o' the box, that a safe, easy trail to high ground is to give her a
table an' let her deal a little stud for the boys. This yere
wouldn't be no resk, an' the rake is a shore thing for nine or ten
dollars a night. Bein' a benev'lence, I knows the boys would set in
mighty free, an' the trouble would be corraled right thar. With this
yere in my mind I taps her gently about our various games when I
calls for her paw; an' to put it straight, she takes it reluctant
an' disgusted at the mere hint. Of course we-alls has to stand these
things from woman, an' we might as well p'int up some other way an'
no time lost.'

"'Don't you-alls reckon for to make a speshul rake on all poker
goin', same as about that Yallerhouse gent, might be an ondefeasible
way to get at the neck of this business?' says Dave Tutt. 'I merely
asks it as a question.'

"'That wouldn't do,' says Doc Peets, 'but anyhow yere comes Wilkins
how, an' if, as Enright says, the're out of chuck up his way, I
reckons I'll lose a small bet to the old shorthorn ontil sech times
as we devises some scheme all reg'lar.'

"'Howdy, Wilkins?' says Doc, mighty gay an' genial, 'how's things
stackin' up?'

"'Mighty ornery,' says Wilkins.

"'Feel like makin' a little wager this A. M.?' says Doc.

"'What do you-all want to gamble at?' says Wilkins.