Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-13
CHAPTER VII.

EUCHRE AND SOME ACcoMPANIMENTs.
Colonel Dallas entered by one door, jus
as a servant girl came in by another, bring.
ing the cards of Victor Leroyd and Jonas
Pootle. The Colonel took the bits of paste.
board, and held them, while reading the
names, like the remnant of hand of play
ing cards. He told the maid to show the
gentlemen in, and they were in the room
instantly by Winston Dallas The ex-
change of greetings had real and simulated
cordiality. There was a jumble of pur-
poses. Victor and MAY had during the
week become good friends. They had done
some horseback riding in company; they
had gone together in a yachting party on
the Shrewsbury; they had disported daily in
the surf; and their acquaintance had pro-
gressed with summer rapidity into
good fellowship. Mr.. Pootle and
the Widow Gansett had played at
pursuit and elusion, for she seemed to i'm
bibe from the Dallasses spirit of fraud
which melted her to let the old chap fool
himself, and yet she was restrained by what
the Colonel contemptuously regarded as
very senseless honesty. The Colonel had
not been deeply interested in the matter
nor engrossed in the merely casual winning
cards, for that was in the nature of ordinary
business. His mind was on the heiress,
and he watched the doings of May, Victor
and Winston as closely and imperturbably
as though dealing faro. In his frank COM
munings with himself, he had said that the
cards seemed to be running his way, and
that the last turn would leave the prize on
his side of the layout; and in outspoken
words of instruction. reproof and encourage
ment to Winston he had called him a stool
pigeon for the game; but to the others, includ-
ing Sheeba, he was seemingly unintertional.
Never had he been more mannerly than to
Victor, May and Pootle, and they accepted
him as an uncommonly impressive gentle
man. To Sheeba he was alarming, because
for the first time he was not confidential with
her. Winston Dallas had been much with
Nav, and even familiarly, as members of
the same household. He was a good ex-
ample of the trivial beau of a summer re-
sort, and therefore diverting, if not cap
tivating, to school girl unacquainted with
such products of civilization.
Colonel Dallas decided that the morning
should be devoted to immediate results,
however moderate, and he soon had Mr..
Pootle and Victor placed with himself and
Winston at a mild game of euchre on the
shaded rear verandah, leaving the ladies in
side the parlor, but within conversational
distance through the widely opened doors.
The stakes were only dollar corner, sed-
ulously concealed from the feminine eyes.
The Colonel was no idler in his profession,
and while engaged on masterpieces of pred
atory art he was willing to fill the odd times
with potboilers.
"Really, 1 an so bungling at cards." he
remarked, as he shuffled the pack and dealt
clumsily, "that 1 almost envy the handi-
ness of professional gambler"
Then there was 81 pass" from Winston,
'I'll assist" from Victor, ''I'll play it
alone" from his partner, the Colonel, and
that left Victor out of the game long enough
to slip into the parlor where May was still
painting.
"That is as pretty leaf as nature ever
made" Sheeba was saying in praise of
May's work.
"Your are an amiable critic" May re-
sponded.
''The beauty of the plant is there, GER
tainly," said Victor, with maladroit sin
cerity, although botanist might regard
the leaf as rather unique"
you've made your FOUR" was heard from
Winston, at the game, and the then, too,
Joined the group inside.
"You are less blind to my bad art" re-
marked May archly to Victor.
"Who says it is bad?" Winston inter-
posed; ''it is altogether and superlative-
ly good. See that bee. 1t is gone. But
it was about to alight on the painted leaf"
80, thank you"
'Young gentlemen" the Colonel called,
"come back to your game"
obedience was yielded little reluctant
ly. Shortly afterward the voice of Mr..
Pootle was raised
''Amelia," he said, in his boisterous tone
Of heartiness; 81 say, Amelia!'
"Yes, Mr.. Pootle," responded the Widow
Gansett, with a nervous start, "if you mean
me. But my name is Gertrude.
amelia Gertrude-you remember what
ine hand you used to play at whist?"
"Ye-ye-yes."
''Then you have lost your skill" May re-
marked, "for can beat you-half trying"
"And how I used to vow that the mole on
your left wrist -" Mr.. Pootle shouted