Bill came back with a raise of two hundred, and as the
other covered it he quietly shoved a pistol into his face and observed:
"I am calling the hand that is in your hat!"
[Illustration: HE SHOVED A PISTOL IN THE MAN'S FACE AND SAID "I'M
CALLING THE HAND THAT'S IN YOUR HAT"]
Gathering in the pot with his left hand, he held the pistol with his
right and inquired if any of the players had any objections to offer.
They hastened to reply that they had no objections whatever and we went
away from there.
"Bill," I said, when we were well outside the place, "I had been
noticing that fellow's play right along, but I thought you hadn't. I
was going to get into the game myself if he beat you out of that
money."
"Billy," replied Hickock, "I don't want you ever to learn it, but that
is one of my favorite poker tricks. It always wins against crooked
players."
Not all of the gunmen of the West began straight. Some of them--many,
in fact--were thieves and murderers from the beginning. Such were the
members of the McCandless gang, which Hickock disposed of so
thoroughly. All along the stage route were robbers and man-killers far
more vicious than the Indians. Very early in my career as a
frontiersman I had an encounter with a party of these from which I was
extremely fortunate to escape with my life.
I employed the leisure afforded me by my assignment as an extra rider
in hunting excursions, in which I took a keen delight.
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