Thus appealed to, Angus took the cards. "I don't see anything wrong with them," he said.
"You don't, hey?" cried the loser. "I'm wise to you now. You did it, did you?"
"Did what?" Angus queried.
"Slipped him a cold deck!" the other roared. "You did it when he got up to press the button."
"I did nothing of the sort!" Angus denied in amazement.
"You're a liar!" the other shrilled. "D'ye think we're going to be cold-decked by a bunch of hicks?" He turned to Gavin. "Come through with that money, or——"
"Or what?" Gavin asked.
By way of bluff or otherwise the stranger resorted to the old, cogent argument. His right hand dropped swiftly. But as it did so Gavin thrust the table forward violently. The man went backward, chair and all. Gerald pounced on him like a leopard, caught his arm and twisted a short-barreled gun from the clutching fingers. Gavin, with equal quickness and less effort, caught and disarmed the other man, who without a word had reached for his gun to back his friend.
"Bad actors, you two!" Gerald sneered. "Gamblers—gunmen. Shocking! What'll we do with them, Gan?"
"Let 'em go," said the big man contemptuously, releasing his captive and flipping the cartridges from the gun. "Beat it, you blighters, and pick out easier marks next time."