"Hey, man." "Hey, Cincinnati." "Come on, man." "Come on, daddy." "I'm gonna get you one more time." "Come on, man." "Come on." "Just one more time." "Come on, man." "Okay." "Let's see you cut that." "You're just not ready for me yet." "Don't you know it." "Just a minute." "That's right." "Oh, a three." "And our lucky friend from Baton Rouge gets a big fat queen with his pair of sixes." "Little lady make you feel happy, buster?" "." "Deal yourself, clown." "Dealer's flush." "Well, that broke that up." "Go ahead, bet your sixes, buster." "Told you not to call me that." "One-seventy-five." "Cost you 1 94 fish." "Hundred-and-ninety-four fisheroos to you, friend." "You gonna bust everybody, or am I?" "." "So?" "." "What are you gonna do?" "." "Call." "What do you mean, call?" "." "I think you're trying to buy it." "Eights." "What, are you guys blind or something?" "." "What do you mean, buster?" "." "I think somebody's been daubing these cards." "Are you crazy?" "." "He ain't gonna put out 1 94 bucks on a lousy pair." "You did." "I'm saying you've been marking these cards." "I don't need marked cards to beat you, pal." "Stay here." "I'll take care of him." "Give me the money." "Drop it." "What's his name?" "." "Tricky Bob." "Here you are, Tricky." "Raleigh Hotel, please." "Thank you." "Mr. Howard, sir." "Welcome back to New Orleans." "Two-twelve for Mr. Howard." "Yes, sir." "Mr. Howard." "Hey, King Kiddo." "Come on, baby." "I'll spot you three balls." "Ain't my game, Eddie." "Hi, Kid." "Come on, Kid." "We've been holding a chair for you." "How they running, Philly?" "." "They've been running right by me all day, Kid." "What's the bet?" "." "You stopped a couple, didn't you?" "." "Seventeen to you, Philly." "Well, I'll give you my definitive answer to any inquiry along those lines as soon as I see Whitey's hole card." "I call." "Aces up." "I don't believe that beats three fours, do it?" "." "You wouldn't happen to hold..." "...any markers, would you?" "." "Yeah." "The man holds markers on everybody in this town." "What you got on me, Kid?" "." "Got you for 1 1 0, a 60 and an 85." "I'll take the 1 1 0, the 60." "You take the 85 and put it back in your bank." "Thanks, Kid." "Deal the cards." "Hey, Philly." "Hi, Kid." "Hi." "Watch him, Kid." "He's a mean one." "You got a new bird, huh?" "." "Gaffer?" "." "No, no." "He's a roundhead." "Now, don't get him excited." "Hello, Shooter." "Where you been?" "." "Across the river." "Do any good?" "." "Couple hundred bucks." "Hey, you know there was a guy in the game who accused me of juicing the deck?" "." "Playing with amateurs, huh?" "." "Haven't I told you you're gonna get your melon opened?" "." "It was the only game I could find where I wasn't holding markers on somebody." "I'm thinking about going to Miami." "You're gonna go to work in Miami?" "." "Yeah." "Yeah." "You got a better idea?" "." "I don't know." "It may be just a rumor." "You know how these things get started but they say that Lancey Howard is in town." "They say Lancey Howard?" "." "The man himself." "The Kid will have to play him." "Am I right, Kid?" "." "You gonna play him?" "." "Lancey Howard." "Lancey Howard take the skin right off the Kid." "I'm giving even money on the Kid." "Fifty cents." "Mark it." "Yes, Mr. Slade." "Tomorrow's fine." "Couldn't be better." "I understand that stud poker is your game." "Well, your stakes are my pleasure, sir." "Well, why don't we make it about Iunchtime." "That's a fine idea, Mr. Howard." "Around noon, then?" "." "I'm right here in the hotel." "My pleasure, sir." "And do remember me kindly to your charming wife." "Yes, I'll do that." "Mr. Howard, one thing more." "Say, l" "May I suggest we secure for ourselves the dealing services of the Shooter for this auspicious occasion?" "." "That's excellent." "Excellent." "All right, then." "Bye-bye." "Don't touch me." "Just a wee bit more Tabasco." "Yeah, this game's been coming for a long time, hasn't it, Kid?" "." "Too long." "Think so?" "." "I told you what happened when I played." "Yeah, I know." "He laid me out, strung me up and then...." "Kid, I mean, he gutted me." "Yeah, you told me, Shooter." "Just wait till he's looking down your throat, that's all." "You don't think I'm ready, do you?" "." "I don't know." "You're one of the greatest stud players I've seen." "But then again, so was Lancey Howard." "It's not gonna be like sitting down with me and Doc Sokal." "You see, I've been where I'm going." "The way I play now?" "." "Just percentages." "Don't win much, don't lose much." "You think you were ready when you sat down with him?" "." "I thought I was the best stud-poker player in the world." "I'm telling you, I thought I was the best." "I got something, Shooter." "You know I've got something." "Yeah, you've got something." "I know that, Kid." "But you've got to remember that he's the man, see?" "." "He's got an awful lot to protect." "He'll use everything in the book and then some he's made up to kill you." "I don't want any lesson, Shooter." "I want everything he's got." "Hi." "Hi." "You cold?" "." "No." "What