Mississippi Raider (19 page)

On sitting down and studying the way in
which the game was being conducted with the eye of a professional
well-versed in such matters, Brambile concluded that Jacques and
Hunt had either been fortunate not to have had anybody else as
knowledgeable as himself among their patrons or succeeded in
keeping silent those who were. He only needed one glance at the box
from which the cards were being passed out to know he was not in an
honest game. Just large enough to hold a full deck of cards, it had
a slot in front to allow the dealing of individual cards—apparently
one at a time—by a push through a small hole in the top that
permitted only a small portion of the back of the one uppermost to
be seen. While this ruled out the use of marked cards, as the
secret symbols that were needed for the purposes of identification
of suit and denomination could not have been seen, he knew they
were unnecessary under the circumstances.

From experience acquired elsewhere, the
gambler was aware that such open and aboveboard manipulation was
not the purpose of the box in use at the table. There was only a
hole large enough for a finger to enter. Furthermore, having
examined a number of similarly manufactured devices, he was aware
that its operation was achieved by pressure on a tiny unnoticeable
button that narrowed or widened the slot so either one or two cards
at a time could be emitted.

The employment of such a
“brace” or “screw”
box, as the device was known, could be achieved only by using “Sand
Tell” or similarly prepared cards wherein the higher denominations
were roughened a trifle on the faces and the lower at the back.
When both surfaces that were “sanded” came into flush contact, they
could easily be caused to stick together by pressure on the
uppermost. Therefore, if the dealer did not want a high or a low
denomination to appear next, he only needed to press on the top
card and the different widths of the slot allowed him to send out
one or two as was required. Since other varieties of bets were
available, the use of the contraption did not mean the patrons had
no chance of winning. On the other hand, once again the percentages
in favor of the house ensured that it received a consistent level
of advantage that was enhanced by the cheating being carried
out.

By placing his bets on the
layout in a seemingly erratic fashion, Brambile ensured that he
maintained steady losses augmented by doubling the amount wagered
each time the bet failed. At his side, Belle was playing her part
as the inept
“Magnolia” with a skill he admired, and she too was a
winner only on rare occasions. He was amused and impressed by the
way in which she conducted a test that she had never mentioned to
him. They were seated next to the dealing box, and when he was
asked after joining the game to shuffle the deck about to be put
into use, she contrived to scan the backs of the cards he let slide
from his seemingly clumsy hands through the magnifying lens at the
front of the locket she was wearing. She did this in such a fashion
that even a person suspicious of her intentions might not have
noticed she had opened the front before manipulating the device in
a seemingly casual fashion. However, as there were no secret
indications of denomination and suit, he knew her attempts were in
vain.

After about ten minutes of play, during
which she displayed a well-simulated growing annoyance at
consistently being a loser, Belle received the signal from Brambile
that told her she must commence the next part of the scheme.

“
Third-honey!” the girl screeched on receiving the brief nod
of the head from the gambler that informed her she was required to
carry on with the scheme, at the same time thrusting back her chair
and coming to her feet. As she intended, her voice was pitched so
it would carry to every corner of the big room. “I do believe we’re
being
cheated!”

Instantly, a silence that could almost be
felt descended over the people present.

It
was obvious from the response to the
declaration by Belle Boyd that the two owners of the gambling house
and their staff were prepared to deal with the kind of situation
her words threatened to provoke.

However, although the girl was not yet aware
of the fact, her misgivings over the presence of Roxanne
Fortescue-Smethers were needless.

In fact, the red-haired Englishwoman was
about to prove herself a useful ally.

At the other end of the long faro table,
Roxanne was feeling a surge of relief as she watched what was
happening. Keeping the promise he had made when agreeing to supply
the instruction, Captain Anatol de-Farge had not told her or
anybody else why Belle had been receiving lessons in the
less-than-fair handling of a sword. Thinking about the matter, the
redhead had concluded that it had something to do with the girl
intending to avenge the murder of her parents. While it had come as
a surprise to see Belle arrive at the gambling house dressed and
behaving in such an untypical fashion, Roxanne had felt the reason
might prove beneficial to the purpose for which she had come.

A matter of family honor
affecting her employer, for whom she had such a great liking and
respect that she had not hesitated before agreeing when asked to
render the assistance he requested, was responsible for the
redhead
’s
being present. Phillipe de-Farge was among those officers who had
transferred allegiance at the approach of open hostilities between
the Southern and Northern states by going to serve as a lieutenant
in the Army of what soon became called the Johnny Rebs. Posted to
the staff of the commanding general in Atlanta, he had fallen so
deeply into debt as a result of playing various games of chance at
the gambling house operated by Martin Jacques and David Hunt that
he had committed suicide.

Having read the letter the
young lieutenant wrote to his parents just before shooting himself,
Anatol de-Farge had been convinced there was more than just the
repayment of the money. He had always had a liking for Phillipe,
and being aware of the pride the other had always shown for the
military career, he had concluded that the deed was done to avoid
being compelled to deliver secrets that would be detrimental to the
Confederate States
’ cause. Being just as loyal to the South, he had sworn he
would find out whether the supposition was correct. Furthermore,
the family’s French-Creole code of honor— to which Anatol adhered
as strictly as any of the others, regardless of his way of
life—demanded that some action be taken to lessen the stigma of
suicide. Therefore, he had been determined to find out the truth of
the matter and take revenge on the pair whether his suppositions
proved correct or the debt had been incurred as a result of
cheating.

