Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-03-06

and Denver. For six hours We had
travelled at no more than q snail's
pace from the plains to the foothills,
from the foothills to the mountains.
We had snapped yarns, exchanged
cigars, read papers, dog cared our
novels, and, in fact, done everything
that it is possible to do in the smok-
ing compartment of sleeping car, save
play whist. We had tried to play
whist as no three men had ever tried
before. We had attempted the game
for nearly an hour with q dummy and
had given up in disgust. We had
begged the conductor to take hand,
with no success. We had even at.
tempted to bribe the porter. Then
we had sat disconsolate and eyed the
table and the idle decks with murder
in our hearts. At each stop we had
looked anxiously for new passenger,
but none appeared. 1t really looked
as though we three were the only peo.
pie who would ever inhabit sleeper
on the Denver & Wyoming.
Consequently when, after having
eaten our miserable dinners at High
Hat, we assembled again in the smok-
ing room of the "La Junta," our Joy
was beyond concealment al the sight
of a valise and light overcoat on the
seat. Before we had time to congrat-
ulate one another on the frightened
prospect the owner of the bag ap-
peared. But as soon as my eyes
rested on him my heart sank; he
didn't look as if he had ever seen n
card in his life. Tall, with sallow
complexion and handsome features,
there was an unmistakable atmos-
phere of tho country about him. His
clothes we're neat and of good mater
ial, but spoilt in the making. His
hair was in need of cutting, and his
mustache was ragged to the point of
anarchism.
He nodded to us and sank into the
cornor. A rapid look OF dissppoint.
ment passed from the wealthy -four
manufacturer from st. Paul to the hat
drummer from Philadelphia, and from
the latter to me. But nothing was
said. 1t was the -four man who broke
the silence.
"Here's another train held up in
Kansas. It does seem that it is almost
time for such things to stop. Now
here's q whole train load Of people re.
lleved of their money within three
miles OF a town, aud no sign OF the
robbers to be found. Over forty pas.
sengers on the train, not counting the
train crew, and not blamed one OF
them dared fire shot !"
The newcomer took his cigar from
his mouth.
"l'll venture that there wasn't q
man on the train, outside OF the train
men, with gum"
Nonsense" replied the floor man,
"there was dozen guns in the lot,
I'll bet hat"
"I'd be willing to take your bet il
there was any way of proving it," said
the man from High Hat, "People
don't carry revolvers travelling the way
they used to-; or, if they do, they
keep them in their grips. Now here
are four of us here, all men, / guess,
who have been around country bi
and ought to know better, and I dom
suppose there's a gun in the crowd?'
The flour man looked at me.
shook my head the flour man shool
his; the hat drummer did likewise.
81 thought so," said the man from
High Hat. The flour man opened hi
mouth to reply, but thought better o
it.and subsided again behind his pa
per. The new passenger started hi
second cigar. When it was we'll 60
ing he nodded his head at the idl'
card table.
"Been playing cards?"
"Been trying to-" said I.
Don't want to try again, sup
pose?"
"what do you play?" The Aou
man and the hat drummer jumped
from behind their papers.
"WelI, seven up?" The -four mai
and the hat drummer disappeared
again. NAP, bezique, euchre, ca
sino." The -four man grunted. "Dou
Pedro, poker" The -four man lait
down his paper.
"My friend" he asked, edo yo'
play whist9"
"Well. yes, l have played it."
Three minutes later the cards wer,
dealt. The -four man and the mai
from High Hat were partners. coul,
L.. Aha -