every sense on the alert. He knocked
over a pile of chips, spilling some on the floor; when he stooped over to
get them, he slipped his gun from his waistband and laid it in his lap.
His curiosity was aroused.

At length, on Dewing's deal, Johnson picked up three kings before the
draw. He sat at Dewing's left; it was his first chance to open the pot;
he passed. Dewing coughed; Johnson felt again that current of cold air on
his neck. "This must be the big mitt," thought Pete. "In a square game
there'd be nothing unusual in passing up three kings for a raise--that is
good poker. But Dewing wants to be sure I've got 'em. Are they going to
slide me four kings? I reckon not. It isn't considered good form to hold
four aces against four kings. They'll slip me a king-full, likely, and
some one will hold an ace-full."

Obligingly Pete spread his three kings fanwise, for the convenience of
the onlooker behind the panel. So doing, he noted that he held the kings
of hearts, spades, and diamonds, with the queen and jack of diamonds. He
slid queen and jack together. "Two aces to go with this hand would give
me a heap of confidence," he thought. "I'm going to take a long chance."

Boland passed; the first lumberman opened the pot; the second stayed;
Dewing stayed; Pete stayed, and raised. Boland passed out; the first
lumberman saw the raise.

"I ought to lift this again; but I won't," announced the lumberman. "I
want to get Scotty's money in this pot, and I might scare him out."

Scotty, the second lumberman, hesitated for a moment, and then laid down
his hand, using language. Dewing saw the raise.

"Here's where I get a cheap draw for the Dead Man's Hand--aces and
eights." He discarded two and laid before him, face up on the table, a
pair of eights and an ace of hearts. "I'm going to trim you fellows this
time. Aces and eights have never been beaten yet."

"Damn you! Here's one eight you won't get," said Scotty; he turned over
his hand, exposing the eight of clubs.

"Mustn't expose your cards unnecessarily," said Dewing reprovingly. "It
spoils the game." He picked up the deck. "Cards?"

Pete pinched his cards to the smallest compass and cautiously discarded
two of them, holding their faces close to the table.

"Give me two right off the top."

Dewing complied.

"Cards to you?" he said. "Next gentleman?"

The next gentleman scowled. "I orter have raised," he said. "Only I
wanted Scotty's money. Now, like as not, somebod