Chapter One: Dealing the Cards....

Cody and Buck are on an errand for Teaspoon, when a poker game attracts Cody's attention. However, there are more than just poker involved in this game....

"What do you mean it's not here?" The young rider looked furiously at the post manager. "You promised yesterday that the package should be delivered today! I don't believe this", he continued, turning to the other rider who stood calmly by the door."We've been here for two whole days, and all he can do is saying 'it will be here tomorrow'!"
"Take it easy, Cody. If it's not here tomorrow we turn back to Sweetwater and tell Teaspoon. No sense in doing anything today."
Cody threw a irritated glance at the stage manager, who nervously smiled back at the boys.
"I'm sure the package will be here......"
Cody's hand went for his gun. "If you say that one more time...." The manager promptly shut his mouth and with a mumble disappeared behind the counter.
"We better get back to the hotel and tell them we need the rooms one more night."
"What are we going to do now?" Cody complained. "I've never seen a duller town than this, and frankly, half a day would have been enough."
"Why do we have to do anything?" Buck placed his dark eyes upon his restless companion. "Still, if you need to do something, we could tend to the horses if we're to head back to Sweetwater tomorrow."

Cody looked at his friend with disgust. "You don't mean that, do you?" Buck looked back at him with suspicion. "I'm not going with you on another wild goose chase for something to hunt." "Hey, you have to admit it was fun." Cody smiled at the memory: he had persuaded Buck that there must be deer around the town, and maybe they could make some money while waiting. Deerskin and meat gave a pretty good price in these parts. They hadn't found any deer, in fact they hadn't found anything at all, except an old gold digger, who, taking them for thieves, had fired a lot of rock salt after them. Unfortunately he had managed to hit Buck's right arm and grazed it. It was nothing serious, but since it was salt, it gave a good burn. Cody remembered that Buck had had some hard words to say about hunts, but smiled encouragingly: "Come on, it wasn't that bad! At least we didn't die from boredom last night." "No. But we could have been killed."

"You don't mean that, do you?"

While talking the two friends had walked back into town and were passing the saloon when Cody noticed the sign outside. He stopped and grabbed his friend by the arm.
"Hey, look at that. They're going to have a poker game there tonight. " He approached the poster, while Buck reluctantly followed him.
"Look at this, the prize for winning is 200 dollars! Can you imagine that amount of money?"
"No, and I suggest you don't do it either. You don't have a chance to win anything. I've seen the others beat you in poker, in fact you've tried to beat Lou several times and you've lost every single time."
"But that's different. I mean it can't hurt to try one game can it?"
Buck shook his head."It's your money. I'm not interested anyway."
"We can at least watch it for awhile. Besides, we'll need something to eat and this place is as good as anything else" Cody concluded with a smile. He'd never seen a big time poker game before, but he had heard rumors about them. If you were lucky, you could win a fortune in these games, and large games attracted some of the more notorious gamblers in the west. Some gamblers where as famous as the heroes of the plains and well-known generals of the wars. And the combination of wealth and fame always held a special fascination to him, and one day his name would be among those mentioned in history, that he was convinced of.
Buck sighed. Once Cody had an idea in his head it was almost impossible to get him to change his mind. He supposed that it couldn't hurt to watch the game, and as Cody pointed out, they did need to eat somewhere. He had to admit that he was a bit curious himself to these games. He nodded his acceptance.
"You're not really thinking of entering the game, though?" he asked.
Cody shrugged.
"Let's fix the hotel rooms and then we can go and watch the game and get a bite to eat" he said, not forgetting his stomach.

Inside the saloon two men were seated round one of the tables. The saloon had not yet opened and the only other person present was the bartender who was occupied with arranging the tables in the other part of the room. The two men held a quiet discussion. One of them were well-dressed in exclusive style and his serious faces showed the importance of their talk.
"We needed to get the army out of our way by sundown tomorrow. You knew that Barlow."
The other man grew pale and nervously moved his hands.
"How could I know that the old rancher would call in the army 'bout the Indians," he tried to defend himself. If I only knew what it's about, Mr. Dodgson, then perhaps I could....."
"You're being too nosy, Barlow. There's no reason why you should have any more information."
"No, of course not, I just thought...."
"Then don't think. Is there any other way to get them out?"
"The army has set up a post, and are checking every rider to find the troublemaker. We can't get the army to move unless they find him. Their orders are not to upset the Indians more than necessary and to avoid a war if possible. Any movement near the Indian territory will be looked upon and checked..."
The well-dressed slowly lit a cigar and walked towards the partly opened window. He stood there for a while looking out over the street.
"Barlow, come here. Who are those two boys?"
Barlow went up to him.
"Why, they are just two Pony Express Riders from the Sweetwater station. They've been here waiting for a parcel to arrive."
"Pony Express, you say? The Pony Express have some of the best riders in the country, don't they?"
"Yes, I think so. What's this about?"
"I couldn't help hearing that the blond one was interested in our little poker game here tonight. I think that we ought to teach him some more. A young boy like that should get to learn how to play, don't you think?" Mr. Dodgson smiled at the owner.
"I don't follow. What exactly are you going to do?"
"Get the army something to chase. An Express rider will get through the army's net and manage to keep them occupied for a while, my friend." Mr. Dodgson smiled to himself and left the window. "Come on Barlow, we need to make some plans for the evening."

