ade the Colonel.

The "spieler"--a thin-lipped, cadaverous individual, his soft hat
cavalierly aslant, his black hair combed flatly in a curve down upon his
damp forehead, a pair of sloe eyes, and a flannel shirt open upon his bony
chest--glanced alert. He smiled.

"Hello, sir. I'm agreeable. Yes, sir. But as they lie, will you make a
guess? No? Or you, sir?" And he addressed Bill. "No? Then you, sir?" He
appealed to me. "No? But I'm a mind-reader. I can tell by your eyes.
They're upon the right-end card. Aha! Correct." He had turned up the card
and shown the ace. "You should have bet. You would have beaten me, sir.
You've got the eyes. I think you've seen this game before. No? Ah, but you
have, or else you're born lucky. Now I'll try again. For the benefit of
these three gentlemen I will try again. Kindly reserve your bets, friends
all, and you shall have your chance. This game never stops. I am always
after revenge. Watch the ace. I pick up the cards. Ace first--blessed ace;
_and_ the jacks. Watch close. There you are." He briefly exposed the faces
of the cards. "Keep your eyes upon the ace. Ready--go!"

He spread the cards. As he had released he had tilted them slightly, and I
clearly saw the ace land. The cards fell in the same order as arranged. To
that I would have sworn.

"Five dollars now that any one card is not the ace," he challenged. "I
shall not touch them. A small bet--just enough to make it interesting.
Five dollars from you, sir?" He looked at me direct. I shook my head; I
was sternly resolved not to be over tempted. "What? No? You will wait
another turn? Very well. How about you, sir?" to the Colonel.

"I'll go halvers with you, Colonel," Bill proposed.

"I'm on," agreed the Colonel. "There's the soap. And foh the honor of the
grand old Empire State we will let our friend pick the ace foh us. I have
faith in those eyes of his, suhs."

"But that is scarcely fair, sir, when I am risking nothing," I protested.

"Go ahead, suh; go ahead," he urged. "It is just a sporting proposition
foh general entertainment."

"And I'll bet you a dollar on the side that you don't spot the ace," the
dealer baited. "Come now. Make it interesting for yourself."

"I'll not bet, but since you insist, there's the ace." And I turned up the
right-end card.

"By the Eternal, he's done it! He has an eye like an eagle's," praised the
dealer, with evident chagrin. "I lose. Once again, now. Everybody in, this
time." He gath