Toward the entrance was a bar, and in the roar of the saloon were two
tables.
"Won't you have a drink, Mark?" asked James.
Mark hesitated.
"Oh, come now, it won't hurt. Two glasses of whisky, John."
"All right, Mr. Carson," said the barkeeper, to whom James was well
known.
James tossed off his glass with the air of an old drinker, but Mark
drank his more slowly.
"There, I know you feel better, Mark."
"Now, John, give me the balls. We'll play a game of billiards."
"All right, sir."
"I'll discount you, Mark," said James, "to give you a fair chance. It is
about the same thing as giving you half the game. Or, if you like, I
will give you seventeen points to start with, and then you will only
have seventeen to make, while I am making thirty-four."
"I like that best."
"Now shall we play for the drinks?"
"We have just had a drink?"
"We'll have another."
"Won't that be too much? I don't want to get drunk."
"Two drinks won't do you any harm. Very well. Now let us string for the
lead."
There is no need of describing the game in detail. Mark was only a
novice, while James could really make three or four points to his one.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67