Page 57 - The Adventures of a Freshman

"Can you, Billy?"

Drew shook his head.

"No," said Jones, without waiting to be asked.

"Sweeten it up, then," said Powelton.

"Wait a minute," said Lee. "I can. Who's coming in?" He giggled excitedly.

Three of the six simply laid down their hands hopelessly. "I never saw such luck," one of them said.

Young hesitated a moment "I guess I'll come in," he said finally. "Four cards please." He puffed on an
extinguished cigar-butt.

"Well, well! the Deacon's got nerve," said Drew.

"Oh! he's getting to be an old hand," said Minerva Powelton, winking.

"See how coolly he picks up his cards," remarked Billy Drew.

Young paid no attention to these remarks. He was cool outwardly, but it was the coolness of desperation. He
had been losing all the evening as steadily as Lucky had been gaining. But you see he was not a beginner now;
he had played five or six times and felt himself, as they said, an old hand at it, and he too had laughed at
Lucky's greenness--early in the evening. But now Lucky, who was never persuaded to play poker until the
Deacon played, was winning away all his money.

Young did not know how much he had lost; he would not let himself think. But he knew it was more than he
could afford, and he made up his mind that if he lost this time he would not give himself a chance to lose
again. He picked up the four cards he had drawn in place of the discarded ones, and looked at them. His heart
gave a bound. He covered the cards for a moment, and then looked at them again.

"Yes, it's really true," he said to himself. "Surely this hand can't be beaten."

"Well, what do you do, Deacon?"

For answer Young simply laid down a large bet.

"Hully Gee!" whispered Powelton to Drew. "Big bluff the Deacon is throwing, eh?"

Lee overheard it. He meant to show the Deacon that he could not be bluffed out, even if he were a beginner.
Besides, he had a hand he was willing to stake a good deal upon. He put down twice the amount of Young's
bet.

"Hoho! the bluff didn't work," laughed Drew. "Now, then, Deacon, let's see what you can do."

"Shut up!" said Young. "Don't bother us!" He puffed on his cold cigar a moment, and then put down another
large bet.

"I'm with you!" said Lucky Lee, and he increased the stake again. His eyes were glistening.

For several minutes they kept on increasing the amount in the centre of the table, one thoughtfully, the other