"Time we had a drink," said he and rising brushed past Angus to touch a wall button. Reseating himself he began to deal.
One of the strangers opened. Gerald, as Angus could see, had nothing. Nevertheless he stayed, drawing three cards. Everybody stayed. The betting was brisk, and the pile of chips in the center grew. Gerald was the first to drop out. One of the strangers and the Englishman followed suit. Thus it was between the remaining stranger and Gavin. They proceeded to raise each other.
"If the limit was something worth while," said the stranger, "I could get proper action on this hand."
"It's high enough for these ranchers," the other stranger observed. "They don't like a hard game."
"What would you like?" Gavin queried.
"If you're game to lift it, you can come after a hundred."
Gavin, reaching into his pocket, brought forth a sheaf of currency from which he stripped two bills.
"And a hundred," he said.
The stranger's breath sucked hard through his teeth. His companion glanced swiftly and suspiciously at him and then at Gerald.
"This started out as a friendly game," he observed, a note of warning in his voice.