"Now when it comes to providing a quarter about, they ain't nothing else to draw poker. They'll be the follies for a sitting in the back room if anybody's disposed to play, and they can be nothing right there, did after the game as anybody wants, only it will be legitimate. There's like they ain't nothin' particular to fight about, not now they ain't."
"That's reasonable," said the stranger, "I can be forced, like I said, most any time, but I'd a heap rather know what I'm about, and they always say someplenty liable to happen into a pool where it's just naturally spoken to. What'll just naturally be done to manhandle somebody."
Mr. Linnett had observed, they had had. The matter of the way from which the stranger took money to pay for the drinks he had called for, and he was willing to admit that it would be reasonable to play a game, provided it was recognized that the game should be regarded as a game.  As a preliminary, and with this understanding, they played. No poker player needs to be told that strong personal characteristics, when they exist, are likely to show themselves when a man plays poker, and the stranger undoubtedly had some. 