happened to your coat?" "." "I ripped it." "What'd you do today?" "." "Oh, went to the movies." "And it was all in French." "ln French, huh?" "." "Yeah." "Know what they do?" "." "They sign the words in at the bottom of the picture..." "...in English, so you can understand it." "Oh, yeah?" "." "Yeah." "Oh, it wasn't in French?" "." "What?" "." "What was the movie about?" "." "It was about this town in Europe, and they get this message" "Well, was it in French, Spanish or English?" "." "What?" "." "The message." "Do you wanna hear this?" "." "Yeah." "Go ahead." "Well, this Spanish general had sent the message that he's coming to spend the night with his army." "Now, the men in the town are scared silly so the wives and the daughters tell them not to worry and go away and hide someplace and let them bargain with them." "You see?" "." "Who?" "." "Well, the ladies with the Spanish army." "I won't tell it anymore." "Go ahead." "No, I won't tell it." "No." "Well, just tell me what happened." "No." "No." "You won't believe this." "But the women get together and have this big party and they all go to bed with the Spanish army." "Oh, yeah?" "." "Anyway, come morning the soldiers go off, and everybody's happy." "Yeah, and the husbands are happy." "Yeah, husbands, fathers, everybody." "Seems they" "Seems they cared more about their lives than they did about their honor." "That seem right to you?" "." "Yeah." "Well, how come?" "." "Well, because that makes sense." "That's why." "lt doesn't make sense." "The point is that what good is honor if you're dead?" "." "Hey, what the hell are you going to Frenchy movies for, anyway?" "." "Shooter's wife wanted to go." "Melba?" "." "Melba." "Since when are you hanging with Melba?" "." "Since that game in Corpus." "Melba." "I know." "You don't want me to go out with Melba?" "." "Hey I don't care what you do." "Well, you should." "I happen to like Melba." "Melba why do you do that?" "." "So it will fit, stupid." "No, I'm not talking about that." "What I'm asking is" "Do you have to cheat at everything?" "." "At everything?" "." "Yes, at solitaire." "I've yet to see you play solitaire without cheating." "So what?" "." "Look, you're just cheating yourself." "Don't you understand?" "." "You'll be the loser, no one else but yourself." "You've ruined the puzzle." "Now, that doesn't go in there." "It does now." "Why should I answer?" "." "Hello." "You only get steamed if it's for me." "Oh, yes." "Lancey." "Yes, I heard you were in town." "Hey, what are you up to?" "." "A little action, maybe?" "." "But I keep forgetting." "You like to steam, don't you, Shooter?" "." "William Jefferson Slade." "Local celebrity, I understand." "Comes from one of the richest families in the state." "Yeah, that's right, Lancey." "Seems that your reputation is one of the few stable things in a world of crumbling values." "I'll be there." "Would you really wear a thing like that?" "." "Why not?" "." "I got nothing to hide." "Hey, I bet you'd look good in one too." "Oh, no, I couldn't." "I just couldn't wear that." "Come on." "Well, now where are you going?" "." "You ever been to the Turkish bath?" "." "Turkish baths?" "." "French movies?" "." "I don't know about you, Melba." "Well, then, come on and find out." "The Turkish bath leaves nothing to the imagination." "But I wouldn't know what to do in a Turkish bath." "But that's what's so marvelous." "You don't do anything." "They do it to you." "Come on." "They do it to you?" "." "Well, you and the Shooter are married." "Now, that's something." "It's nothing." "Believe you me, honey, it's nothing." "You know you got somebody that wants to spend the rest of his life with you too." "How'd you like to spend the rest of your life with Shooter?" "." "Least you know how much you mean to somebody." "Last card." "Possible flush." "Pair of eights." "Nothing there." "Pair of queens." "Possible flush." "Queens check to the possibles." "Two thousand." "Two and up two." "Fold." "Fold." "I fold." "This Cincinnati Kid, he wants a game, huh?" "." "He does." "ls he any good?" "." "Come on." "You know he is." "That's the biggest pot yet." "Call the two thou." "Queen high." "Jack high." "Can you beat that?" "." "He just did." "Hello." "Just a moment." "Charlie, it's your office." "Dallas or Tulsa?" "." "Probably both." "How the hell did you know I didn't have the king or the ace?" "." "I recollect a young man putting the same question to Eddie the Dude." ""Son," Eddie told him, "all you paid was the looking price." "Lessons are extra."" "Here, Lancey." "Thank you." "You gonna play the Kid?" "." "There's always a Kid, isn't there?" "." "Yes, there is." "But I think you'll enjoy his game." "I may admire it but if what I heard is true, I doubt I'll enjoy it." "Come on, the tougher the competition, the better you used to like it." "Well, what are we waiting for, Shooter?" "." "Come on." "Let's go." "Deal them up." "Well, I do declare, Christian." "It's that three-river gambling man, the Cincinnati Kid getting himself all shined up." "How they running, Kid?" "." "Fine." "How