the riverman-第14章

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get　in　the　game。〃



To…night；　however；　the　street　was　comparatively　quiet。　　The　saloons　

were　of　modified　illumination。　　In　many　of　them　men　stood　drinking；　

but　in　a　sociable　rather　than　a　hilarious　mood。　　Old　friends　of　the　

two　drives　were　getting　together　for　a　friendly　glass。　　The　

barkeepers　were　listlessly　wiping　the　bars。　　The　〃pretty　waiter…

girls〃　gossiped　with　each　other　and　yawned　behind　their　hands。　　From　

several　doorways　Orde's　little　compact　group　was　accosted　by　the　

burly　saloonkeepers。



〃Hullo；　boys！〃　said　they　invariably；　〃glad　to　see　you　back。　　Come　in　

and　have　a　drink　on　me。〃



Well　these　men　knew　that　one　free　drink　would　mean　a　dozen　paid　for。　　

But　the　rivermen　merely　shook　their　heads。



〃Huh！〃　sneered　one　of　the　girls。　　〃Them's　no　river…jacks！　　Them's　

just　off　the　hay　trail；　I　bet！〃



But　even　this　time…honoured　and　generally　effective　taunt　was　

ignored。



In　the　middle　of　the　third　block　Orde　wheeled　sharp　to　the　left　down　

a　dark　and　dangerous…looking　alley。　　Another　turn　to　the　right　

brought　him　into　a　very　narrow　street。　　Facing　this　street　stood　a　

three…story　wooden　structure；　into　which　led　a　high…arched　entrance　

up　a　broad　half…flight　of　wooden　steps。　　This　was　McNeill's。



As　Orde　and　his　men　turned　into　the　narrow　street；　a　figure　detached　

itself　from　the　shadow　and　approached。　　Orde　uttered　an　exclamation。



〃You　here；　Newmark？〃　he　cried。



〃Yes；〃　replied　that　young　man。　　〃I　want　to　see　this　through。〃



〃With　those　clothes？〃　marvelled　Orde。　　〃It's　a　wonder　some　of　these　

thugs　haven't　held　you　up　long　ago！　I'll　get　Johnny　here　to　go　back　

with　you　to　the　main　street。〃



〃No；〃　argued　Newmark；　〃I　want　to　go　in　with　you。〃



〃It's　dangerous；〃　explained　Orde。　　〃You're　likely　to　get　slugged。〃



〃I　can　stand　it　if　you　can；〃　returned　Newmark。



〃I　doubt　it；〃　said　Orde　grimly。　　〃However；　it's　your　funeral。　　Come　

on；　if　you　want　to。〃



McNeill's　lower　story　was　given　over　entirely　to　drinking。　　A　bar　

ran　down　all　one　side　of　the　room。　　Dozens　of　little　tables　occupied　

the　floor。　　〃Pretty　waiter…girls〃　were　prepared　to　serve　drinks　at　

these　latterand　to　share　in　them；　at　a　commission。　　The　second　

floor　was　a　theatre；　and　the　third　a　dance…hall。　　Beneath　the　

building　were　still　viler　depths。　　From　this　basement　the　riverman　

and　the　shanty　boy　generally　graduated　penniless；　and　perhaps　

unconscious；　to　the　street。　　Now；　your　lumber…jack　did　not　

customarily　arrive　at　this　stage　without　more　or　less　lively　doings　

en　route；　therefore　McNeill's　maintained　a　force　of　fighters。　　They　

were　burly；　sodden　men；　in　striking　contrast　to　the　clean…cut；　

clear…eyed　rivermen；　but　strong　in　their　experience　and　their　

discipline。　　To　be　sure；　they　might　not　last　quite　as　long　as　their　

antagonists　coulda　whisky　training　is　not　conducive　to　long　wind

but　they　always　lasted　plenty　long　enough。　　Sand…bags　and　brass　

knuckles　helped　some；　ruthless　singleness　of　purpose　counted；　and　

team　work　finished　the　job。　　At　times　the　storm　rose　high；　but　up　to　

now　McNeill　had　always　ridden　it。



Orde　and　his　men　entered　the　lower　hall；　as　though　sauntering　in　

without　definite　aim。　　Perhaps　a　score　of　men　were　in　the　room。　　Two　

tables　of　cards　were　under　waywith　a　great　deal　of　noisy　card…

slapping　that　proclaimed　the　game　merely　friendly。　　Eight　or　ten　

other　men　wandered　about　idly；　chaffing　loudly　with　the　girls；　

pausing　to　overlook　the　card　games；　glancing　with　purposeless　

curiosity　at　the　professional　gamblers　sitting　quietly　behind　their　

various　lay…outs。　　It　was　a　dull　evening。



Orde　wandered　about　with　the　rest；　a　wide；　good…natured　smile　on　his　

face。



〃Start　your　little　ball　to　rolling　for　that；〃　he　instructed　the　

roulette　man；　tossing　down　a　bill。　　〃Dropped　again！〃　he　lamented　

humorously。　　〃Can't　seem　to　have　any　luck。〃



He　drifted　on　to　the　crap　game。



〃Throw　us　the　little　bones；　pardner；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　go　you　a　five　