As far as Anatol de-Farge knew, his path had
never crossed that of either Jacques or Hunt. However, he was aware
that men of the kind he suspected them to be frequently changed
their names. Even if this did not apply, he had been successful in
one affair of honor that aroused much interest and was brought to
public attention during an earlier visit to Atlanta. Therefore,
because he was sufficiently well known as a gambler and a duelist
to make it unlikely he could pass unrecognized at the gambling
house, and in all probability his connection with his cousin would
be remembered.

With those contingencies in
mind, de-Farge had brought Roxanne—the one of his female employees
he considered the most intelligent, very trustworthy because of the
close relationship that had developed between them, and possessed
of the courage necessary for doing what was required—with him to
Atlanta. Staying with friends he knew could be relied on not to let
his presence in the city become known, he had had the redhead dress
in a suitable fashion and provided sufficient money to aid her pose
of being a very successful—as Joseph Brambile had thought of
her—
”lady of
the evening” who liked to use her earnings for gambling. She had
come to the gambling house to carry out a reconnaissance and, if
possible, to find out whether he could pay a visit without having
his true identity exposed.

How
successful
ly
Roxanne had played the part was shown when, on her arrival, she was
taken into the partners’ private office and subjected to
questioning about matters that did not pertain to gambling. Jacques
had started by wanting to know where she came from, and her reply
was that she was visiting Atlanta to decide whether to move there,
as she was getting tired of working in Charleston. Asked if she had
come to their place in search of clients, showing the contents of
her well-filled reticule, she had stated that her only interest was
in trying her luck at one or other of their games. They had said
they had no objections to this being done, and Hunt warned that
they would expect twenty-five percent of any money she was to
receive if she should change her mind and take one of the customers
to participate in her line of business. Saying the contingency was
remote, she had agreed to do as was demanded.

The arrival of Belle and the elderly-looking
man had come as something of a shock to the redhead. While she
could not imagine why the beautiful Southern girl was dressed and
behaving in such an untypical fashion, she had felt sure that it
was not for the obvious reason. However, concluding that Belle had
not become a prostitute and might not even be pretending to be one,
she had decided against going over and satisfying her curiosity by
suggesting that they were acquainted on that account. Realizing
that the girl must be experiencing the same kind of consternation
that she had felt, she had derived a little amusement at seeing the
overt glances directed her way and the response when she was caught
doing the same.

Hearing the statement made by
the girl and seeing the response it was eliciting, Roxanne realized
that the playacting had been leading up to it for some reason.
While unable to guess what this might be, she decided that she
might serve her own and de-Farge
’s ends by helping out. She had a Henry
Derringer pistol loaded, the necessary percussion cap ready for
detonation, in her reticule; but it held only a single shot and she
had another weapon available that she would be able to use more
than once if the need arose, and she felt certain it would.
Nevertheless, she refused to let herself be deterred by the danger.
In addition to the liking she had formed toward the girl, who could
almost certainly have beaten her using savate and had willingly
engaged in putting on a show instead of doing so—also insisted upon
her keeping all of the gratuities that the enthusiastic audience
donated in spite of its deliberately brought about “indecisive”
conclusion—she felt sure de-Farge would not approve if she failed
to play a part in whatever was to come.

~*~

Exchanging angry glances, Martin Jacques and
David Hunt started to stalk toward the main faro table. Without
needing to be instructed, a couple of the burly bouncers started to
converge on their employers and the rest began to watch the other
players for any sign of taking undue interest in what had been
claimed. Stiffening slightly, knowing what was expected of him in
such circumstances, the dealer for the game of faro accused of
cheating was aware that an examination of the screw box would
probably be demanded by the other players and anybody with a
knowledge of such things would realize its purpose made the claim
valid. Therefore, he prepared to carry out his instructions by
exchanging it for one that was identical except for being
constructed without the embellishments needed for cheating.

“
I
must ask you to keep control of your worn—!” the bulkier of the
pair began, all trace of amiability having left his
face.

The words came to an end as Jacques and his
companion saw—and were amazed more than puzzled—by what Belle was
doing.

The girl had decided against
having a handbag of any kind with her, and the nature of her attire
had prevented her from bringing even a weapon as small as a
Derringer single-shot pistol or one of its many copies manufactured
with ease of concealability in mind. However, the omission did not
mean she was without adequate means of defending herself. She had,
in fact, come prepared for the contingency that she knew would
arise once her companion was satisfied that cheating was taking
place and she announced this in the way she had done. Nor was she
placing her reliance solely on the bracelet
with the sharpened section of
its rim given to her by Captain Anatol de-Farge as a means of
defensive or offensive action. She had been warned of the risks
that would be entailed, but was counting on the element of surprise
giving her an opportunity she intended to make the most
of.

Grasping the dainty and
fragile-looking parasol at the top of the rolled canopy in her left
hand, Belle did not intend to make use of its special function for
the moment. Nevertheless, despite realizing that she must carry out
her other idea to provide the effect she desired, she found forcing
herself with more effort than she had anticipated would be needed
when planning for such a contingency. What she intended to do was
something that her upbringing came close to revolting against.
However, she steeled her resolve by recollecting that she had
permitted herself to be stripped to the waist while supposedly
fighting with Roxanne Fortescue-Smethers in the ring at Captain
Anatol de-Farge
’s gambling house near Baton Bayou— where there were men
who might have recognized her despite the change of hair color and
if the mask she wore had been displaced—for a far less important
reason than the serious business she was engaged upon this night.
Sucking in a quick breath, she compelled herself to use her right
hand to give a sharp tug at the waistband of her crinoline dress.
Doing so proved this to be a garment in two portions. As was
intended and had always happened when she practiced the move before
a full-length mirror in the privacy of her room at Rose Green-how’s
home, the hem of the skirt opened.