they running for you?" "." "You'll never guess where we've just been." "Stag movies?" "." "We went to Turkish baths, and we had rubdowns and everything." "Yeah." "You should have been there." "Yeah." "Listen, I heard the big news." "Big news?" "." "Yeah." "Everybody says the Kid's gonna sit down with Lancey Howard." "Some say he's gonna be the man." "Or didn't you know, Christian?" "." "See you around." "Double or nothing." "Call it." "Heads." "You're just not ready for me yet." "Come on." "Let's get something to eat." "I didn't know you were thinking about going home." "When are you going?" "." "There's a bus that leaves tonight." "Unless you wanted me to stay." "Until morning, that is." "Well, are you coming back?" "." "Well, you never even asked me why I was going." "Well, why are you going?" "." "You don't want me around your neck." "Not now, anyways." "Well, I never said that." "You never said anything." "About us." "Listen, Christian after the game I'll be the man." "I'll be the best there is." "People will sit down at the table with you." "Just so they can say they played with the man." "And that's what I'm gonna be, Christian." "I know." "What is it?" "." "Marriage?" "." "I'm all packed." "Six stacks." "Is that right, Shooter?" "." "Six." "Well we've been playing 30 hours." "That rate, 6000, that makes roughly two hundred dollars an hour." "Thanks for the entertainment, gentlemen." "Thank you." "Good night." "I'm particularly grateful to Lancey here." "It's been a rewarding experience to watch a great artist at work." "Thank you for the privilege, sir." "Well, you're quite welcome, son." "A pleasure to meet someone who understands that to the true gambler money is never an end in itself but simply a tool, as language is to thought." "Good evening Mr. Slade." "Good evening, Mr. Howard." "Old Shooter." "I wanna see you tonight, my house." "In about 30 minutes." "Now, look, Slade I can't make it tonight." "I promised my wife" "You can make it, boy." "I'll see you tonight." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Quincy-6859, please." "Good night, Lancey." "Night." "Night, Shooter." "Hi, Kid." "Shooter." "Listen, I told Melba I'd take her with us to the fights tonight, but...." "Well, something's come up." "How about if she'd go with you and Christian?" "." "Christian isn't here." "She's with her folks for a couple of days." "Did Lancey go for it as a game setup?" "." "Yeah." "Just about." "Is it okay if Melba goes with you?" "." "Look, Shooter" "I promised her." "You know how it is." "Well, I'd appreciate it." "Thanks, Kid." "I'll meet you at my place after the fight." "Well, Lancey, are we all set for Monday night?" "." "I can get Lady Fingers to come." "Lady Fingers?" "." "I haven't seen that old bitch...." "Oh, it must be at least 1 0 years." "Long enough to think of her almost fondly." "How's she doing?" "." "She's down." "She busted out in a Vegas faro game." "And I'd like to use her as a relief dealer, if that's okay with you." "Oh, sure." "Sure." "Well, I guess that's it, then, huh?" "." "Eight o'clock Monday." "Apartment 2A at the old Lafayette." "Yes." "And may the best man win." "That's how it usually comes out in the long run." "Oh, Shooter tell me is this young man of yours gonna give me any trouble?" "." "Yeah." "He's gonna give you trouble." "Well, I hope it isn't gonna be one of those marathon games." "Not anymore." "Like the session we had in St. Louis?" "." "Remember?" "." "Sure, sure." "With those hoods from South Chicago?" "." "The longest game I ever played was on the maiden voyage of the Mauretania." "Bishop's Rock to Ambrose Light without a stop." "Six days." "Lancey you have been the man for a long time." "That is undoubtedly true." "But don't let that fool you." "I'm not ready to retire yet." "Thank you." "Hello, Kid." "How are you?" "." "Hey, kids." "Hey, Kid." "Over here!" "I got two seats for you...." "Do we have to sit with them?" "." "Sit where you want to." "Come on, Jessie, move yourself." "Come on there, boy." "Hey, hey." "Hello, Hoban." "Where's the Shooter?" "." "He's working." "Sokal." "Hello, Jessie." "Where's Christian, honey?" "." "She went home to mama." "Didn't she, Kid?" "." "Can't live with them and can't live without them, huh?" "." "Yeah, that's right, Pig." "Don't lose no sweat, Kid." "Mine left me too." "I wonder why." "Who you trying to kid, sister?" "." "Soldier's Gray and Gaffer's Gray!" "Soldier's Gray and Gaffer's Gray!" "Soldier's Gray and Gaffer's Gray!" "Twenty-five and 20!" "Which one?" "." "Soldier's Gray." "All right." "All right." "Get them up." "Get ready." "Come on!" "Let's go out to the car." "Why don't you relax." "You say 25 and 20?" "." "That's right." "To lose." "He's got him." "He's got him." "Looks like you're gonna owe us some money, fat boy." "Don't spend it, baby." "Don't spend it!" "Alice Lee, honey, would you like to freshen up Mr. William's drink a little bit?" "." "A little more bourbon, Mr. William?" "." "Thank you, Mrs. Slade." "Now, you just say when." "When." "That's it." "Thank you kindly, Mrs. Slade." "Honey, why