Part 17 (1/2)
Johnny edged up the deck and fitted it into the deal box, which was open on one side with a thu He spun the three of spades from the deck for his own card
Soft intense curses rose in the sht as the cards spun face upward from the box Each time a card fell the bets were picked up by the winners and the loser played the next clean card dealt frohout the deal without it falling He placed twelve bets and made a hundred and thirty dollars on the deal
chink Charlie staggered into the roo a handful of money
”Make way for a skinner from way back,” he said in a whisky-thickened voice
Johnny was sitting with his back to the door and didn't look around He shuffled the deck, edged it and put it down
”Cut 'em, KC,” he said
The other players had looked once at chink Now they looked once at Johnny Then they stopped looking
”I don't suppose I'aambler withabout ”Pony, get up and give the gaot up and chink flopped into his seat
”I feel lucky tonight,” chink said, slapping the money on the table in front of hirand How 'bout it, Johnny boy? You got ten grand to lose?”
Once again the players looked at chink, then back to Johnny, then at nothing
Johnny's face didn't ificker, his voice didn't change ”I don't play to lose, buddy boy, you'd better find out that But you can gaotyou've won Noants to draw?” he asked
No one moved to draw a card from the deck
”You don't scare me,” chink said, and drew one froed him a hundred dollars When chink covered it he had only nineteen dollars left
Johnny turned off the queen
Doe played it
chink bet him ten dollars
The queen of hearts doubled off
”Soue,” somebOdy said
chink picked up the twenty dollars
Johnny put the deck in the deal box and turned hi never strikes twice in the sa about lightning striking,” Crying shi+ne said ”You're sitting right in the middle of a thunder storm”
Johnny turned off the deuce of clubs for Doe, who had first choice for a clean card
Doc looked at it with distaste ”I'd rather be bit in the ass by a boa constrictor than play ablack deuce,” he said
”You want to pass it?” Johnny asked
”hell,” Doe said, ”I ain't ga my rathers Throw back, yellow kid,” he said to chink
”That'll cost you twenty bucks,” chink said
”That don't hurt theit Johnny carried fifteen dollars to Doc, and began turning off the cards Players reached for therew
Johnny sput the cards in the tight white silence
A card fell Hands reached for bets
Doc fell again and looked through the dead for a clean card, but there wasn't any
Johnny spun the cards and the cards fell chink's card held up Johnny and chink raked in the bets
”I'll bet you soambler,” Johnny said to chink
”Thron,” chink said
Johnny carried him another hundred dollars chink covered it and had money left
Johnny spun another card, then another The veins roped in his forehead and the tentacles of his scar began to move Blood left chink's face until it looked like yelloax
”Some more,” Johnny said
”Thron,” chink said He was beginning to lose his voice
They pressed their bet another twenty dollars
Johnny eyed the money chink had left He pulled a card halfway out of the box and knocked it back
”Soambler,” he said
”Thron,” chink whispered
Johnny carried fifty dollars to chink
chink covered twenty-nine and passed the rest back Johnny spun the card The seven of diaht and fell on its face