Stand Pat; Or, Poker Stories from the MississippiCurtis, David A.
General
Stand Pat; Or, Poker Stories from the Mississippi
Curtis, David A.
Poker players -- Fiction; Short stories, American
Wharton studied a bit, but finally made it ten more to play, and Long
Mike shoved his money forward with a dogged air, as if he knew, as he
did, that he was overplaying his hand, but was determined not to be
driven out.
Gallagher still had some fifty dollars in front of him, and he pushed
that forward eagerly, whereupon Cutler dropped, and Wharton simply made
good. Then Long Mike made a few remarks.
They were profane rather than pertinent, being of the nature of a
reflection on his own discretion in playing further, but his
characteristic dislike to being driven out made him put up his money,
and he asked the others what they wanted in the draw. Neither of them
took cards, so, with considerable more bad language, Long Mike took two
for himself.
“I’m all in,” said Gallagher, and Wharton threw in a white chip
carelessly, with the evident thought that Long Mike had no show and
would not see any considerable bet.
To his surprise and disgust, however, Long Mike not only saw his side
bet, but shoved his whole pile forward. It was clear that he had made
fours, or a full, or was bluffing outrageously, but as Wharton himself
had four fives, he felt compelled to call.
Gallagher had struck his usual luck, and Long Mike had found his, for
his last card was the fourth seven. It put Gallagher out of the game,
for he had only twenty dollars more in his pocket, and they refused to
let him buy in again for so little. Wharton, however, took another
hundred, having only a few chips left.
The next two deals were uneventful, but when Wharton took the cards,
there being a jack-pot on, Long Mike opened it. The other two stayed,
and again Wharton raised.
No one came back at him, but they all stayed, and on the draw they took
two cards apiece. It looked like three of a kind all round.
Long Mike bet a chip. Cutler and Hennessy trailed and Wharton raised.
Long Mike stayed and Cutler raised back.
Hennessy, who had been playing cautiously from the beginning, threw down
his cards, and Wharton raised again. Still Long Mike stayed, and Cutler
raised once more.
Once more Wharton went back at him, and though no single raise had been
more than five dollars, Long Mike seemed suddenly suspicious. He looked
from one to the other keenly, and then studied his hand carefully.
Suddenly he pushed fifty dollars forward, and it was up to Cutler.
That worthy hesitated and looked at Wharton. Whether it was a look of
inquiry is doubtful, but Stumpy chose to consider it so, and he
violated all poker etiquette unhesitatingly.
“Why don’t ye play yer own hand, ye omadhaun,” he demanded, fiercely,
“an’ not be lookin’ at yer pal for insthructions?”
The uproar came on the instant. The players all sprang to their feet,
upsetting the table, and Wharton and Cutler both reached for their guns.
Hennessy, however, grabbed Cutler, and Stumpy seized Wharton’s wrist in
a grip of iron.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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