and want his fifty per cent. But if there's one thing in which I'm a specialist, it's gambling. I know the games and I've got the temperament. And I know when to quit. I don't always do it but, with a bigger stake in sight, like we have, I'll cash in pronto when the time comes.
"Give me a hundred and fifty of that roll. That leaves forty-three to split three ways for ex's. Five hundred 'll see us through. And I'll have that for us inside of two hours. I'll play faro, case cards only."
"And we look on like the kids houtside the circus?" interjected Lefty, speaking for the first time since they had boarded the train. "Not for mine. Long as that's hall we got. Split the pile in three. Call it sixty apiece and spend the hodd thirteen for drinks. My throat's forgot the taste of booze. Thirteen's unlucky, hanyway. I've bucked the tiger a bit myself. Win or lose, I like to do it first-hand."
Stone felt himself subscribing to these sentiments. Healy had deliberately misled them as to his success in getting a loan. Stone had naturally not asked further particulars when Healy had announced, after the signing of the papers, that he had "seen his friend." He had forced them to go to Mexicali but from there on Stone resolved they should have a show-down. He did not intend to be led around by Healy's whims like a pig with a ring in his nose. Neither, he was sure, did Lefty. This once it did not matter. He had gambled himself and learned a little very costly wisdom concerning the vagaries of the green cloth.
