poker
tournament to be held in the new rail town of Wolf Creek.
That got Luke’s attention right away. “I’ve
never been to Wolf Creek, where is it?” Luke asked.
The man shrugged a shoulder. “I haven’t been
there myself, but I was told it’s about 75 miles southwest of
Wichita. Everybody has been talking about it. Now that Abilene has
gotten out of the cattle business, they say Wolf Creek will be the
new go to place for herds coming up from Texas.”
Luke nodded, then attempted to grill the man
further, but the man could not add anything different, he had just
heard about the tournament that day from another at the hotel
restaurant.
Luke figured he’d ride on over to Wolf Creek
and see for himself. He did not have a lot of money for a stake but
his objective was to find a way to get into the games.
Now that he was here in Wolf Creek, Luke
wondered if any familiar faces might come to town for the
tournament, if maybe Bill Hickok would show. No one had mentioned
where the man, a known boozer and gambler, had drifted off to,
after leaving Abilene.
Ben Tolliver, the livery owner, grinned when
Luke checked his horse and had asked about the poker tournament.
“All the big saloons here are hosting some of the games,” Ben said.
He eyed Luke, as if sizing him up. “I heard it was a high stakes
affair; too rich for my blood.”
When Luke only nodded, Ben added, “Course
there are other games around town for a lot less money required to
sit in. There’s Asa’s Saloon.” He hesitated for a moment. “I
wouldn’t recommend going there alone. You might check it out during
the light of day.”
Luke then hoofed it over to the Imperial
Hotel and booked a room, then made a stop at Ma’s Café for a
meal.
After eating, Luke walked to The Wolf’s Den
and ordered a beer. He leaned against the bar and studied the
gaming floor. Friendly enough place, two girls circulating, smiling
touching men’s arms and shoulders as they made their rounds. Tables
were abundant; at one table were four seated men engaged in a card
game. It was early yet and Luke figured on checking out the other
places before working his way in on a game. He finished the beer
then walked out.
He made his way to The Lucky Break and stood
before the bar. The big, bearded bartender, Rob Parker, patted the
bar before Luke. “What can I get you?”
“A beer and some information on the
tournament,” Luke replied.
The man nodded, then turned and, grabbing a
mug from a shelf with a beefy hand, stepped to the beer spigot. He
set the full mug before Luke and scooped up the coin Luke had
placed on the bar.
Before Luke could ask anything further, Rob
Parker went right into what everyone but strangers already knew.
“The games start tomorrow night, after all the named gamblers get
into town. It costs one hundred dollars to buy in, which you get
back in chips. If you make it through the first round then you
advance to the next round and so on. Only the best will play in the
finale. With all the big betting going on, it’s sure to
please.”
“Thanks,” Luke said. “That’ll give me time
to get used to the town and play a few hands to sharpen up.” Luke
was somewhat relieved by the games beginning tomorrow night instead
of tonight; that gave him a whole night of gambling to see if he
could win enough to cover the entry fee. After paying expenses, he
had thirty dollars left.
Luke looked around the room while he drank
his beer. It appeared much like the Wolf’s Den, with one low stakes
game going on. He finished the beer then walked on down to Asa’s
Saloon. The liveryman had been right, Luke surmised, the beer was
cheaper and so were the surroundings, including the looks of the
clientele, which did not appear very genteel. Luke figured it would
be wise to do his gambling in the other establishments, where the
stakes were apt to be a little higher and the chance of
confrontations a lot less.
It was after eight that night before Luke
settled into a
tournament to be held in the new rail town of Wolf Creek.
That got Luke’s attention right away. “I’ve
never been to Wolf Creek, where is it?” Luke asked.
The man shrugged a shoulder. “I haven’t been
there myself, but I was told it’s about 75 miles southwest of
Wichita. Everybody has been talking about it. Now that Abilene has
gotten out of the cattle business, they say Wolf Creek will be the
new go to place for herds coming up from Texas.”
Luke nodded, then attempted to grill the man
further, but the man could not add anything different, he had just
heard about the tournament that day from another at the hotel
restaurant.
Luke figured he’d ride on over to Wolf Creek
and see for himself. He did not have a lot of money for a stake but
his objective was to find a way to get into the games.
Now that he was here in Wolf Creek, Luke
wondered if any familiar faces might come to town for the
tournament, if maybe Bill Hickok would show. No one had mentioned
where the man, a known boozer and gambler, had drifted off to,
after leaving Abilene.
Ben Tolliver, the livery owner, grinned when
Luke checked his horse and had asked about the poker tournament.
“All the big saloons here are hosting some of the games,” Ben said.
He eyed Luke, as if sizing him up. “I heard it was a high stakes
affair; too rich for my blood.”
When Luke only nodded, Ben added, “Course
there are other games around town for a lot less money required to
sit in. There’s Asa’s Saloon.” He hesitated for a moment. “I
wouldn’t recommend going there alone. You might check it out during
the light of day.”
Luke then hoofed it over to the Imperial
Hotel and booked a room, then made a stop at Ma’s Café for a
meal.
After eating, Luke walked to The Wolf’s Den
and ordered a beer. He leaned against the bar and studied the
gaming floor. Friendly enough place, two girls circulating, smiling
touching men’s arms and shoulders as they made their rounds. Tables
were abundant; at one table were four seated men engaged in a card
game. It was early yet and Luke figured on checking out the other
places before working his way in on a game. He finished the beer
then walked out.
He made his way to The Lucky Break and stood
before the bar. The big, bearded bartender, Rob Parker, patted the
bar before Luke. “What can I get you?”
“A beer and some information on the
tournament,” Luke replied.
The man nodded, then turned and, grabbing a
mug from a shelf with a beefy hand, stepped to the beer spigot. He
set the full mug before Luke and scooped up the coin Luke had
placed on the bar.
Before Luke could ask anything further, Rob
Parker went right into what everyone but strangers already knew.
“The games start tomorrow night, after all the named gamblers get
into town. It costs one hundred dollars to buy in, which you get
back in chips. If you make it through the first round then you
advance to the next round and so on. Only the best will play in the
finale. With all the big betting going on, it’s sure to
please.”
“Thanks,” Luke said. “That’ll give me time
to get used to the town and play a few hands to sharpen up.” Luke
was somewhat relieved by the games beginning tomorrow night instead
of tonight; that gave him a whole night of gambling to see if he
could win enough to cover the entry fee. After paying expenses, he
had thirty dollars left.
Luke looked around the room while he drank
his beer. It appeared much like the Wolf’s Den, with one low stakes
game going on. He finished the beer then walked on down to Asa’s
Saloon. The liveryman had been right, Luke surmised, the beer was
cheaper and so were the surroundings, including the looks of the
clientele, which did not appear very genteel. Luke figured it would
be wise to do his gambling in the other establishments, where the
stakes were apt to be a little higher and the chance of
confrontations a lot less.
It was after eight that night before Luke
settled into a
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