don't you go out to the kitchen and bring us some of those fancy little hors d'oeuvres." "Why, that's exactly what I was about to do, sugar." "I declare, Billy, sometimes I think you got psychic powers." "She's a real lady, Mrs. Slade." "That little gal means more to me than the whole wide world, Shooter." "How's your Melba these days?" "." "Melba?" "." "Well, she's fine." "Just fine." "Yeah, she's a nice girl, Melba." "Girl of quality and taste." "Expensive tastes, I would imagine." "Well, I guess you might say that, yes." "Well, that's as it should be." "That's one of the great feminine characteristics." "Taste for fine things." "Of course, we can't always afford to indulge their tastes." "That's the tragedy of it." "That's when they start to drift away." "You know this game that you're dealing for Lancey and the Kid, you know?" "." "There's an awful lot of interest developing in that game." "Betting interest, that is." "What would you figure the odds to be, Shooter?" "." "Well, I'd say the New York money will probably lay about oh, 8-5 on Lancey." "Personally, I think the Kid's chances are better." "So do I." "So do I." "That's why I'm getting me down a bet." "Big bet." "Well, I don't think I'd wanna bet on it." "The Kid could take him, if he's right, but I'd never bet on it." "Lancey Howard is an old man, Shooter." "He's ready for a fall." "Trouble is that the Kid might be nervous, big game like this." "He may be off his form." "He may need a little help." "You know?" "." "No, I don't." "I don't quite know what you mean." "You're dealing the game, aren't you?" "." "Yes." "I thought as long as I'm going to the trouble of putting a bet down for myself I may as well get one down for you too." "Say in the neighborhood of $25,000?" "." "I could never do anything like that." "Of course you couldn't." "That's why they chose you to give them a fair deal." "It's out of the question, Mr. Slade." "You see...." "If I...." "I tell you, it's just out of the question." "Merci, Emile." "Well, the Kid's not gonna need much help, Shooter." "Maybe two or three hands at the right time." "Oh, Melba would be mighty proud of you if you won yourself $25,000." "No, I'm sorry, Mr. Slade." "Well, I'm sorry too, Shooter, because you leave me no alternative but to remind you of the fact that I'm carrying these markers on you." "Twelve thousand dollars, to be exact." "Those are legitimate markers." "You gave me two years to pay them." "Now, wait a minute." "Just because I'm generous or foolish enough to accept your marker one day doesn't mean I'm gonna recognize it the next." "No, sir, no." "That recognition is null and void if I happen to suddenly realize that you are not of sound mind." "You know when I realized that?" "." "When I saw you hesitate about accepting that $25,000." "That's right, boy." "You just think that over." "Twenty-five thousand, plus 1 2,000 here." "That makes...." "Thirty-seven." "Thirty-seven, if memory serves." "Why are you doing this?" "." "It can't be for money." "It's for my kind of money." "Gut money." "I wanna see that smug old bastard gutted." "Gutted." "Like he gutted you?" "." "Yes, that's right." "That's right." "Hold it." "I'm gonna be" "Lookie here, now, Cora-Anne and Billy-Bob come to say good night to their daddy." "Well, now, my cottontail bunny rabbits." "Come here." "Holler if you need anything, now." "All right." "Do you wanna hear a little bedtime story?" "." "About Shooter's wife, Melba?" "." "All right, now" "I know all those stories." "Well, are you aware of the circumstances on which she left Shreveport, Louisiana?" "." "Yes, I'm aware." "Well, some people don't know the story." "I think they'd enjoy hearing it." "It's a story that deserves to be told." "Now, listen carefully, children." "Once upon a time down in Shreveport, Louisiana there was this bad little girl named Melba Nyle." "Relax." "Shooter will be along." "Why don't you make us a drink." "You know where it is." "All that dust at the pit." "I always feel so dirty after one of those things." "Brings out the best in you, Melba." "What does that funny little country gal bring out in you?" "." "See anything you like?" "." "About the dance, I mean." "Now, don't tell me Shooter's your oldest and best friend." "That's right." "He's mine too, honey." "Next you're gonna say he's like a father to you." "You see what that leaves us." "Yeah." "Yeah?" "." "Oh, hi, sugar." "Well, then you won't be home for a while." "Yeah?" "." "Shooter." "Yeah." "Is the game set?" "." "Eight o'clock Monday, apartment 2A at the old Lafayette." "Old Lafayette." "Yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah, she seemed to have a pretty good time." "Yeah, she's a fun girl." "Yeah." "You bastard!" "I hope you lose." "Thanks, baby." "Day after tomorrow at the old Hotel Lafayette, 8:.00." "Yeah, you better let him know." "They gonna be full up, from what I hear." "Same to you." "You know who that was, Kid?" "." "Jollie from Boston" "You seen Shooter?" "." "No, not today." "Called all the way from Boston." "And Lady Fingers." "Guess