The record-union., 1893-11-03


the present circumstances, we can't eX-
pect.'
The General leaned upon the table.
By stretching out his hand he might have
caught his partner by the nose.
Are you playing with me or against
me, sir? If you are playing with me why
do you take all my tricks?"
81 own, General, that find your lead
no pun intended-misleadin
The General drew his breath.
III don't want to insult you, sir, but
I have played whist for fifty years, and [
have never before sat down al a table
with man like you"
$50 l should imagine-judging from
your play"
The General sat back in his chair. He
looked wildly round the room. Again
he drew the bandana across his brow.
Deal some one! Lets-lets get it
over II don't want to make brute Of
myself!''
The Admiral dealt. And there was
peace for a time. A short time, and then
there was a storm. The General brought
his fist down upon the table with crash
which appeared to be oven audible to the
Admiral.
"Why the devil did you put your ace
upon my queenW
Mr.. Cramp seemed surprised.
Il don't know if it is the custom at
Pendleton to criticise the play while
game is in process"
Ppm not going to sit still and be shot
at by my own partner! Why the devil
did you put your ace upon my queen ?"
MAY | eXplainY' Mr. Cramp turned
to Mr.. Bowman. That gentleman nodded.
Il thought il was an urgent call"
What the something do you mean by
an urgent call?"
"You put your king upon my knave."
81 was third playerW
MIR. Bowman interpOsed.
"You were wrong, General"
"Wrongm the General gasped.
Wrong! Upon my soul, 1 never
thought | should come to this. Let's get
on After this [ suppose it doesn't mat
ter what [ do"
Whether it mattered or not he did it.
And it did matter, for the result was that
Mr.. Bowman had the satisfaction-trom
his point of view-of putting up another
treble Off the reel. Mr.. Cramp smiled
bitterly.
"Ithink, General, all things considered,
that you ought to pay my losses"
The General glared. He clutched the
Admiral by the arm.
"Come along, Admiral. Let's get out
of this. II don't want to misbehave
myself in public room. A room"-the
General stood up-'in which l have
played whist for over fifteen years, and
in which | have never been insulted till
tonight"
He tore the Admiral from his seat. He
dragged him with him from the room,
which was rather hard upon the Admiral,
for he had no cause to find fault with the
way in which the game had gone.
might l offer my friend and myself as
substitutes for the players who are gone
that is, if no other gentleman cares to
play?"
The speaker was tall, slight man, with
long, dropping moustache. Mr.. Bow
man glanced up at at him. He was a
stranger to him; but at that season of the
year there are so many strangers IN Pen
dleton that, at the club, one finds almost
as many visitors as residents. Mr.. Bow
man had no reason to be disagreeable-
he had won.
81 am willing"
He glanced at Mr.. Cramp. Mr.. Cramp
made little gesture with his hands.
81 am at anybody's service. All ask
is-whist."
The stranger and his friend came for
ward. They fell together in the cut for
partners. The stranger having cut the
lowest, prepared to deal. AS he dealt he
addressed himself to Mr.. Cramp.
Like you. my friend and myself are
students of whist as it is; l might almost
say OF WnlSt as III might De."
Mr.. Cramp rubbed his hands softly one
against the other; it was little trick he
had.
Disciples of Cole ?"
"1n degree. In our system of signals
we go further than Cole.''
II scarcely see how that can be, unless
you have even improved upon the Ameri-
can leads"
"No? Well, shall be happy to explain
to you after the rubber is over"
II the newcomers were not exactly dis
ciples OF Cole, they at least appeared to be
disciples of the extremely difficult art of
getting hold of the cards; and it was
charming TO see the way in which they
handled them. They took trick after trick
in the serenest style.
"Book already ~ murmured Mr..
Cramp.
With little laugh the stranger shut up
the pack. The laugh was not echoed on
the expressive features Of Mr.. Cramp,
nor on those of his partner. AS yet they
had not scored trick. The newcomers
went gaily on. They took the odd trick,
and all the rest besides. Or, rather, they
stopped at five, since it was scarcely ne
ceSsary to go further. But there was
nothing to show that they could not have
taken the whole thirteen had they been
so inclined. Silence followed this sur
company was concerned. The stranger
remained quite at his ease.
you see," he said, that is what [ call
whist as 1t is, or perhaps you will call it
whist as it might be-"
''It ought to be sent to the Field" mur-
INJURED Mr.. Cramp. He seemed troubled
in his mind.
"Whist," pursued the stranger. sin it's
more recent developments, as | under
stand the thing. becomes simply a ques-
ton of signals. The most perfect system
of signals results in the most perfect
game. My friend and | have arranged
between ourselves system Of signaling
which, think l may say, is almost per-
feet"
ut may be made too perfect" said Mr..
Cramp.
'How so? You yourself said that whist
has been raised to the dignity of an exact
science. You can't be too exact. Let's
carry the thing to its logical conclusion"
Mr.. Cramp was still. Mr.. Bowman
smiled CHASTITY smile.
II don't like that kind of whist"
"No?" laughed the stranger. 81 am
sorry.
"You look sorry" said Mr.. Bowman.
One does not mind not making a trick
once in way, though one would prefer
to be playing for love even on that soli-
tary occasion; but when the experience is
repeated-and in the following hand-a
man has fidgets. That is what happened
that evening at the Pendleton Club. The
newcomers again walked off with the
whole of the tricks, and Mr.. Camp had
fidgets, and so had his partner. AS for
the stranger, he, if possible, was more at
his ease than ever.
"You see," he cried, "to what perfec-
tion system of signals may be carried.
How completely knowledge may elimi-
nate chance!p
i do" said Mr.. Bowman. "I see it
plainly. see it much too plainly. Gen
tlemen, if this is whist as it is, in future |
shall turn my attention 10 some other
game"
He rose from his rnnt In,,,nod intol 70