Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-10-14

He got up and went out. In few
minutes he returned with long leather
pOcketbook fat with papers. Looking
through IL. be selected one and held the
superscription up for me to read. 1t
was the generals peculiar bold hand.
DO you know that writing?"
Never saw anything like it before"
What a splendid liarl On Gen.
Heath's staff and don't know his hand
writingl"
He opened the letter and held it be-
fore my eyes. II it was not what Mai.
Berante claimed-the acceptance of a
proposition TO turn over a command for
gain-I could not read Alright. Never
in my life have had occasion to use
50 much effort in masking my feelings
Are you convinced?" asked Maj.
Berante.
No"
He exposed his white pointed teeth
in n derisive smile.
Take him away be said to the
guard
ANY orders about him?"
No; he'll go south with the others
tomorrow"
AS L was leaving. asked: will you
kindly inform me, major. the cause of
your interest in this matter of Gen.
Heath's?"
Gen. Heath will tell you. Ask him
, 4 he remembers the casemate at Fort
| -2-
coveted the letter he had shown
me- Innocent or guilty, / was inter
ested deeply in my general, and with
that letter in my possession at least
Cce point Of evidence against him
would be cancelled. 1 caught at q
straw, or rather my intuitions served
me- Berante was plainly of Spanish
extraction and there never was a Span
lard who was not gambler. He had
used 4 simile that told nae he was famil-
lar with the game of poker. Perhaps,
Seing n natural gambler myself, I knew
another by instinct.
Major" said, II have trinket that
I would like to play against that finger
ring OF yours"
You impudent boy, what do you
neaa3-
II mean that 1 want that ring. and
am willing to risk an equal value
against "a"
-1ou have nothing to risk. Did you
not get receipt for your effects when
caPfurcdFT -
4 ~I did, but kept one article"
Was accustomed TO carry with me,
ingeniouSly concealed for use in case
L should be captured, a fifty-dollar
greeDbacI<. Ripping off button from
my caaat. asked the loan of the majors
knife THEN, inserting the blade be-
| 49,. brace <.Ovar;.,r- - tho hut
ton and it's base, / drew forth a crua-
pied little bali Opening it, 1 showed
my bill
The majors eye glistened. He could
easily have taken it under pretext of
turning it in,'' but I had judged him to
be oneAof those men who would make
great presensions TO honor IN order to
cover the blacklist dishonor, and for
appearances sake would scorn to rob
' me Besides, IL he could win my
> money, he would not be accountable to
: anyone for it. My Judgment was cor
rect \ dirty pack of cards was pro-
: duced- and, with the guard looking on
we sat down at table. l to play my
: fifty dollars against the majors ring;
the game &c be euchre, the best four
: games in seven to win.
5 Berante won the first two games,
S the second two He scored the fifth
{ the sixth, which left MS the deciding
: game 20 play The major won two
e points, forcing me to win three in sue
cessiou- The cards ran well for me
and scored two The next hand wa
dealt by Berante- Happening t.
e glance at the stal1ed ring on his finge
as ne dealt the cards, 1 saw him ''turi
t jack" that is, having, in shutting
I placed n l1naVe on the bottom of tn
g pack, he dexterously turned it for tn
trump card 1t would have been
case OF wolf and lamb" to notice tn
irreglAarity, and l said nothing
II However, having a peculiar hand tina
L had learned to play in pecnlia
way, scored a point and my oppon
3 ent>s ring at the same time. He too
> it OF his finger and handed it to ms
1 rose to go
--Nait a bit" he said, feeling in hi
pockets and drawing out two ten do
IL lar confederate bills. 'I must hav
that ring back. It's keepsake"
Not against two confederate tens,
1 said, except on compulsion. And
gill ouAC yOu NOAAA AAOt Use NOAnPO
d. sion. major" go - ~
'Dont insult me. sir, by intimatin
IN such a course"
is '-I'n tell you what I'll do; III stak
II the ring and the bill against the letts
'u you showed me-"
be The major smiled, a sardonic Mephi
tophelean smile, and assented. Il
laid the letter on the table; beside it
e placed the ring and the bin. AS b
OF fore, the games were seven, four vii
to ming. The major won three straigl
at games. and il was easy to see tn;
n turning jack was not the only tri,
at cards he knew how to practice.
ch And now L am obliged to own to
nd misdemeaDor which. notwithstanGiI
nc the paIliating circumstances, blush
ne cOnfessing. Ny interest ia cards Ia
4