“No,” replied Phillip, striving to conceal his annoyance. “Our reputation as card-players may be gone, but I reckon we’re still right handy with a pistol.”
“Oh, I apologize,” laughed Boerick. “You’re wise to leave cards alone, then, and wait until the pistols come on. Still, if it’s merely a matter of lack of money, I should be delighted to loan you what you need. Though, honestly, I had begun to congratulate myself upon at last having met with a Southerner who wasn’t dead broke.”
“Shut up, Joe,” said Guy. “Cut for deal.”
Phillip felt the blood mounting to his face, and would gladly have given all the money he feared to risk at cards for the privilege of leaning across the table and slapping Boerick’s face. As it was he kept silence a moment until he was sure that his voice was steady. Then he answered:
“We Virginians are not in the habit of borrowing. Perhaps that’s one reason some of us are so poor. But the reason I hesitated about playing is that I have only a few dollars with me and it hardly seems worth while to start. I’m not much of a poker hand.”
“Oh, that’s all right,” answered Chester. “Paper’s good amongst friends; eh, Guy?”
“Good as gold; especially Phil’s. I must decline, however, to take any of your I. O. U.’s, Joe; I’m a burned child, my boy.”
Boerick grinned, but did not relish Chester’s laughter. “If I owe you anything——” he began.
“You don’t, Joe,” answered Guy. “You always pay up in the end. The trouble is your ends are so darned long coming! Your ante, Phil.”
For the next half-hour Phillip, as a result of careful playing, managed to hold his own. Boerick indulged in a number of sarcasms at his expense, and Phillip wished that he had enough money to accept the frequent challenges. But he kept his temper and his six dollars and was congratulating himself upon the fact when Chester called for a jackpot. At the end of the fifth deal the little pile in the centre of the board had assumed quite generous proportions, while Phillip’s capital had dwindled sadly. Luck, however, was with him, for Chester opened, and Phillip, with all the courage of ignorance, drew to a flush and filled. Guy dropped out and Chester followed a moment later, leaving Phillip and Boerick to fight it out. Phillip was quite in the dark as to what manner of hand his adversary held, but he met each raise until two real and twelve mythical dollars lay in the pot. It is probable that he would have kept on until midnight had he not glanced up to find a warning look on Chester’s face. Then he called and a moment later was drawing his winnings toward him. Boerick’s hand had consisted of two pairs, aces and fours.