The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-06-07
PRICE 5 CEN rs

PRICE 5 CEN rs
pose, It's an awkward thing for q few
! subaiterns to bring such q charge against
q senior major of twenty years service.
But the chief shall be warned and he
may take such steps as he thinks best.
It's been going on too long, and tonight
should finish it for good and ALL
80 that night we We're all in the colo
nclS room, when the card table was push
ed forward and the two seniors sat down
to their ecarte as usual. We others sat
around the fire with q keen eve on the
players The coloDel's face was about two
Shades redder than usual and his stir
h;ilr bllStled up, as it would when he was
angry. Austen, too, look 1ulfled It was
clear that he had told the chief, and that
the chief had not taken it very sweetIy,
What noints?" asked the major.
Pound q game, as before"
Pound a trick il you like" suggested
the major.
Very good. A pound a trick" The
chief put on his pincenez and shot a keen
questioning glance at his antagonist. The
major shufiled and pushed the cards oyer
to be cut.
The first three games were fairly even.
The major held the better cards but tha
chief played the finer game The fourth
game and deal had come round to the ma
jon again. and as he laid the pack down
he spread his elbows out so as to screen
his hands from us. Austen gave his
neighbor nudge and we all craned orr
necks. A hand Whisled over the pacl1ssnd
Peterkin smiled.
The chief played a knava and the major
took it with queen. AS he put forward
his hand to pick up the trick the colonel
sprang suddenly out Of his chair with an
oath.
Lift up your sleeve, sir" he cried; ''by
G., you have a card under itv'
The major had sprung up also, and his
CHAIR topped backwards onto the floor.
We were all on our feet, but neither of
the men had a Thought for US The colonel
leaned forward with his thick red finger
upon q card which lay face doWnwarda
upon the table. The major stood perfectly
composed, but trifle paler than usual
Il observe that there was card there,
sir" said he, but surely you do not mean
to insnuate that
The colonel threw his hand down
upon the table
TITS not the first time" said he.
DO you imagine that 7 would take an
unfair advantage of you?"
why, saw you slip that card from the
pack-saw 1t with my own eyes
You ShoIld have known me better
after twenty years. said Major Firing
ton gently. II say, sir, you should have
known me better and that you should
have heon less ready to come to such u
conclusion. I have the honor to wish YOU
GOOD e evening. sir, he bowed very gravcly
S9d coidiy and Yglked from the room.
rated ted the c J1 rl f li one Mite recess
7 gfI1cr
coffee, We're opened, and she stepped
through. She had not q thought for any
of us, but walked straight up to her
father.
81 couIdn's help hearing you. dad"
said she. II am sure that you have done
him a cruel Injustice"
Il have done him no injustice. Captain
Austen, you were watching. You will bear
me out"
Yes. sir. I saw the whole affair. I not
only saw the card taken but saw which
it was that he discarded from his hand.
Tt was this one" He leaned forward and
turned up the top card.
THAT one.' shouted the chief; why,
that 5 the king OF unmps."
so it is"
''Dut who in his senses would discard
the king of tlumps; what did he eX-
change? He turned up the card on the
table. 1t was an eight He WhisiIed and
passed his fingers through his hair.
He weakened his hand" said he,
what was the meaning of that?"
Tho meaning is that he was trying to
lose. dad"
Upon my word. sir now that I come
to think Of 1t. L am convinced that Miss
Lowell is perfectly correct said Captain
Austen. "That would explain why he
suggested high points. why he played
such q vie game. and why, when he
found that he had such good cards in his
hand that he could not help winning, he
thought himself justified III getting rid OF
some of them For some reason or other
he was trying TO lose"
Good Iord!' groaned E7le colonel,
''what can say to put matters straight?'
and he made for the door
And SO our little scandal IN the CarEs
biniers was brought to an honorable end
ing, for all came out as 1t had been sur
missed. Ever since the C0lOncl'S financial
misfOTtuneS his comrades one thought had
been to convey help to him, bat finding ID
absolutely impossible to do 1t directly.
he had tried il by means Of the card table.
Finding his efforts continually foiied by
the run Of good cards IN his hands he had
broken our usual calm by his clumsy
attempts to weaken himself. However,
American railway DOHtS are up ~ .
noW owing to lhe proyidential death OF
the American millionaire, ana
the colonel Is no longer In
need of any mans help. The major
soon forgave him for his mistake and for
n time we hoped that Violet would have
| been the pledge of rrcOnciiati0n-and no
match would have been more popular IN
! the rpciinent--but she destroyed the SYM
metry of things by marrying young
! Madras staff corps man, home on leave,
| so our senior major Is still bachelor ana
likely to remain so