Tales of Terror and Mystery

The Man with the Watches

           

           "’Gentlemen,’saidI,’areyouawarewhomyouareplayingwith?’

           "’What’sthattoyou?Youmindyourownbusiness!’saidhe,withanoath.

           "’Whoisit,anyway?’askedoneofthedudes.

           "’He’sSparrowMacCoy,themostnotoriouscard-sharperintheStates.’

           "Uphejumpedwithabottleinhishand,butherememberedthathewasundertheflagoftheeffeteOldCountry,wherelawandorderrun,andTammanyhasnopull.Gaolandthegallowswaitforviolenceandmurder,andthere’snoslippingoutbythebackdooronboardanoceanliner.

           "’Proveyourwords,you——!’saidhe.

           "’Iwill!’saidI.’Ifyouwillturnupyourrightshirt-sleevetotheshoulder,IwilleitherprovemywordsorIwilleatthem.’

           "Heturnedwhiteandsaidnotaword.Yousee,Iknewsomethingofhisways,andIwasawareofthatpartofthemechanismwhichheandallsuchsharpersuseconsistsofanelasticdownthearmwithaclipjustabovethewrist.Itisbymeansofthisclipthattheywithdrawfromtheirhandsthecardswhichtheydonotwant,whiletheysubstituteothercardsfromanotherhidingplace.Ireckonedonitbeingthere,anditwas.Hecursedme,slunkoutofthesaloon,andwashardlyseenagainduringthevoyage.Foronce,atanyrate,IgotlevelwithMisterSparrowMacCoy.

           "Buthesoonhadhisrevengeuponme,forwhenitcametoinfluencingmybrotherheoutweighedmeeverytime.EdwardhadkepthimselfstraightinLondonforthefirstfewweeks,andhaddonesomebusinesswithhisAmericanwatches,untilthisvillaincameacrosshispathoncemore.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 187 з 263