6 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



at this moment the flashily dressed, bejewelled fellow 

 came along and asked, "What's that you said, sir?" 

 The other explained. " Well, deal them over again, 

 and let us see if you are so smart," said Mr. Slim, 

 handing back the three cards he had been examining, 

 after having turned down the corner of one, at the same 

 time giving me a nudge. Mr. Stout (as we will call 

 the other) again clumsily dealt out the cards, saying, 

 "Thar, I'll bet yer ten dollars yer can't pick out yer 

 keerd." " Put up your X," said Mr. Slim, thrusting a 

 crisp ten -dollar bill into my hand. 



Stout pulled out a large, greasy wallet, and handed 

 me ten also. Whereupon Slim laid his finger on the 

 last card, saying, " That's the diamond," and turned it 

 up, to the apparent surprise of Stout. Slim took the 

 stakes ; and Stout said, " Wall, stranger, I made a mis- 

 take that ere time, but are you betting ag'in ? " Again 

 Slim turned down a card, while Stout accidentally ( ?) 

 looked away : the same nudge, accompanied by a 

 knowing look, followed. Slim said, " Blockhead, you 

 will lose all your money : you don't know how to play 

 cards, and I won't bet with you again." At this Stout 

 became very angry, and said, " Before I'll be done by a 

 dude whose got more gall than a hull drove of mules, 

 I'll bet the last dollar I got. Yer darsn't bet, and 

 thar's a brace of twenties as says yer can't kiver urn." 

 Slim turned to me, speaking in a whisper, " I've only 

 got twenty dollars with me: can you lend me twenty? 



