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a dark and dangerous…looking alley。 Another turn to the right
brought him into a very narrow street。 Facing this street stood a
three…story wooden structure； into which led a high…arched entrance
up a broad half…flight of wooden steps。 This was McNeill's。
As Orde and his men turned into the narrow street； a figure detached
itself from the shadow and approached。 Orde uttered an exclamation。
〃You here； Newmark？〃 he cried。
〃Yes；〃 replied that young man。 〃I want to see this through。〃
〃With those clothes？〃 marvelled Orde。 〃It's a wonder some of these
thugs haven't held you up long ago！ I'll get Johnny here to go back
with you to the main street。〃
〃No；〃 argued Newmark； 〃I want to go in with you。〃
〃It's dangerous；〃 explained Orde。 〃You're likely to get slugged。〃
〃I can stand it if you can；〃 returned Newmark。
〃I doubt it；〃 said Orde grimly。 〃However； it's your funeral。 Come
on； if you want to。〃
McNeill's lower story was given over entirely to drinking。 A bar
ran down all one side of the room。 Dozens of little tables occupied
the floor。 〃Pretty waiter…girls〃 were prepared to serve drinks at
these latterand to share in them； at a commission。 The second
floor was a theatre； and the third a dance…hall。 Beneath the
building were still viler depths。 From this basement the riverman
and the shanty boy generally graduated penniless； and perhaps
unconscious； to the street。 Now； your lumber…jack did not
customarily arrive at this stage without more or less lively doings
en route； therefore McNeill's maintained a force of fighters。 They
were burly； sodden men； in striking contrast to the clean…cut；
clear…eyed rivermen； but strong in their experience and their
discipline。 To be sure； they might not last quite as long as their
antagonists coulda whisky training is not conducive to long wind
but they always lasted plenty long enough。 Sand…bags and brass
knuckles helped some； ruthless singleness of purpose counted； and
team work finished the job。 At times the storm rose high； but up to
now McNeill had always ridden it。
Orde and his men entered the lower hall； as though sauntering in
without definite aim。 Perhaps a score of men were in the room。 Two
tables of cards were under waywith a great deal of noisy card…
slapping that proclaimed the game merely friendly。 Eight or ten
other men wandered about idly； chaffing loudly with the girls；
pausing to overlook the card games； glancing with purposeless
curiosity at the professional gamblers sitting quietly behind their
various lay…outs。 It was a dull evening。
Orde wandered about with the rest； a wide； good…natured smile on his
face。
〃Start your little ball to rolling for that；〃 he instructed the
roulette man； tossing down a bill。 〃Dropped again！〃 he lamented
humorously。 〃Can't seem to have any luck。〃
He drifted on to the crap game。
〃Throw us the little bones； pardner；〃 he said。 〃I'll go you a five
on it。〃
He lost here； and so found himself at the table presided over by the
three…card monte men。 The rest of his party； who had according to
instructions scattered about the place； now began quietly to
gravitate in his direction。
〃What kind of a lay…out is this？〃 inquired Orde。
The dealer held up the three cards face out。
〃What kind of an eye have you got； bub？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； I don't know。 A pretty fair eye。 Why？〃
〃Do you think you could pick out the jack when I throw them out like
this？〃 asked the dealer。
〃Sure！ She's that one。〃
〃Well；〃 exclaimed the gambler with a pretence of disgust； 〃damn if
you didn't！ I bet you five dollars you can't do it again。〃
〃Take you！〃 replied Orde。 〃Put up your five。〃
Again Orde was permitted to pick the jack。
〃You've got the best eye that's been in this place since I got
here；〃 claimed the dealer admiringly。 〃Here； Dennis；〃 said he to
his partner； 〃try if you can fool this fellow。〃
Dennis obligingly took the cards； threw them； and lost。 By this
time the men； augmented by the idlers not busy with the card games；
had drawn close。
〃Sail into 'em； bub；〃 encouraged one。
Whether it was that the gamblers； expert in the reading of a man's
mood and intentions； sensed the fact that Orde might be led to
plunge； or whether； more simply； they were using him as a capper to
draw the crowd into their game； it would be difficult to say； but
twice more they bungled the throw and permitted him to win。
Newmark plucked him at the sleeve。
〃You're twenty dollars ahead；〃 he muttered。 〃Quit it！ I never saw
anybody beat this game that much before。〃
Orde merely shrugged him off with an appearance of growing
excitement； while an HABITUE of the place； probably one of the hired
fighters； growled into Newmark's ear。
〃Shut up； you damn dude！〃 warned this man。 〃Keep out of what ain't
none of your business。〃
〃What limit do you put on this game； anyway？〃 Orde leaned forward；
his eyes alight。
The two gamblers spoke swiftly apart。
〃How much do you want to bet？〃 asked one。
〃Would you stand for five hundred dollars？〃 asked Orde。
A dead silence fell on the group。 Plainly could be heard the men's
quickened breathing。 The shouts and noise from the card parties
blundered through the stillness。 Some one tiptoed across and
whispered in the ear of the nearest player。 A moment later the
chairs at the two tables scraped back。 One of them fell violently
to the floor。 Their occupants joined the tense group about the
monte game。 All the girls drew near。 Only behind the bar the
white…aproned bartenders wiped their glasses with apparent
imperturbability； their eyes； however； on their brass knuckles
hanging just beneath the counter； their ears pricked up for the riot
call。
The gambler pretended to deliberate； his cool； shifty eyes running
over the group before him。 A small door immediately behind him
swung slowly ajar an inch or so。
〃Got the money？〃 he asked。
〃Have you？〃 countered Orde。
Apparently satisfied； the man nodded。
〃I'll go you； bub； if I lose；〃 said he。 〃Lay out your money。〃
Orde counted out nine fifty…dollar bills and five tens。 Probably no
one in the group of men standing about had realised quite how much
money five hundred dollars meant until they saw it thus tallied out
before them。
〃All right；〃 said the gambler； taking up the cards。
〃Hold on！ 〃 cried Orde。 〃Where's yours？〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 the gambler reassured him。 〃I'm with the
house。 I guess McNeill's credit is good；〃 he laughed。
〃That may all be；〃 insisted Orde； 〃but I'm putting up my good money；
and I expect to see good money put up in return。〃
They wrangled over this point for some time； but Orde was obstinate。
Finally the gamblers yielded。 A canvass of the drawer； helped out
by the bar and the