the latter
to disappear quietly through the small door at the back。
〃Satisfied？〃 inquired the gambler briefly。
〃Let her flicker；〃 replied Orde with equal brevity。
A gasp of anticipation went up。 Quite coolly the gambler made his
passes。 With equal coolness and not the slightest hesitation； Orde
planted his great red fist on one of the cards。
〃That is the jack；〃 he announced； looking the gambler in the eye。
〃Oh； is it？〃 sneered the dealer。 〃Well； turn it over and let's
see。〃
〃No！〃 roared Orde。 〃YOU TURN OVER THE OTHER TWO！〃
A low oath broke from the gambler； and his face contorted in a
spasm。 The barkeepers slid out from behind the bar。 For a moment
the situation was tense and threatening。 The dealer with a sweeping
glance again searched the faces of those before him。 In that
moment； probably； he made up his mind that an open scandal must be
avoided。 Force and broken bones； even murder； might be all right
enough under colour of right。 If Orde had turned up for a jack the
card on which he now held his fist； and then had attempted to prove
cheating； a cry of robbery and a lively fight would have given
opportunity for making way with the stakes。 But McNeill's could not
afford to be shown up before thirty interested rivermen as running
an open…and…shut brace…game。 However； the gambler made a desperate
try at what he must have known was a very forlorn hope。
〃That isn't the way this game is played；〃 said he。 〃Show up your
jack。〃
〃It's the way I play it；〃 replied Orde sternly。 〃These gentlemen
heard the bet。〃 He reached over and dexterously flipped over the
other two cards。 〃You see； neither of these is the jack； this must
be。〃
〃You win；〃 assented the gambler； after a pause。
Orde； his fist still on the third card； began pocketing the stakes
with the other hand。 The gambler reached； palm up； across the
table。
〃Give me the other card；〃 said he。
Orde picked it up； laughing。 For a moment he seemed to hesitate；
holding the bit of pasteboard tantalisingly outstretched； as though
he were going to turn also this one face up。 Then； quite
deliberately he looked to right and to left where the fighters
awaited their signal； laughed again； and handed the card to the
gambler。
At once pandemonium broke loose。 The rivermen of Orde's party
fairly shouted with joy over the unexpected trick； the employees of
the resort whispered apart； the gambler explained； low…voiced and
angry； his reasons for not putting up a fight for so rich a stake。
〃All to the bar！〃 yelled Orde。
They made a rush； and lined up and ordered their drinks。 Orde
poured his on the floor and took the glass belonging to the man next
him。
〃Get them to give you another； Tim；〃 said he。 〃No knock…out drops；
if I can help it。〃
The men drank； and some one ordered another round。
〃Tim；〃 said Orde； low…voiced； 〃get the crowd together and we'll pull
out。 I've a thousand dollars on me； and they'll sand…bag me sure if
I go alone。 And let's get out right off。〃
Ten minutes later they all stood safely on the lighted thoroughfare
of Water Street。
〃Good…night； boys；〃 said Orde。 〃Go easy； and show up at the booms
Monday。〃
He turned up the street toward the main part of the town。 Newmark
joined him。
〃I'll walk a little ways with you；〃 he explained。 〃And I say； Orde；
I want to apologise to you。 'Most of the evening I've been thinking
you the worst fool I ever saw； but you can take care of yourself at
every stage of the game。 The trick was good； but your taking the
other fellow's drink beat it。〃
VIII
Orde heard no more of Newmarkand hardly thought of himuntil over
two weeks later。
In the meantime the riverman； assuming the more conventional
garments of civilisation； lived with his parents in the old Orde
homestead at the edge of town。 This was a rat