Ol' Beaucaire wus rich, an' considerable ov a sport; people who hed seed the gurls sed they wus both ov 'em beauties an' Eloise--the white one--hed an independent fortune left her through her mother.

So Kirby, he an' a feller named Carver--a tin-horn--planned it out betwixt 'em ter copper ol' Beaucaire's coin, an' pick up them gurls along with it." "But how cud they do thet ?" "Luck mostly, I reckon, an' Kirby's brains.

The plan wus ter git Beaucaire inter a poker game, ease him 'long a bit, an' then break him, land, niggers, an' all.

They didn't figure this wud be hard, fer he wus a dead game gambler, an' played fer big stakes.

It wus luck though what giv' 'em their chance.