the kid gestures to lancey to choose his seat. lancey acknowledges the courtesy, glances at the window and picks himself a chair facing away from it.
the shooter acknowledges the compliment with the same sort of gesture. then he begins to deal in his magnificently precise way, pitching each card so that it comes to a stop six inches in front of the player's money and in clear view of everyone at the table.
the shooter deals again.
the second round has been dealt. sokal has a queen-eight, the kid a pair of tens, pig a king- seven, lancey an ace- five. yeller, like the shooter, has folded on the first card. the kid makes the same bet of twenty dollars, and the other three remaining players drop.
lancey puts in his money and so does sokal.
shooter deals another round: an eight of clubs to sokal, a second seven to pig, a ten to lancey.
there is a good deal of suspense hanging on each card as the shooter deals. sokal gets a five of diamonds, and his disappointment is too great to conceal.
lancey is completely calm. pig is shattered, his whole world suddenly blown apart.
the kid, facing the sun, wears his eyeshade. the shooter has resumed the deal and now hands out last cards to sokal, the kid and himself.
it is later in the morning. three players are left in the hand on the last card: yeller with nothing higher than a jack, lancey with a king-queen showing and sokal with an ace- king.
there is around $1,500 in the pot. shooter deals an unhelpful card to lancey's pair of aces, and a nine to the kid's king- queen-ten.
the last bet has been made and there is about $3000 in the pot. lancey exposes his hole card.
there is $2500 in the pot. lancey shows a pair of kings, the kid an ace and three odd cards. the shooter deals a nine to lancey.
it is evening. lady fingers deals a first up card to the two players. the kid gets an eight, lancey a jack.
lady fingers is in the dealer's chair. the two players look pretty weary.
the kid has almost half the money in front of him now, and is playing with increasing assurance and pressure.
the kid shows two jacks and two odd cards; lancey a pair of aces and two odd cards. lancey puts about eight hundred dollars into the pot.
lady fingers deals the ten of diamonds to the kid, giving him a pair, and the ten of hearts to lancey.
lancey pulls in the money while the kid stares at him dumbly. lady fingers riffles the cards.