“Mr. Wright and Miss Wanly have dropped in for a few hands. Nobody seems to be winning,” she went on. “Maybe you are the man with the rats. What do you say?”
“Why, I say ‘yes’ of course,” Mauney quickly responded. “I don’t know how to play, but I’m sure I could learn it in five minutes. Will you show me how?”
He drew up a chair while she quickly explained the principles of the game.
“All right,” he said, picking up his first hand. “I’m on. I’ve got it cold. Give me one card, please.”
“Whew!” exclaimed Stalton, “That sounds interesting. Give me one, Gert.”
“Well here’s where I drop out,” she soon proclaimed as the betting continued. “Go on, Mauney, raise him.”
“I will, indeed,” he replied: “I’ll raise you a dollar, Freddie.”
“A dollar, eh?” soliloquized Stalton, glancing sharply at Mauney’s face. “I’ll see you and bump her up two more.”
Both the others put down their hands and settled forward in their seats to watch the game.