"He shoved out a deck. I cut a four-spot. It come to me all of a
sudden how futeel is human endeavors, how fleetin' is man's hopes,
for we was playin' it high man wins. And then he cut a
three-specker, and talked unwisely. Then he cut a king, and a soft
smile lighted his face. I cut an ace. He looked at it, reached
up, and took down a sign:

ACE IS ALWAYS
HIGH IN THIS HOUSE.

--a sign he'd made with his own fair hands, and he says to me, 'You
don't mind if I keep this as a sooveneer of the joyful occasion, do
you? You can have the rest of the place, for I move after two
beats like that.'

"So then the crowd was uproarious, and I treated several times for
Mrs. Scraggs and several times for myself, divided the money
square, wrapped her half in a parcel with 'God Bless our Home'
marked on it and sent it around to her.

"It then occurred to me I weren't dressed according to my
prosperity. So I cut the boys and ambled around to Eichenstein's
to get some clothes.

"Old Eichy clasped his hands with innocent glee.

"'I have got id!' says he, clawing out some black duds. 'You
remember dat 'biscobal mineesder who beat der sheriff to der drain?
Dat is der close he orter t' und didn't bay for--dey fid you like a