When LeighAnn returned to the table; she was holding an unopened package of cards and accompanied by Kitty carrying her cash box. "Gentlemen, I am sorry it took me so long. I ran into Miss Kitty coming back and…"
"And I've decided I would like to join in on the game." Kitty jumped in, watching the dude as she spoke. "Glen, I know you wanted to continue to play but if I know your wife, she's not going to like that idea too well."
Glen nodded and grabbed his hat. "You're right, Miss Kitty. And I surely don't want to sleep in the barn tonight, so I best be going." Standing up, he looked over at LeighAnn. "Young lady, you deal a mighty good hand of cards. Maybe we can do this again some time."
"Maybe." LeighAnn smiled as he turned and walked out.
"Welllll…" Gill stretched and got to his feet as well. "I guess I oughta follow along behind Glen. I ain't got a wife but I do have a farm to run and I ain't gonna be fit to do it if I stay late and lose my earnings." He nodded at Kitty and LeighAnn. "Miss Kitty, as always, you brighten up my day anytime I see you."
"Thank you, Gill." She smiled.
"And young lady," he smiled broadly at LeighAnn. "You're sure a welcome addition to Dodge City. Glad to have ya."
"Thank you, Sir." She smiled with a slight nod of her head.
After Gill left, Kitty moved over to his seat and sat down. "Well then, that leaves just the three of us." She paused. "Unless one of you is quitting too."
"Not me." Tim avowed. "I've only won one game. I plan on winning a lot more."
Kitty looked over at the dude. "I assume you're still in?"
"I shall be sitting at a table with two beautiful women." He grinned. "You couldn't force me out of here."
"Good." Kitty looked over LeighAnn. "LeighAnn, shall we get this game going?"
"Yes, Ma'am." LeighAnn nodded and picked up the box containing a new deck of cards. Removing the seal, she pulled the cards out and began to shuffle.
"You know, the deck of cards we had would've been fine." Jim nodded towards the deck that LeighAnn had pushed aside.
"Maybe." LeighAnn answered. "But then again these new ones will be as well."
Jim said nothing more and merely shrugged as he watched her shuffle the new deck. His thoughts were unreadable.
With nothing more than a glance at Kitty, LeighAnn dealt the first of six games. Tim won the first game. Kitty won the second and the third. Jim said very little but it was obvious to LeighAnn that he was watching Kitty like a hawk. He wanted to know what her weaknesses were. LeighAnn watched it all.
By the time LeighAnn dealt the cards for the fifth game, Tim was ready to quit. Despite his earlier wins, his luck seemed to have turned sour on him and he decided it was time to leave the game while he still had a horse to ride home on. After taking his leave of the table, only two players remained, Kitty and Jim, the dude.
LeighAnn, whose poker face rivaled that of her boss, smiled at the two who now remained at her table. Would you both like to continue or call it?"
Kitty smiled and shrugged. The whole saloon was now watching this game and that had been part of the plan she and LeighAnn had agreed to. Kitty knew that word would get out around town that Kitty Russell was playing poker in the Long Branch and soon a lot of people will be there to watch. And as a result, that word would reach Matt. But she wasn't worried about him. Her concern sat in front of her. "I live here." Kitty answered. "I'm not going any where."
Jim smiled handsomely at first Kitty and then LeighAnn. "Well, maybe." He answered. "Unless I win this place from you." He looked over at LeighAnn. "Please deal, my dear. I'm in."
LeighAnn gave the two a solemn nod, shuffled the cards one more time and then began to deal. Once her cards were dealt, Kitty took a quick look then glanced over at Jim.
Jim stared intently at his cards for a moment then sat back a little in his seat.
"Cards?" LeighAnn inquired.
"I'll take two." Kitty said as she tossed two down and picked up the two that LeighAnn dealt to her.
"I'll take three." Jim stated as he laid down three.
LeighAnn carefully doled out three cards to Jim and then sat back watching the two players. It wasn't hard to tell that Jim suddenly had a change of fortune in his cards. Kitty seemingly had the opposite luck, telling by the tenseness of her expression.
After the bets were placed, met and raised and met, Kitty requested another card, which LeighAnn tossed down on the table in front of her.
Jim studied his cards for several moments before finally requesting one card of his own.
After the final bets were placed and both appeared to be all in, Jim called. He was certain he had the winning hand. He'd watched the Russell woman and he was positive she had a losing hand. Her face may have been expressionless but he saw other signs.
With a graceful shrug of her shoulders, Kitty smiled as she laid her cards down and then looked over at Jim.
So confident that he won, Jim was about to toss his cards onto hers with a jubilant shout until he took another careful look at the placards Kitty had laid down. A royal flush, spades.
"That's not possible." Jim sat back, stunned at what he was seeing. "That can't be! I… I know that can't be. You can't have had cards that good."
"Oh?" Kitty arched a brow at him. "And uh… how would you know? I never showed you my hand. You never saw the cards I tossed or the ones I picked up. So what made you think I had a losing hand?"
"I…" Jim shook his head as he violently tossed his cards onto the table and suddenly rose to his feet. "It doesn't matter does it, Miss Russell? I lost everything I had and although I don't know how, I suspect you two are responsible for it. "
"You're right." LeighAnn spoke up with a steely-eyed glare at the gambler. "You did lose, sir. And were I you, I'd leave before I lost more than money."
"I'm leaving." He growled. "I'm leaving." Grabbing his hat and cramming it on his head, he turned and tromped angrily from the saloon.
As he exited, he ran straight into Matt Dillon who was coming in, having heard the reports of Kitty playing poker.
Jim looked at Matt and then his badge. "Too late. I'm leaving. But if you have to arrest someone, go for that red head in there." He snarled as he moved past Matt and out onto the boardwalk.
TBC