you know she's coming." "And Yeller." "There's gonna be a lot of money in town." "Hey, how's it going?" "." "Hoban tell you about Yeller?" "." "Yeah, I was just telling him." "I'll see you later." "Hey, Kid." "Hey, what's wrong?" "." "Jack Doyle's laying 1 2-5 on Lancey." "Jack Doyle." "Now, listen, that's old money." "Conservative money." "That's always on the man." "There's plenty of money on you too." "It's the waiting." "I'm ready now, and I gotta wait." "Don't let the odds rattle you." "That's the worst that can happen." "Stay loose." "Relax." "It's not the odds." "I told you." "It's the wait." "Listen, just relax." "I'll see you later, Shooter." "Hey, Kid!" "Hi, honey." "Hi, Kid." "Hi." "This is a surprise." "Did you come on the bus?" "." "Well, yeah." "I just came by to see how you were doing." "Mama, this is Eric." "How do you do, Mrs. Rudd?" "." "Howdy." "Why don't you sit down, and I'll fix you something." "No, I had something to eat in town." "Come on." "There's some hot biscuits in the warmer." "Come on." "I used to come here and play when I was little." "I'd dream, mostly." "Yeah?" "." "About what?" "." "Oh, just things that little girls dream about." "There was a story I heard about a wishing stone somewhere on the bank of the Mississippi." "And I used to play like this creek was the Mississippi and that rock over there was a wishing stone." "And if I kissed it and made a wish it'd come true." "What was the wish?" "." "Oh, that somebody would come and take me away from here to some big city like New Orleans or Mobile." "Sure was a good dinner, Mrs. Rudd." "Just our usual." "Christian, help your mother with the dishes." "Ma, we got any cards?" "." "Cards?" "." "You know, them playing cards." "We used to have some." "May still be some in that drawer over there." "I don't know how good they are." "Now you can show Papa some of them tricks." "Tricks?" "." "Yeah." "Like you done with that little shoeshine boy." "I best get on with my evening chores." "Oh, please, Papa." "You'll like it." "Pick a card, Mr. Rudd." "Any card you want." "Three of hearts." "Damnedest thing I ever did see." "Hey, you gotta come in and see this one." "Get in here." "Come on, Mama." "This is the best yet." "Come on in here." "You got any idea what time it is?" "." "Come on." "Get over here, get over here." "Come on, Mama." "Come on." "I want you to see this." "Now, you look good." "Show her, Eric." "All right, Mrs. Rudd." "Now, just take a card." "Any card at all." "Don't show it to me." "The three of spades." "Are you playing tonight or just dealing?" "." "Are you playing tonight?" "." "Yes, I'm playing tonight." "I'm playing." "How much you gonna win?" "." "I'll win something." "Don't you worry about it." "Twenty-five years." "I've been building a reputation for 25 years." "My honesty, integrity" "Remember what you said..." "...about cheating yourself?" "." "What are you talking about?" "." "You know what I'm talking about." "Well, I'll tell you one thing." "I'm not gonna give him any help unless he needs it." "Good old honest Shooter." "You know, you remind me more and more of my first husband." "He was a loser too." "Well, I'm no loser." "The Kid could break lucky and stay ahead the whole game, couldn't he?" "." "Well, it could happen, couldn't it?" "." "Sure it could happen." "I mean, be there to see that it does." "Won't you, Shooter?" "." "Take me around the block a couple of times." "You did tell the Kid 8:00, didn't you?" "." "Yes, I did." "Well?" "." "Hello, everybody." "Lady!" "Piggy, Pig, Pig." "Doctor." "Oh, how lovely." "Lady Fingers." "Yeller!" "Good to see you." "Hiya." "Hi, Ho." "Lady Fingers." "You know the missus." "Mrs. Hoban." "Melba." "Sorry I'm late, Shooter." "Lady!" "What do you say, sweetheart?" "." "Lancey Howard." "The man himself." "My pleasure, Lady Fingers." "You don't get around these parts much anymore." "That's true." "I suppose it's more a matter of climate than anything else." "No other reason?" "." "What other reason could there be?" "." "The Cincinnati Kid." "That's what they're saying, Lancey." "You've been scared of the Kid." "Should I be?" "." "Hey, Kid." "He's here." "Damn right." "Hey, you come up slashing, you hear?" "." "Hello, Yeller." "Kill that cat, Kid." "Hello, Kid." "How are you feeling?" "." "Well, I'm feeling great." "And it's good to see you again." "Play him close." "Well..." "..." "let's get started." "Yeah." "Absolutely." "Lancey this is Eric Stoner, the Cincinnati Kid." "Lancey Howard." "I'm glad to know you, Lancey." "My pleasure." "How the town treating you?" "." "New Orleans always been good to me." "Well, that's fine." "Of course, towns do change, though, don't they?" "." "They tell me you're quite a stud player, young man." "Do they?" "." "That's right." "New York, Chicago, Miami." "Oh, I've been hearing about you for a couple of years now." "Yeller there tells me how you gutted him once with a pair of fours." "That's right." "Remember, Kid?" "." "The night you cut me up with the two red fours?" "." "Must have overplayed my hand." "Well, that's