Barlow watched Dodgson leave, and the looked out through the window where the two boys where looking at the window of the town's shop. He suddenly shuddered and left to join Mr. Dodgson.

Later that evening the two riders made their way towards the saloon. It seemed like most of the town was on its feet for this occasion, and the game had clearly attracted attention. There were all sorts of people, high-stakes gamblers in fancy outfits, gunfighters, all hoping to be able to make some extra money either in the game or offering protection to the winners; golddiggers with more gold than common sense. Not to mention people who thought they could get some money out of the event or just interested spectators, like Cody and Buck.

The saloon was one of the larger buildings on the main street, on each side surrounded by houses, leaving only small, dark alleys around. Inside the saloon was divided into two parts, one for the dinner guests with a smaller bar, and then a larger lounge a few steps beneath the restaurant. The lounge had a larger bar and a small stage for occasional performances or shows. A staircase led up to the second floor which held the office and a few smaller rooms that could be used as a hotel if necessary.

Cody and Buck made their way through the crowd standing outside the saloon involved in betting on the outcome of game, and entered the saloon. Cody gazed with interest around him and a broad smile spread on his face. This was better than hanging 'round the hotel doing nothing. He stood still looking , trying to get everything in detail for a note in his journal, and fancying himself as one of the gamblers, when Buck nudged him in the side.
"Let's get something to eat." Cody woke up out of his daydreaming and followed Buck to one of the tables reserved for the restaurant's guests. They placed their orders with a nervous looking man, who presented himself as the owner. Cody made a remark about the profit he would make out of this event, but the man seemed eager to get away, and hurried behind the bar while throwing a nervous look at the two boys. Cody raised an eyebrow to this curious behavior, but then continued his scrutiny of the people gathered on the floor.

" What was the matter with him?" Buck frowned as a loud crash suggested that someone behind the bar had manage to drop a couple of plates.
"Probably nervous about the game."
"I don't know... There's something wrong here."
Cody turned to watch his friend.
"What do you mean 'wrong'? Come on, Buck, there's nothing wrong here!"
Buck threw a quick glance at Cody but refrained from commenting on the matter any further. His suspicion was none the less aroused and he decided to keep an eye out for any disturbance. He had no interest in getting in trouble on a simple errand.

Cody's eye caught a glimpse of a man walking down the stairs and he couldn't help feeling impressed. The man was immaculately dressed in a black well-cut jacket and beneath it he caught a glimpse of a red brocade vest. The man moved self-assuredly around among the gamblers and appeared to be a well-known figure. A perfect image of wealth and fame, he mused to himself, and imagined himself in such an outfit...

"What are you smiling at?" The subtle question and the two plates placed on the tables made him forget the idea of fame and fortune for a while.
"Nothing" he stated and reach over the table to get hold of a knife and fork which where placed in a bucket in the center of the table.
"It must have been interesting, your nothing" Buck smiled at him, "because you where all 'gone'. But then" he added thoughtfully," that is your normal state of mind, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Cody sighed over his friend's lack of, as he thought, imagination, and concentrated on the food with his usual style, not eating as much as devouring it.

