p; she takes in three
bets to lose one plumb down to the turn. This Holliday calls the
turn for the limit; an' loses. The kyards go into the box ag'in an'
a next deal ensooes. So it continyoos; an' Nell beats this Holliday
hard for half a hour. Nell sees she's in luck; an' she feels that
strong she concloods to press it some.

"'The limit's five hundred!' says Nell to this Holliday. 'Come after
me!'

"Holliday bows like he's complimented. 'I'm after you; an' I comes
a-runnin',' he says.

"Down goes his money all over the lay-out; only now its five hundred
instead of one hundred.

"It's no avail, this Holliday still loses. At the end of a hour Nell
sizes up her roll; she's a leetle over forty thousand strong; jest
where Cherokee stands at the start.

"Nell pauses as she's about to put the deck in the box for a deal.
She looks at this Holliday a heap thoughtful. That look excites Dan
Boggs who's been on the brink of fits since ever the play begins,
he's that 'motional.

"'Don't raise the limit, Nell!' says Dan in a awful whisper. 'That's
where Cherokee's weak at the go-off. He ought never to have thrown
away the limit.'

"Nell casts her eyes--they're burnin' like coals!--on Dan. I can see
his bluff about Cherokee bein' weak has done decided her mind.

"'Cherokee does right,' says Nell to Dan, 'like Cherokee allers does.
An' I'll do the same as Cherokee. Stranger,' goes on Nell, turnin'
from Dan to this Holliday; 'go as far as you likes. The bridle's off
the hoss.'

"'An' much obleeged to you, Miss!' says this Holliday, with another
of them p'lite bows. 'As the kyards goes in the box, I makes you the
same three bets I makes first to Mister Hall. Ten thousand,
coppered, in the pot; ten thousand, open, in the big squar'; an' ten
thousand on the high kyard, coppered.'

"'An' now as then,' says Nell, sort o' catchin' her breath, 'the
ten-spot's the soda kyard!'

"Son, it won't happen ag'in in a billion years! Nell's right hand
shakes a trifle--she's only a child, mind, an' ain't got the nerves
that goes with case-hardened sports--as she shoves the ten-spot
forth. But it's comin' her way; her luck holds; as certain as we all
sets yere drinkin' toddy, the same two kyards shows for her as for
Cherokee, but this time they falls 'king-seven'; the bank wins, an'
pore Holliday is cleaned out.

"'Thar, Cherokee,' says Nell, an' thar's a soft smile an' a sigh of
deep content goes with the observation,