a dangerous thing to do." "Well, it depends who you're sitting with, Lancey." "Well, let's play some cards." "Hoban's?" "." "Yeah." "I've already looked around..." "...so if you wanna have a look at things...." "Thanks, Lancey, I think I will." "They come from the New Orleans Bridge Club and they've been bonded by the steward." "I seen him take them right out of the safe himself." "And Shooter, Lady Fingers and me just carried them right here." "Hoban's selling them to us at $5 a pack with the usual guarantee." "If it's proved a deck's been juiced, he pays off the losers." "Who's sitting with us?" "." "The four of us." "Me, Pig, Yeller and Doc Sokal." "lf that's all right with the both of you?" "." "Fine." "Good." "Dead." "Dead." "Now, Kid, what's your game?" "." "Stud poker." "Gentlemen if there are no objections, I'm the dealer." "All right." "These rooms have been contracted for, and the ante will be $1 0 per chair per day." "During the breaks for me, Lady Fingers has agreed to deal." "But she don't care to be a player." "I'm sorry to hear that, Lady Fingers." "You know how much I enjoy your high style of playing." "You got a lot of style yourself, Lancey." "Thank you." "Let's hope it holds out." "Gentlemen, this game is five-card stud poker." "There's no limit." "No string bets." "You can check and raise." "A dead man has one half-hour to raise his roll outside and get back in the game." "Ace, seven, nine, nine, trey." "Dealer guns up a 1 0." "Ace bets." "Ten dollars." "Call the sawbuck." "I'll play." "I'm in." "Off and running." "Dealer folds." "Eight to the ace." "King to the seven." "Queen to the nine." "Pair of nines." "Deuce." "Pair of nines bets." "Double sawbuck." "I don't chase the nines." "Hold." "I fold." "Queen, four, 1 0, king, king and an ace to the man." "Ace bets $25." "And I can't get started." "Call." "Keep dealing." "King folds." "Did you see that?" "." "Shooter folded a king." "Shooter knows what he's doing." "He's a percentage player." "That right, Melba?" "." "That's what they say, Mr. Slade." "Well, he'd better be if he's gonna remain anything at all." "Ten's bet." "Hundred." "Came here to play." "I'm in." "Fold." "Queen to the 1 0s." "Ten." "Pair of fives." "Two and a half." "How much?" "." "Two-fifty." "Make it 500 and see you both run." "Your 5..." "...and up 2." "Another 200." "Thousand." "Two thou--?" "." "Hey, Lancey's out for the quick kill." "My bet." "Your 2000." "Three more." "I'm 2000 light." "No, you're not." "I'll try it." "Five thousand to you, Pig." "Well, that's pretty sweet." "I jack it up and get whipped on both sides." "Lancey?" "." "New deck, please." "He don't chase the Kid nowhere." "Read them and weep, boys." "Aces up." "Thank you, gentlemen." "Be funny if the two champs got cleaned up, huh, Yeller?" "." "Yeah, man." "Absolutely hilarious." "What's the action?" "." "Pig's ahead about a grand the Kid maybe 1 200." "Yeller's up." "Lancey?" "." "Well, the Kid hit him once, and he ain't come back yet." "He'll take out Pig first." "King bets." "This king and my natural rhythm says $20." "Pass." "ln for 20." "Fold." "I'm in." "ln." "Pair of jacks." "Ten." "Jack to the king." "Seven to the queen." "Pair of jacks bets." "Pair of jacks will venture $1 00." "Also." "Man, I'm outside." "I'll up it 200." "Lancey could be laying for him with three jacks." "I'll see the 200." "Pig don't think so." "I'm sticking." "Ten to the jacks." "Possible straight." "Pair of sevens." "Check those sevens." "Likewise." "I'll bet the size of the pot." "Nine hundred and" "Nine hundred and eighty." "Call the 980." "Doc...." "I'll play." "Trey to the jacks." "Busted." "No straight, no flush." "Nine to the sevens." "Jacks bet." "Check." "Pair of sevens says...." "Pair of sevens says 1 500 bucks." "I'll call your 1 500 and raise you 2500." "Twenty-five to you, Pig." "I haven't got it." "How much have you got?" "." "Eleven hundred." "All right." "Then we'll make it 1 1 00." "Five 1 0, 1 4." "Eleven hundred to you, Pig." "No." "I won't call." "Take it easy, Pig." "Deal me out." "You let him fake you out." "Thanks, Lancey." "Thanks a lot." "Not very lucky, is he?" "." "He never has been." "Look, I know it's a little early." "What do you say we take a break?" "." "Yeah, let's go a little while." "Thank you kindly, Melba." "Thank you, dear." "You know, Melba, it always distresses me, a man like Shooter here reaching his middle years and still having no assurance of next week's income." "I know what you mean, Mr. Slade." "Don't you find that kind of disturbing?" "." "Excuse me." "Say, Hoban...." "And Spider Man died kind of slow." "First they took a kidney, then a gallbladder and then they took his whole damn stomach." "You remember Spider Man, don't you?" "." "Who?" "." "Spider Man." "He was about your age." "Yes, yes." "Lady Fingers." "Will you please help me with the food?" "." "He died kind of slow." "Yeah, man, why don't you come on up to Memphis." "Things are hot up there." "Wait." "I'll go with you." "Solid." "Good crowd." "Yeah." "You know, Kid you're the best stud-poker player