“The first kyard to show is a deuce.  It’s better than ten to one Cherokee will win.  But disapp’intment chokes the camp; the next kyard is a ace, an’ Cherokee’s swept off his moccasins.  The bank is broke; and to signify as much, Cherokee turns his box on its side, counts over forty thousand dollars to this Holliday an’ gets up from the dealer’s cha’r.

“As Cherokee rises, Faro Nell slides off the lookout’s stool an’ into the vacated cha’r.  When Cherokee loses the last bet I hears Nell’s teeth come together with a click.  I don’t dare look towards her at the time; but now, when she turns the box back, takes out the deck, riffles an’ returns it to its place I gives her a glance.  Nell’s as game as Cherokee.  As she sets over ag’inst this lucky invalid her colour is high an’ her eyes like two stars.

“‘An’ now you’ve got to break me,’ says Nell to this Holliday.  ’Also, we restores the statu quo, as Colonel Sterett says in that Coyote paper, an’ the limit retreats to a even hundred dollars.’

“‘Be you-all the partner Mister Hall mentions?’ asks this Holliday, at the same time takin’ off his sombrero an’ throwin’ away his seegyar.

“Nell says she is.

“‘Miss,’ says this Holliday, ’I feels honoured to find myse’f across the layout from so much sperit an’ beauty.  A limit of one hundred, says you; an’ your word is law!  As a first step then, give me three thousand dollars worth of chips an’ make ’em fifty dollars each.  I’ll take the same chance with you on that question of splits I does former, an’ I wants a hundred on every kyard, middle to win ag’in the ends.’

“The deal begins; Nell is winner from the jump; 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.