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of the saloon made his credit good at the game, for all knew well that he would never be led to venture what he could not pay.

" Five thousand more! " Hissed forth by the sharper came these words, while his snake-like eyes were riveted on his victim. There was already fifteen thousand at stake on the board. Duke held a very good hand, three kings and two sevens; but the game had drifted into such wild and reckless bluffing, that the best hand was by no means always allowed to take the money. Even now the sharper might have nothing higher than a ten spot, or he might have four aces; there was no way to tell. Duke's hand was good, very good, considering everything. The chances were at least ten to one the sharper could not beat it. That pot would make him whole, and he would then be free from the infernal toils in which he so unexpectedly found himself On the other hand it was ruin, absolute and eternal ruin, he felt and knew it to be, if he lost. But his hand; at least ten to one in his favor.

Pale was the face, the heart irregular and jerking, and hollow and sepulchral the voice as the words came forth "I call!"

The sharper could measure accurately enough the Duke's hand; he knew as well as if he had seen it that it was not so very strong, for had it been the young man would have manifested more confidence. Nor was it by any means a poor hand, else he would not have called him. He was sure enough of his victim, as with a Satanic smile he slowly laid down on the table one, two, three, four queens.

Without speaking a word Duke laid his cards upon the pack, rose from his seat, and beckoning the saloon man to follow, walked out into the darkness, walked on through the darkness until he came to his cabin, when, scraping the dirt from under one corner, brought forth four bags, each containing $5,000 in gold dust. "This will make it good," he said, as he