on　it。〃



He　lost　here；　and　so　found　himself　at　the　table　presided　over　by　the　

three…card　monte　men。　　The　rest　of　his　party；　who　had　according　to　

instructions　scattered　about　the　place；　now　began　quietly　to　

gravitate　in　his　direction。



〃What　kind　of　a　lay…out　is　this？〃　inquired　Orde。



The　dealer　held　up　the　three　cards　face　out。



〃What　kind　of　an　eye　have　you　got；　bub？〃　he　asked。



〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　A　pretty　fair　eye。　　Why？〃



〃Do　you　think　you　could　pick　out　the　jack　when　I　throw　them　out　like　

this？〃　asked　the　dealer。



〃Sure！　　She's　that　one。〃



〃Well；〃　exclaimed　the　gambler　with　a　pretence　of　disgust；　〃damn　if　

you　didn't！　　I　bet　you　five　dollars　you　can't　do　it　again。〃



〃Take　you！〃　replied　Orde。　　〃Put　up　your　five。〃



Again　Orde　was　permitted　to　pick　the　jack。



〃You've　got　the　best　eye　that's　been　in　this　place　since　I　got　

here；〃　claimed　the　dealer　admiringly。　　〃Here；　Dennis；〃　said　he　to　

his　partner；　〃try　if　you　can　fool　this　fellow。〃



Dennis　obligingly　took　the　cards；　threw　them；　and　lost。　　By　this　

time　the　men；　augmented　by　the　idlers　not　busy　with　the　card　games；　

had　drawn　close。



〃Sail　into　'em；　bub；〃　encouraged　one。



Whether　it　was　that　the　gamblers；　expert　in　the　reading　of　a　man's　

mood　and　intentions；　sensed　the　fact　that　Orde　might　be　led　to　

plunge；　or　whether；　more　simply；　they　were　using　him　as　a　capper　to　

draw　the　crowd　into　their　game；　it　would　be　difficult　to　say；　but　

twice　more　they　bungled　the　throw　and　permitted　him　to　win。



Newmark　plucked　him　at　the　sleeve。



〃You're　twenty　dollars　ahead；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Quit　it！　　I　never　saw　

anybody　beat　this　game　that　much　before。〃



Orde　merely　shrugged　him　off　with　an　appearance　of　growing　

excitement；　while　an　HABITUE　of　the　place；　probably　one　of　the　hired　

fighters；　growled　into　Newmark's　ear。



〃Shut　up；　you　damn　dude！〃　warned　this　man。　　〃Keep　out　of　what　ain't　

none　of　your　business。〃



〃What　limit　do　you　put　on　this　game；　anyway？〃　Orde　leaned　forward；　

his　eyes　alight。



The　two　gamblers　spoke　swiftly　apart。



〃How　much　do　you　want　to　bet？〃　asked　one。



〃Would　you　stand　for　five　hundred　dollars？〃　asked　Orde。



A　dead　silence　fell　on　the　group。　　Plainly　could　be　heard　the　men's　

quickened　breathing。　　The　shouts　and　noise　from　the　card　parties　

blundered　through　the　stillness。　　Some　one　tiptoed　across　and　

whispered　in　the　ear　of　the　nearest　player。　　A　moment　later　the　

chairs　at　the　two　tables　scraped　back。　　One　of　them　fell　violently　

to　the　floor。　　Their　occupants　joined　the　tense　group　about　the　

monte　game。　　All　the　girls　drew　near。　　Only　behind　the　bar　the　

white…aproned　bartenders　wiped　their　glasses　with　apparent　

imperturbability；　their　eyes；　however；　on　their　brass　knuckles　

hanging　just　beneath　the　counter；　their　ears　pricked　up　for　the　riot　

call。



The　gambler　pretended　to　deliberate；　his　cool；　shifty　eyes　running　

over　the　group　before　him。　　A　small　door　immediately　behind　him　

swung　slowly　ajar　an　inch　or　so。



〃Got　the　money？〃　he　asked。



〃Have　you？〃　countered　Orde。



Apparently　satisfied；　the　man　nodded。



〃I'll　go　you；　bub；　if　I　lose；〃　said　he。　　〃Lay　out　your　money。〃



Orde　counted　out　nine　fifty…dollar　bills　and　five　tens。　　Probably　no　

one　in　the　group　of　men　standing　about　had　realised　quite　how　much　

money　five　hundred　dollars　meant　until　they　saw　it　thus　tallied　out　

before　them。



〃All　right；〃　said　the　gambler；　taking　up　the　cards。



〃Hold　on！　〃　cried　Orde。　　〃Where's　yours？〃



〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　the　gambler　reassured　him。　　〃I'm　with　the　

house。　　I　guess　McNeill's　credit　is　good；〃　he　laughed。



〃That　may　all　be；〃　insisted　Orde；　〃but　I'm　putting　up　my　good　money；　

and　I　expect　to　see　good　money　put　up　in　return。〃



They　wrangled　over　this　point　for　some　time；　but　Orde　was　obstinate。　　

Finally　the　gamblers　yielded。　　A　canvass　of　the　drawer；　helped　out　

by　the