Mr. Dodgson greeted a well-known gambler with a smile and a friendly joke, and tipped his hat for some of the young women along the bar before approaching Barlow. He was well-known and in the bright contrast of the red vest and the otherwise black outfit he stood strikingly out from the crowd. Which was his intention; he had always made sure that his, well, less than legal activities, could never be connected to him, to be certain that he would be able to live a life fit for a man of his standard. This last set-back had forced him to act beyond his normal caution, and it was upsetting.
"Don't look so nervous, my friend, he said softly. He lighted a cigar and turned to watch the saloon. "Is he here?" he mumbled silently,while smiling at Mr. Johnson, a large cattle-owner, who had lost quite a lot of cattle during the last months.
"He's just ordered dinner. He's sitting over there with that Indian friend." Barlow nodded in the direction of the two Pony Express riders. "Mr. Dodgson, are you sure this is such a good idea? What if he suspects anything?"
"Barlow, he's an Express rider. They are just kids trying to be somebody. I bet he can't even read. The only thing they know is how to get from one place to another in the fastest possible way. I assure you, he will not be a problem. Besides, what harm is gonna come to him? All he has to do for us is to get from one place to another. Why don't you tend to your business?" he concluded and nodded towards a couple of men waiting to be served at the bar. Barlow threw a nervous glance at the man and the hurried over to his guests. A tall man, who had been standing at the bar during the conversation, raised his head and addressed Dodgson without looking at him.
"Barlow starting to be a problem."
"I know. He's much too nervous. But for now I can handle him and he is of use to me. Therefore, your services are not needed yet."
The man shook his head.
"It's your call" he stated simply and sipped his drink. "What 'bout the rider?" Dodgson sighed.
"How come everyone around me are in such a hurry? Let the boy finish his dinner. Besides, I have a feeling that he doesn't need too much encouragement to enter our little game." He smiled to himself. He had seen many boys like the blond rider sitting across the room. Full of themself, believing they could have anything in the world. He snarled at the thought. He knew this boy would jump at the opportunity he was going to offer him. No boy could fool him, and certainly not this one.
"What about the other one?"
Dodgson turned to look at his hired gun. The man had been employed by him for some time now, and although his loyalty wasn't to be trusted, Dodgson knew that at the present time he was the best man he had in his gang. The man's question had stirred an uneasiness in him. In his experience, any Indian presented a problem. They didn't think or acted like a white man, and that made them unpredictable. This half-breed, he wasn't sure how to handle him. He doubted, however, that he would be as easy as his companion to lure. Besides, he didn't fit into his plans.
"Let's wait and see." was his answer. "If he turns out to be a problem, I believe that we can handle it. I want you to head back to the hide-out and see to it that the men are prepared to take action." The man finished his drink and left the saloon. Mr.Dodgson signed to a shady looking man to approach him.
"Deacon's leaving. I hold you responsible for the security here." The man smiled, showing a toothless mouth.
"That won't be a problem, Mr. Dodgson. You are going through with the plan?"
"Yes. And at any sign of disturbance, I want you to take care of it."
"My men are ready." The man smiled again, and Mr. Dodgson shuddered at the sign of the empty gums and the man's shady appearance.
"That's OK, Tom. Now leave." When the man turned around to go, Dodgson added: "And Tom! I would appreciate if you didn't smile in my presence." Mr. Dodgson sighed and poured himself a drink. One day he would get out of this hell-hole and away from this kind of shady and rugged men. And the Express rider, who by now had finished his meal, would just be a step towards that day.

"Let's go and watch the game." Cody pushed the plate from him and threw the napkin on the table. Buck finished his meal, and looked out over the lounge, where people now gathered around several tables where the poker games had started. The curiosity he had felt earlier that day had diminished, and he wasn't sure he was interested at all. During the years he had developed a certain feeling for when he wasn't welcomed and right now he had that same feeling.
"You're sure you wanna watch?" he asked Cody.
"That's why we came here, right?"
"Well, yes, but it doesn't mean we can't change our minds."
"What's the matter with you? This chance doesn't come often. If a show like this ever came to Sweetwater, I don't think Teaspoon would let us attend anyway, so we better take the chance now. Although, I bet that he has attended quite a few himself. And, maybe we'll learn something." he concluded and rose from the table. Buck hesitated for a moment, then he rose too and followed Cody down to the lounge. Cody stopped and waited for him.
"I knew you wouldn't let me down" he smiled. Then he nodded towards the man that earlier had caught his imagination. "Do you see that man with the red vest? That's what I call a proper outfit for a man of the world. I would look great in that." he stated. Despite his worry Buck smiled at the thought of Cody all dressed up.
"You 'd look a fool." Cody frowned at him.
"You're just jealous" he complained. "And I can see why you should be, it's not everyone that can wear such an outfit with the style it requires." He placed his hands on his belt and smiled self-confidently. Buck laughingly shook his head at his friend's vanity. It had taken some time to getting used to when they first had met, but he knew that behind the boasting there was a true friend.

