Part 10 (1/2)

”Two jacks, and the ace, gentlemen. There they are. I have faced them up.

Now I gather them slowly--you can't miss them. Observe closely. The jack on top, between thumb and forefinger. The ace next--ace in the middle. The other jack bottommost.” He turned his hand, with the three cards in a tier, so that all might see. ”The ace is the winning card. You are to locate the ace. Observe closely again. It's my hand against your eyes. I am going to throw. Who will spot the ace? Watch, everybody. Ready! Go!”

The backs of the cards were up. With a swift movement he released the three, spreading them in a neat row, face down, upon the table. He carelessly s.h.i.+fted them hither and thither--and his fingers were marvelously nimble, lightly touching. ”Twenty dollars against your twenty that you can't pick out the ace, first try. I'll let the cards lie. I shan't disturb them. There they are. If you've watched the ace fall, you win. If you haven't, you lose unless you guess right.”

”Just do that trick again, will you, for the benefit of my friend here?”

bade the Colonel.

The ”spieler”--a thin-lipped, cadaverous individual, his soft hat cavalierly aslant, his black hair combed flatly in a curve down upon his damp forehead, a pair of sloe eyes, and a flannel s.h.i.+rt open upon his bony chest--glanced alert. He smiled.

”h.e.l.lo, sir. I'm agreeable. Yes, sir. But as they lie, will you make a guess? No? Or you, sir?” And he addressed Bill. ”No? Then you, sir?” He appealed to me. ”No? But I'm a mind-reader. I can tell by your eyes.

They're upon the right-end card. Aha! Correct.” He had turned up the card and shown the ace. ”You should have bet. You would have beaten me, sir.

You've got the eyes. I think you've seen this game before. No? Ah, but you have, or else you're born lucky. Now I'll try again. For the benefit of these three gentlemen I will try again. Kindly reserve your bets, friends all, and you shall have your chance. This game never stops. I am always after revenge. Watch the ace. I pick up the cards. Ace first--blessed ace; _and_ the jacks. Watch close. There you are.” He briefly exposed the faces of the cards. ”Keep your eyes upon the ace. Ready--go!”

He spread the cards. As he had released he had tilted them slightly, and I clearly saw the ace land. The cards fell in the same order as arranged. To that I would have sworn.

”Five dollars now that any one card is not the ace,” he challenged. ”I shall not touch them. A small bet--just enough to make it interesting.

Five dollars from you, sir?” He looked at me direct. I shook my head; I was sternly resolved not to be over tempted. ”What? No? You will wait another turn? Very well. How about you, sir?” to the Colonel.

”I'll go halvers with you, Colonel,” Bill proposed.

”I'm on,” agreed the Colonel. ”There's the soap. And foh the honor of the grand old Empire State we will let our friend pick the ace foh us. I have faith in those eyes of his, suhs.”

”But that is scarcely fair, sir, when I am risking nothing,” I protested.

”Go ahead, suh; go ahead,” he urged. ”It is just a sporting proposition foh general entertainment.”

”And I'll bet you a dollar on the side that you don't spot the ace,” the dealer baited. ”Come now. Make it interesting for yourself.”

”I'll not bet, but since you insist, there's the ace.” And I turned up the right-end card.

”By the Eternal, he's done it! He has an eye like an eagle's,” praised the dealer, with evident chagrin. ”I lose. Once again, now. Everybody in, this time.” He gathered the cards. ”I'll play against you all, this gentleman included. And if I lose, why, that's life, gentleman. Some of us win, some of us lose. Watch the ace and have your money ready. You can follow this gentleman's tip. I'm afraid he's smarter than me, but I'm game.”

He was too insistent. Somehow, I did not like him, anyway, and I was beginning to be suspicious of my company. Their minds trended entirely toward gambling; to remain with them meant nothing farther than the gaming tables, and I was hungry.

”You'll have to excuse me, gentleman,” I pleaded. ”Another time, but not now. I wish to eat and to bathe, and I have an engagement following.”

”Gad, suh!” The Colonel fixed me with his fishy eyes. ”Foh G.o.d's sake don't break your winning streak with eatin' and was.h.i.+n'. Fortune is a fickle jade, suh; she's hostile when slapped in the face.”

Bill glowered at me, but I was firm.

”If you will give me the pleasure of taking supper with me at some good place----” I suggested, as they pursued me into the street.

”We can't talk this over while we're dry,” the Colonel objected. ”That is a human impossibility. Let us libate, suhs, in order to tackle our provender in proper spirit.”

”And no lemonade goes this time, either,” Bill declared. ”That brand of a drink is insultin' to good victuals.”

We were standing, for the moment, verging upon argument much to my distaste, when on a sudden who should come tripping along but My Lady of the Blue Eyes--yes, the very flesh and action of her, her face s.h.i.+elded from the dust by a little sunshade.