The biting insult appeared to somewhat sober Harry, and he watched his play more carefully.  As his run of luck still continued, Shuter’s ill-humor increased, till it was quite marked.  After the fifth or sixth deal the crucial game arrived.  Both players began to bet heavily on their hands.  Harry met his opponent’s bets without a tremor of excitement, and twice Shuter hesitated as though he would throw up the game—­seeing he could not bluff Harry into doing so, and, consequently, forfeiting what was already on the table.  Suddenly Shuter said, with an air of quiet confidence, “The stakes are pretty high now; what do you say to having only one raise more and then showing our hands?  We evidently can’t bluff each other, and the best hand will then have to win.”

This subtle effort to discourage his opponent, and make him afraid of the next raise, failed, as Harry merely nodded and said, “Make your raise.”

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Shuter said, “I will raise you thirty dollars better.”  Before this advance the stakes had run up to about forty dollars, so the raise, among such men, was a most unusual one.  If Harry lost, it meant the forfeiture of his entire month’s salary.  Joe was now so intensely interested that he was leaning eagerly forward; he was suspicious of Shuter, and was watching him as a cat watches a mouse.

The heavy raise caused a slightly startled look to shoot into Harry’s face; but he was now in it to the death and answered, “All right, I’ll take you up; there’s my cards” (four aces); “show me yours.”

Joe saw a dangerous look leap into Shuter’s eyes as Harry leaned forward, expectantly, to see what cards Shuter held.

Stretching out his hand, as if with the intention of also exposing his cards, Shuter deftly managed to knock off the table the remainder of the pack.  As he did so he uttered an exclamation, as though his action had been accidental, and stooping began to gather up the cards; but while doing so dexterously dropped two of his own cards and replaced them with two others, thus giving himself a royal flush—­a hand impossible to beat.

Quickly as the trick had been done it was detected by both Harry and Joe, and the next instant Harry was on his feet, his face convulsed with anger and his slight frame quivering with excitement.

Shuter also sprang to his feet, and as his thin lips parted into a forced, uncomprehending smile, Harry struck him with his fist, full in the face.  Before Harry could draw back Shuter had seized him by the throat, and was fumbling in his pocket for an old sailor’s knife which he was always known to carry; but before he could draw it he was swung violently off his feet and brought down with a thud on the table.  He was little better than a child in Joe’s grasp.  The next instant the place was in an uproar, and a dozen men sprang on Joe; but it was only after a long struggle that they succeeded in drawing his terrified victim from his grasp.