McCarthy raised it all he had, which was about seven dollars more, and the others all laid down, including the opener, who showed jacks. McCarthy took down his two dollars and a quarter winnings, and proceeded to make the only additional blunder that was possible under the circumstances. He showed his hand and exulted in his winning. It was nobody’s business to instruct him, and the others smiled grimly as Harrison took the cards to deal. He was impatient at the smallness and the slowness of the game and made ready for a killing. Shuffling with extra care, he dealt good hands to everybody, making sure of the aces at the bottom of the deck that he could utilize in the draw. It would have been pitiful, had there been anybody there to see, to note the way in which everybody backed his cards, and the fact that Harrison’s full of tens on aces scooped the pot. McCarthy was out of it, and Flynn and Long Mike had to buy again, but they were brave, if foolish, and being well supplied with money, they played on. McCarthy sat by watching. The fascination held him, even though he could play no longer. Suddenly he saw that which made his eyelids contract and his jaw set itself like a bulldog’s. He said nothing at the moment, but watched carefully until it came Harrison’s turn to deal again. Then he leaned a little forward and looked a little more intently. Again it was a jack-pot, and Long Mike opened it. Davis and Flynn dropped, but Harrison raised it, and Long Mike stayed. When it came to the draw he called for one card, and McCarthy spoke up. “If it’s two pairs ye’re drawin’ to, you’d better split ’em an’ draw three cards,” he said, and Long Mike stared at him in amazement. “An’ what for should I do that, I don’t know?” he said, but Harrison broke in with an oath and an angry: “What do you mean?” “I mean,” said McCarthy, very distinctly, “that you’ve stacked the cards and--” Further than that he did not speak, for Harrison’s gun was out and almost in position before McCarthy could grapple him and seize his wrist. At the same moment Flynn grabbed the pistol itself and strove to wrench it from his fingers. Even with two men holding him, and they were both powerful men, the gambler struggled mightily, and for a moment seemed about to wrench himself free. The three were all over the room. It was harder to keep Long Mike out of a fight than to drag him away from a bar or poker game. Moreover, though he held McCarthy in contempt as a gambler, he knew him for a man who spoke the truth, and leaping to his feet he started forward. Davis, however, sprang up at the same instant, and, stretching out his foot, he tripped the big man and threw him headlong on the floor. Drawing a knife from his belt, he threw himself on the prostrate form and raised his arm for a blow. In the excitement nobody noticed that the door had been opened. “Whurroo!” said Gallagher, and threw himself into the fray.