I've seen in 35 years of action." "Thank you, Lancey." "You know, that was a sweet thing you did to the Pig with those jacks." "You saw that coming, did you?" "." "Yeah, I saw it coming." "Before I raised?" "." "I saw it coming, Lancey." "You ever play down Miami?" "." "Not yet." "Beautiful town." "Lot of loose money around." "You ought to come down sometime." "I might do that." "Gotta have good nerves, though." "You lose the feel of the cards when you have so much action day in and day out." "Unless your nerves can hold." "How are yours, Kid?" "." "They've been worse." "I'm not keeping you from anyone, am I?" "." "No." "Girl, maybe?" "." "No." "No." "Well, don't you have a girl?" "." "Yeah, well, she's out of town right now." "No unpleasantness, I hope." "Well women are a universal problem in our business." "Of course, it's purely an academic question with me now but in looking back, I think it's best not to look for a fixed thing." "Just tie into something nice when you're away from the action and let it wear itself out." "Boys?" "." "How about some food?" "." "Right with you, Shooter." "Well, I'm glad we had this little chat." "I know we can be friends." "Regardless of what happens." "Yeah, that's right, Lancey." "Regardless." "Well, cheers." "It's a whole new deal." "Good hands all around." "Prosperity for everybody." "You haven't lost your touch, Lady Fingers." "You hear Whistlin' Sam's gone, Lancey?" "." "No, I haven't heard." "Yeah." "I had to go down to the morgue to identify him." "He's a little younger than you, isn't he?" "." "Just deal, Lady Fingers." "A deuce to the man." "King, jack...." "Trey." "Busted." "Deuce." "Ace-queen bets...." "What's in the pot?" "." "Four-twenty." "It's yours, Shooter." "Hoban?" "." "You mind shutting those drapes?" "." "There, that makes me about even, gentlemen." "In a game like this, that's a smart place to quit." "If it's all right with all of you, I'll just do the dealing." "Ace-king bets." "Doc you're high." "Ace-king bets." "One moment, please." "Nine hundred and thirty." "You and that damn book." "What are you writing in that book, Sokal?" "." "Nine-thirty to you, Lancey." "What have you got?" "." "It doesn't matter." "If you can call, you can beat." "Ace, king, seven." "Ace, king, 1 0." "How about that mess." "I had them both beat with a pair of fives." "What do you keep betting out for?" "." "The bet was correct." "He should not have called." "He shouldn't have, eh?" "." "Better write yourself a new book, daddy." "Gentlemen I'm wasted." "I'll settle for the 1 700 that I've already lost." "Later." "Gentlemen, I, too, will withdraw." "Well just the two of us, Kid." "Deal them up, Shooter." "Cost you a grand." "Well...." "Compulsory call, Kid." "Two pair, jacks up." "Kings up." "Last card." "Nine to the kings." "Ace." "Pair of aces bets." "Bet the pot, 2700." "Two thousand." "Call." "Last card." "Three sevens." "Two pair, 1 0s and sixes." "Three sevens bets." "Two thousand more." "Take it, Lancey." "I can't beat three sevens." "I'd like to take a break now and sleep." "It's not my place, because I'm winners, but I'm saying it." "Sure, sure." "We'll start again at 5." "All right?" "." "Right." "How's it going, Lancey?" "." "Lady, that young man is a stud-poker-playing son of a" "He's getting to you, huh, Lancey?" "." "No, not yet, he isn't." "I folded winners in that last hand." "That's a hell of a thing to do." "I got so lucky getting that fifth card, I got embarrassed." "You crazy?" "." "That's no way to play poker." "I thought it was time to ask, what are you trying to pull?" "." "Nothing." "What are you talking about?" "." "You, Shooter, man." "You been dealing me cards for an hour." "Like hell l--!" "No, Kid" " No, listen." "Listen, Kid." "Kid." "Even if I was, nobody could spot it." "You know that." "I'm too good a mechanic." "Kid you gotta understand." "This wasn't my idea." "Look, Slade's got the squeeze on me." "Think I wanna deal phony?" "." "Think it don't mean something to me?" "." "With my reputation?" "." "Get this straight." "No fix." "You deal it clean, or I'll blow it." "But Slade won't buy that." "Slade ain't gonna know." "I'm gonna win this game, Shooter." "And I'm gonna win it my way." "And you ride along with it, or you're out." "You're finished." "Okay, Kid." "I wanna leave a call for 4 p.m. sharp." "Yeah." "This is Lancey Howard." "Could you call me in a couple of hours, please?" "." "Thank you." "No, Lady, he hasn't gotten through to me yet." "But he damn well might." "Good afternoon, sir." "It's 4:00." "It's only 25 to 4." "You can stay right where you are." "Melba...." "I came to wake you up." "You are awake, aren't you?" "." "Yeah, I'm awake." "Well?" "." "You're quite a girl, Melba." "Still worried about Shooter?" "." "You wanna get that, honey?" "." "I ordered some coffee." "Christian." "They took a break in the game to get some sleep and Shooter sent me to wake him up." "Well, I guess I'd better get back downstairs." "See you later." "You sure got a great sense of timing, Christian." "Anything happen?" "." "No, Kid paired