Cody made his way through the crowd, followed by Buck, until he had reached one of the tables in the middle, where a hushed silence suggested that this game already had reached the higher stakes. He pushed his way forward in order to get a glimpse of the men playing. The game was indeed getting high, to judge by the pile of chips lying in front of the men. Both Cody and Buck stared in amazement at the pile. It was more money than they had ever seen, and this was just one game. A smile spread on Cody's face when he realised what winning that amount could mean. He straightened himself and craned his neck to see if he could get a glimpse of what kind of cards the man closest to him had, when a man next to him forced him back.
"What are you trying to do, boy?" Cody found himself staring into the angry eyes of an older man wearing an old leather jacket that definitely had seen better days.
"Nothing. I just tried to get a better view."
"Better view, he? I bet you were trying to get a glimpse of his cards, that's what I think."
Cody smiled sheepishly, and then he saw Buck standing close to them, prepared to intervene should there be a problem. He discreetly held up his hand, indicating to Buck that there wasn't any problem.
"Sorry, mister. I didn't mean to start any trouble."
The man looked at him with suspicion, but then shooked his head.
"If you're gonna stay out of trouble, young fellow, then stop peeking at cards. One of the gamblers can get the idea that you're out to help someone cheat. If you're caught, it isn't a very nice way to leave town."
"I won't." The man looked sharply at him, then he turned and walked away. Buck went up to Cody, still prepared for trouble.
"What was that all about?" he asked.
"Nothing. I just wanted to see if any one of them held any good cards."
"Are you crazy? They could think that you're trying to ruin the game."
"I made a mistake, that's all." '

At the same time one of the men around the table was forced to give up and with a curse he threw his cards on the table. He took his hat and threw an angry look to the man sitting across the table.
"I should have known better than to sit at the same table than you, Wolcot. One day you're gonna make a mistake when you're cheating, and I hope by God I will be there so I can see you hang."
"Are you accusing me of cheating, Garrick?" The man didn't show any emotions as he calmy leaned back in his chair facing his opponent.
"You know damn well I can't accuse you."
The argument had attracted a lot of attention, and suddenly the two Express riders found themselves in a group of people that followed the argument with interest. Voices were raised in favor of one or the other of the opponents. Buck could feel the tensions in the crowd and for a moment he thought that the argument would end in a fight, when the man with the red vest stepped in.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen! We're trying to run a fair game here. Any accusations of cheating will be dealt with in an orderly manner. Are there any accusations or problems?
The man named Garrick, looked at Dodgson for a second, then he shook his head and left the table.
"There folks! Everything's back to normal!" The crowd left the table except for some spectators that stayed behind.
The man bend down towards Wolcot and added in a whisper:
"You'd better be careful, John. I don't want any trouble here."

Cody had followed the argument with interest. This could be quite an exciting evening after all, as he declared to Buck. Cody, however, failed to notice that his friend wasn't at all as interested as he was, and after watching a few more games Buck told Cody what he thought of it.
"Let's get out of here now. There's nothing to see." Cody looked at him with surprise.
"Go? Why? The games haven't really begun yet. I bet that man will be among the ones making it to the final game." He pointed towards a man with an expensive suit and an air of self-confidence around him, not to mention two exclusive guns strapped to his legs. Buck sighed silently, and cursed himself for not seeing this coming. To get Cody out of here now would take some work, if he could manage it at all.
"I don't care if he wins or loses. I just think it time to leave."
"Don't be a bore" Cody said, as his eye caught the smile of one of the girls from the bar and he tipped his hat as a response and smiled back. She blow him a kiss and giggled, when one of the other men around the bar spun her away from Cody's sight.
"Let's get something to drink." Cody started to move towards the bar before Buck could protest. Buck looked after him and then shooked his head and followed Cody. Making his way through the crowd, he suddenly realised that some men deliberately blocked his way, and he stopped to face them.
"Going to the bar, Indian?" The voice were low, but its intentions where obvious. Another voice added:
"Half-breeds aren't welcomed at poker games. Too much trouble." Buck clenched his fists, and stared at the two men stopping him. They smiled scornfully at him, but then let him pass. He heard them laugh behind his back and decided that this was it. If Cody wanted to stay, that was up to him. He was going to leave. He caught up with Cody at the bar.
"Hey, where did you go? Why don't you get something to drink, you look as if you need it."
"I'm fine. I'm leaving to tend to the horses. You can stay if you like."
"You're sure?" Cody smiled. "That's great! Remind me that I owe you one."
"Just stay out of trouble."
"Trouble? Here? You worry too much." Buck threw a quick glance around the saloon, but then shrugged his shoulders. Cody could get in trouble just crossing the street in Sweetwater, but he also usually got himself out of it just as quickly.
"See you later" he said, and left the saloon. Cody looked after him, but then he noticed the girl again and raised his glass in a salute to her.

Barlow knocked at the office door while looking nervously around. At the answering call, he entered the room. Dodgson sat at the desk with his feet resting on the edge.
"What now, Barlow?"
"The Indian left. I thought you would like to know..."
"So he's gone. Well, that take care of one problem, certainly. Where is the boy?"
"He's flirting with Belle."
"No interest in the finer parts of life, I assume. Well, maybe it's time to introduce him to the fine art of poker, before Belle turns his head around completely. This is going to be easier than I anticipated, Barlow" he said with a sigh. "No challenge at all. What a disappointment." He dropped his feet from the desk and reach for his hat. "It is time I introduced myself to the young man."

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