Part 9 (1/2)
As though about to take offense the prince raised his eyebrows, and then thought better of it and smiled.
”There are only two men in all Turkey,” he said, ”who could do that.”
”And is the Sultan the other one?” asked Peter. The prince gasped as though he had suddenly stepped beneath a cold shower, and then laughed long and silently.
”You flatter me,” he murmured.
”You know you could if you liked!” whispered Peter stoutly.
Apparently Abdul did not hear him. ”I will take one card,” he said.
Toward two in the morning there was seventy-five thousand francs in the pot, and all save Prince Abdul and Peter had dropped out. ”Will you divide?” asked the prince.
”Why should I?” said Peter. ”I've got you beat now. Do you raise me or call?” The prince called and laid down a full house. Peter showed four tens.
”I will deal you one hand, double or quits,” said the prince.
Over the end of his cigar Peter squinted at the great heap of mother-of-pearl counters and gold-pieces and bank-notes.
”You will pay me double what is on the table,” he said, ”or you quit owing me nothing.”
The prince nodded.
”Go ahead,” said Peter.
The prince dealt them each a hand and discarded two cards. Peter held a seven, a pair of kings, and a pair of fours. Hoping to draw another king, which might give him a three higher than the three held by Abdul, he threw away the seven and the lower pair. He caught another king. The prince showed three queens and shrugged his shoulders.
Peter, leaning toward him, spoke out of the corner of his mouth.
”I'll make you a sporting proposition,” he murmured. ”You owe me a hundred and fifty thousand francs. I'll stake that against what only two men in the empire can give me.”
The prince allowed his eyes to travel slowly round the circle of the table. But the puzzled glances of the other players showed that to them Peter's proposal conveyed no meaning.
The prince smiled cynically.
”For yourself?” he demanded.
”For Doctor Gilman,” said Peter.
”We will cut for deal and one hand will decide,” said the prince. His voice dropped to a whisper. ”And no one must ever know,” he warned.
Peter also could be cynical.
”Not even the Sultan,” he said.
Abdul won the deal and gave himself a very good hand. But the hand he dealt Peter was the better one.
The prince was a good loser. The next afternoon the GAZETTE OFFICIALLY announced that upon Doctor Henry Gilman, professor emeritus of the University of Stillwater, U. S. A., the Sultan had been graciously pleased to confer the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crescent.
Peter flashed the great news to Stetson. The cable caught him at Quarantine. It read: ”Captured Crescent, Grand Cross. Get busy.”
But before Stetson could get busy the campaign of publicity had been brilliantly opened from Constantinople. Prince Abdul, although pitchforked into the Gilman Defense Committee, proved himself one of its most enthusiastic members.