This didn't seem to
me much like gratitude to win a man's money, and I wished I hadn't
started. Presently Bill looked up, and spying me, pointed to my stack of
chips, and said, "Whose stack is that?" "Mine," I replied, and with one
fell swoop he dashed the chips into the rack, and taking a ten-dollar
bill from the drawer, he turned to his side partner and said, "Jim, take
the deal," and then he got up, took me by the arm, saying, "You come
with me."
Feeling like a sneak I followed him, and when we had reached his
sitting-room, he sat down and said,
"Kid, how much were you in on that deal?"
"Just one dollar," I replied.
Then he looked at me, his eyes shone like coals of fire, and he said,
"Look here boy, here's ten dollars. If you are ever hard up and want
money come to me, and I'll give it to you willingly, but don't you ever
let me see or hear of you staking a cent on a card again. I'm running a
gambling house, and as gambling houses go, it's an honest one, but I'm
not out plucking lambs like you. Your intentions were probably good but
don't you ever do it again.
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