Dead Man's Hand
DEAD MAN’S HAND
He sat the longest time
Staring at his cards
It was a good hand – 3 Queens
Better than average considering
There were six men at table
“Whatcha say, Luke?” Jake Rich demanded
“Pete raised yer bet – Whatcha say?”
But Luke just sat
Staring at his cards
Bart Potter had called-him-out
He sensed every eye in the saloon
was fixed on him
He must accept Bart Potter’s ‘call?’
Luke wondered if this was his lucky day?
Bart Potter was fast VERY FAST!
Luke had every worldly thing he owned in the middle of
the table
money horse house
even his grandfather’s gold watch
(been in the family for 100 years)
If the Queens held up he felt he might have the confidence
to outdraw Bart Potter
(if the Queens held up)
Luke Tyson was a careful man unusually conservative
He’d scrimped and saved since he was just a kid to have his
horse his 50 acres
Everyone said Luke was too damned security-minded
AND he was –
What would he do if he lost?
WHAT ON EARTH WOULD HE DO?
“Luke!” someone called
“Bart Potter’s a waitin’”
“Us too!” Jake Rich rasped
Luke counted his chips –
Just enough to call Pete’s raise
Luke threw his last chips into the middle of the table
There was cold sweat on Luke’s forehead
It was just between him and Pete
with Bart Potter waiting outside
“Three Kings!” Pete smiled confident
Luke Tyson’s gut dropped down around his butt
“You comin’ Luke?”
someone called
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