“Now, again, ladies and gentlemen. You see how it is done. You back your eyes, and you win. I find that I shall have to close early to-night. Make your hay while the sun shines. Who’ll be in on this turn? Watch the queen of hearts. I place her here. I coax the three cards a little——” he gave a swift flourish. “There they are.”
His audience hesitated, as if fearful of a trick, for the bent corner of the queen, raising this end a little, was plain to us who knew. It was absurdly plain.
“I’ll go you another, Mister,” Jim responded. “I’ll pick out the queen ag’in for a dollar.”
The gambler smiled grimly and shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh, pshaw, sir. These are small stakes. You’ll never get rich at that rate and neither shall I.”
“I reckon I can set my own limit,” Jim grumbled.
“Yes, sir. But let’s have action. Who’ll join this gentleman in his guess? Who’ll back his luck? He’s a winner, I admit that.”
The gray eyes dwelt upon face and face of our half circle; and still I, too, hesitated, although my dollar was burning a hole in my pocket.
My Lady whispered to me.
“All’s fair in love and war. Here—put this on, 122 with yours, for me.” She slipped a dollar of her own into my hand.