kings." "Won 1 00." "Eight." "Five." "Queen bet." "What have you got?" "." "Three nines." "Eight will bet 200." "No stay." "New deck, please." "Two hundred." "And up five." "Fold." "Jack." "Eights bet 2000." "I'm not that curious." "Gents, I'm declaring a break." "I don't want a break." "Go on." "Deal the cards." "Same deck is good enough." "No, I'll take a new deck." "All right, all right." "Give him a new deck." "Deal them." "You want them, deal them yourselves." "I'm going to the john." "Gotta get something to eat and take a nap." "If you don't like it, you can both go to hell." "I guess that's it." "Yeah, it looks that way." "How long you wanna take?" "." "Well, let's make it an hour." "Okay with you?" "." "Sure." "You okay?" "." "Sure, sure." "Just a little stiff, that's all." "Slade wants to see you." "There's nothing to talk about." "It'd be a big mistake to think that, Mr. Stoner." "Believe me." "How do you like that steak, Kid?" "." "It's okay." "It's good." "I thought we should get together and see whether we could settle our differences." "What I told the Shooter goes." "You gonna say no before we've even discussed it?" "." "What am I to think?" "." "Are all my arguments gonna be wasted?" "." "Why don't you give the Kid some more salad there, Felix." "No, thanks." "Okay." "We'll skip to the final argument." "Old Shooter's gonna be dealing again when the game starts." "He's gonna give you an occasional helpful card." "You call that an argument?" "." "No, that's a fact." "The argument's leaning over there against the door jamb." "Now, let me give you a fact." "I'm not gonna let it happen." "I'm gonna beat Lancey Howard, Slade." "But I don't need your help to do it." "Let him go, Felix." "What's the matter with you, Shooter?" "." "You don't look too good." "Why not lay down for a while." "You feeling all right?" "." "No, I'm okay." "What are you talking about?" "." "You know." "He's been sick all night." "No, I'm all right." "You should have said something about it." "We got Lady Fingers here, or we can deal ourselves." "I'm fine." "I tell you" "Olean." "Wake up Lady Fingers." "Ask if she's ready." "You ready, Lady Fingers?" "." "As Eddie the Dude said on his deathbed, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."" "I can't persuade myself you have a flush." "I'm gonna pay the price to look at that third nine." "I say the jack isn't there." "My bet." "Up five." "Fold." "The Kid's pushing him now." "Old man's crumbling." "Kid's gonna take him yet." "Eight." "Ten." "Ten bets." "Five hundred." "Deal." "Pot's right." "Queen and two diamonds." "Pair of 1 0s." "Tens bet." "Thousand dollars." "Up 1." "Seventy-five to 50." "He's paired the queens." "Thousand to you, Kid." "I'll just call." "Three diamonds and a possible." "An ace to the 1 0s." "Three thousand dollars." "Three thousand to you, Lance." "I don't think he will fold." "And I don't think he's got the queens." "He's going for the flush." "Reasonable bet." "He's going for the flush." "Kid's got him." "He's going all the way." "Deal the cards." "Nine of diamonds and a possible flush." "Possible straight flush." "The ace of spades." "Two pair." "Two pair bet." "Check to the possible." "One thousand." "He's got the flush." "Call your thousand and raise what I've got in front of me." "Thirty-five hundred." "That ace must have helped you, Kid." "Call your 3500, and I'll raise you 5000." "By God, he's got the jack." "Couldn't have the jack." "He didn't have queens." "He's got the jack of diamonds." "No." "He's trying to buy it." "He's bluffing, ain't he?" "." "Sure he is." "He hasn't got the jack." "The Kid's got him." "Yeah." "The Kid's got him." "The Kid's got him." "You're right." "The Kid's got him." "I got him." "I got the man." "Five thousand to you, Kid." "I'll take your marker, Kid." "I can get the money." "I know you can." "Okay." "Let's see it." "That's 5000 you owe me, Kid." "You still playing, Kid?" "." "No." "I'm through." "You raised him 1 0s on a lousy three flush." "Gets down to what it's all about, doesn't it?" "." "Making the wrong move at the right time." "Is that what it's all about?" "." "Like life, I guess." "You're good, Kid but as long as I'm around, you're second best." "You might as well learn to live with it." "What happened, Kid?" "." "What's the tab for this whole show?" "." "Great play." "You had to do it, didn't you?" "." "You had to go your own way." "Quiet." "Listen, I'm sorry, Kid." "I was wrong." "I had you figured for brains." "You blew it this time, didn't you, boy?" "." "You really blew it." "Hey, Cincinnati." "Come on, man." "Come on." "I'm gonna get you one more time." "Come on, Mr. Gambling-Man." "I can cut you." "I can do it." "Stand up." "Come on, Cincinnati." "Just one more time." "Come on, man." "What you afraid of?" "." "Come on." "You get up here." "Just one more time." "Come on, daddy." "Let's see you cut that." "Come on, Cincinnati." "Let's see you cut it." "Come on." "Come on, Cincinnati." "Let's see you cut that." "You tried too hard, man." "You just ain't ready for me yet." "[english]"