be some of our outfit, I never looked around, when there came a slap
on my back which nearly loosened my teeth. Turning to see who was
making so free with me when I was absorbed, my eye fell on my brother
Zack, but I had not time even to shake hands with him, for two cards
won in succession and the dealer was paying me, while the queen and
seven were covered to the limit and were yet to be drawn for. When the
deal ended and while the dealer was shuffling, I managed to get a few
words with my brother, and learned that he had come through with a
herd belonging to one-armed Jim Reed, and that they were holding about
ten miles up the river. He had met Flood, who told him that I was in
town; but as he was working on first guard with their herd, it was
high time he was riding. The dealer was waiting for me to cut the
cards, and stopping only to wring Zack's hand in farewell, I turned
again to the monte layout.

Officer was not so fortunate as I was, partly by reason of delays, the
dealer in his game changing decks on almost every deal, and under
Priest's orders, we counted the cards with every change of the deck. A
gambler would rather burn money than lose to a citizen, and every
hoodoo which the superstition of the craft could invoke to turn the
run of the cards was used to check us. Several hours passed and the
lamps were lighted, but we constantly added to the good--to the
discomfiture of the owners of the games. Dealers changed, but our
vigilance never relaxed for a moment. Suddenly an altercation sprang
up between Officer and the dealer of his game. The seven had proved
the most lucky card to John, which fact was as plain to dealer as to
player, but the dealer, by slipping one seven out of the pack after it
had been counted, which was possible in the hands of an adept in spite
of all vigilance, threw the percentage against the favorite card and
in favor of the bank. Officer had suspected something wrong, for the
seven had been loser during several deals, when with a seven-king
layout, and two cards of each class yet in the pack, the dealer drew
down until there were less than a dozen cards left, when the king
came, which lost a fifty dollar bet on the seven. Officer laid his
hand on the money, and, as was his privilege, said to the dealer, "Let
me look over the remainder of those cards. If there's two sevens
there, you have won. If there isn't, don't offer to touch this bet."

But the gambler declined the request, and