in the corner where a lone gambler played against the dealer. A large pile of gold and silver was growing steadily at his side. The cards fell one by one in his favor inciting hoots and hollers from the crowd. The dealer’s brow poured with sweat and murmurs of ‘the Suicide table’ rippled through the smoke filled air. The name was in reference to an infamous faro table where more than one gambler had won big, lost it all then taken a gun to his head.
The saloon owner pushed his way through the throng. At his approach the gambler looked up from his play.
“Why, as I live and breathe, is that you Devlin Winter?”
Devlin smiled. “Orndorff, It’s a pleasure”
Orrndorff glanced at the dealer. “Are you aware sir of the notorious reputation of this table?”
Devlin puffed on his cheroot. “So far, this table has brought me nothing but luck, fifty thousand dollars of it.”
“You are on one of your cursed winning streaks and trying to bankrupt me, I see.”
Devlin laughed as Orrndorff grimaced and left.
He won one more round, then scooped his winnings into a black leather satchel and pushed a stack of silver over to the dealer, before he rose from the table.
The crowd around him grumbled and gasped. Words like ‘ he ain’t quittin’ and ‘ his luck’s run out’ , were tossed about.
Devlin walked over to the saloon owner and clamped him on the shoulder. “The way I see it, you owe me a drink,” he said.
Orndorff smiled and led them to a private table in the corner of the saloon and ordered drinks. Devlin looked around.
“Very fine place you have here with all the chandeliers and that gilt mirror over the bar. This is sure a far cry from that riverboat, The Lady Luck out of Natchez in ’48. You’ve done well for yourself, Jim.”
Orndorff smiled. “She was a sight to behold, full of some of the most disreputable scoundrels and ner-do wells ever to congregate in one place at the same time.”
A waiter brought brandy and the men made a toast to each other. Then Orndorff leaned towards Devlin his tone serious. “I would not presume to know your business, Winter, but the word on the streets of this fair city have linked you with The Gilded Bird mine…”
“That is correct. What precisely have you heard?” Devlin asked.
“Just that you are the new owner and that you won her in a card game with Anderson just before he put a gun to his head.” Orndorff moved closer. “Are you aware of the rumors about that mine? That many a smart man has stayed clear of her?”
Devlin gave him a half smile.
“Well, I just happen to be going down into that mine tomorrow, and yes I’ve heard it all, the curse the cave ins - don’t tell me you are superstitious?”
Before the saloon owner could answer the barkeep came over and whispered in his ear. Orndorff looked annoyed. “My apologies…” He stopped as the crowd parted to reveal the corpulent figure of Big Jim Diamond. He was headed straight for their table.
“Evening Orndorff,” Big Jim said. His voice boomed across the noise of the saloon. His small eyes darted towards Devlin.
“Evening to you, Sir. Have you come for the match tonight?”
Big Jim nodded. He continued to stare at Devlin. “That and to meet the gambler everyone’s talking about, the one who just won big at the ‘Suicide Table’.”
Orndorff glanced at Devlin. “Why you’re in luck Sir, meet Devlin Winter. Winter, this is Big Jim Diamond.”
Devlin now leaned back in his chair as if to take measure of the man that stood before him. A current of energy pulsed between himself and Big Jim.
“Evening,” he said.
“I want to speak to you in private, Winter,” Big Jim said.
Ordorff shifted in his seat. He took out his gold watch and looked at it. “I will leave you gentlemen to your business I have to check on things in the back room.”
After Ordorff left Big Jim sat down opposite Devlin. He puffed on his fat cigar.
Devlin smiled. “Well, don’t keep me
The saloon owner pushed his way through the throng. At his approach the gambler looked up from his play.
“Why, as I live and breathe, is that you Devlin Winter?”
Devlin smiled. “Orndorff, It’s a pleasure”
Orrndorff glanced at the dealer. “Are you aware sir of the notorious reputation of this table?”
Devlin puffed on his cheroot. “So far, this table has brought me nothing but luck, fifty thousand dollars of it.”
“You are on one of your cursed winning streaks and trying to bankrupt me, I see.”
Devlin laughed as Orrndorff grimaced and left.
He won one more round, then scooped his winnings into a black leather satchel and pushed a stack of silver over to the dealer, before he rose from the table.
The crowd around him grumbled and gasped. Words like ‘ he ain’t quittin’ and ‘ his luck’s run out’ , were tossed about.
Devlin walked over to the saloon owner and clamped him on the shoulder. “The way I see it, you owe me a drink,” he said.
Orndorff smiled and led them to a private table in the corner of the saloon and ordered drinks. Devlin looked around.
“Very fine place you have here with all the chandeliers and that gilt mirror over the bar. This is sure a far cry from that riverboat, The Lady Luck out of Natchez in ’48. You’ve done well for yourself, Jim.”
Orndorff smiled. “She was a sight to behold, full of some of the most disreputable scoundrels and ner-do wells ever to congregate in one place at the same time.”
A waiter brought brandy and the men made a toast to each other. Then Orndorff leaned towards Devlin his tone serious. “I would not presume to know your business, Winter, but the word on the streets of this fair city have linked you with The Gilded Bird mine…”
“That is correct. What precisely have you heard?” Devlin asked.
“Just that you are the new owner and that you won her in a card game with Anderson just before he put a gun to his head.” Orndorff moved closer. “Are you aware of the rumors about that mine? That many a smart man has stayed clear of her?”
Devlin gave him a half smile.
“Well, I just happen to be going down into that mine tomorrow, and yes I’ve heard it all, the curse the cave ins - don’t tell me you are superstitious?”
Before the saloon owner could answer the barkeep came over and whispered in his ear. Orndorff looked annoyed. “My apologies…” He stopped as the crowd parted to reveal the corpulent figure of Big Jim Diamond. He was headed straight for their table.
“Evening Orndorff,” Big Jim said. His voice boomed across the noise of the saloon. His small eyes darted towards Devlin.
“Evening to you, Sir. Have you come for the match tonight?”
Big Jim nodded. He continued to stare at Devlin. “That and to meet the gambler everyone’s talking about, the one who just won big at the ‘Suicide Table’.”
Orndorff glanced at Devlin. “Why you’re in luck Sir, meet Devlin Winter. Winter, this is Big Jim Diamond.”
Devlin now leaned back in his chair as if to take measure of the man that stood before him. A current of energy pulsed between himself and Big Jim.
“Evening,” he said.
“I want to speak to you in private, Winter,” Big Jim said.
Ordorff shifted in his seat. He took out his gold watch and looked at it. “I will leave you gentlemen to your business I have to check on things in the back room.”
After Ordorff left Big Jim sat down opposite Devlin. He puffed on his fat cigar.
Devlin smiled. “Well, don’t keep me
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