The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-09
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copyright. 1898. by J.P. 'Lippincott Col
Nv,
A FASCINATING GAME.

sGone up," muttered, and my heart
sank within me. / was about to reply
to the challenge, when PUNK took the
words out of my mouth, and sang out,
in excellent southern lingo:
"Hain't got no time to stop, stran-
ger; got to git through right Off. Ben
ter the medical officer Of the army fo'
,uuinine; sick man waitin'."
Corporal of the gyard!" sang out
the voice that had stopped us.
We heard sone one brushing
through the weeds that lined the road,
and presently saw a figure coming on
foot. BY this time we noticed that the
challenger was mounted, and we knew
that the force was composed of cav |
airy.
"Who's thar?" from the corporal.
Punk replied that we were two men
and a gal, and repeated what he had
said to the picket.
GAIL right; come on:'
was about to propose that we de-
cline the honor and go by another
road, when the madness of such
method struck me; besides, I had
promised to let Punk do the talking;
80 l. KepU Slltuls VIC "CAS 4SSt AAeS
the camp, the men being in bivouac,
sleeping about their camp-fires. Meet
ing the officer of the day, he took us
in charge, and, not being satisfied to
let us go forward on his own RESPONSE
bility, conducted us to the headquar-
ters of the commanding officer.
We found him engaged with his staff
at game of draw-poker, the party be-
ing seated in a tent on camp-stools
about a pine table lit by a couple
of tallow dips. He was a splendid
specimen of southern manhood, tall,
well built, with a manly open counte-
nance that seemed incapable of harbor-
ing mean thought.
Col. Arcliard,' said the officer of
the day, ~'here are some citizens who
want to go through the lines.''
Without stopping the game or even
glancing up at us, he asked us where
we were from and where we were
about the quinine.
"I'm glad you've got some quinine,"
said the colonel, looking at his hand
from under the rim of his hat. IT have
lot of men down with campfever,
and Old Pills hasn't any. Can you
spare a little"'
NY heart went up in my throat, and
Margaret turned shade winter.
"Certainly, colonel" said PUNK,
: without moments hesitation. Then,
/, turning to me: Bring out the bottle,
Joe''
"1,haven'Eany BOTTLE" I STAN
"Haven't it? 7 gave it to you"
BY this time caught my cue. "You
did no such thing"
t'You good for nothing, foryetful crit
ter, d " mean ter tell me you've done
left th' stuff behind, after our ridin'
ten miles t. git it?''
I fumblcd in my pockets and
scratched my head. Meanwhile the
players were too interested in winning
and losing to follow the matter up.
New hands were played, and I, who
could never look at any game of
chance without wishing to be in it,
soon forgot that I was making my
way through the lines with an impor-
tant war secret and with my life in
my hands. / drew bill from my
pocket and was about to call for chips
when I felt NLargaret's hand graspine
my arm. Looking at her, I noticed the
fright on her face and was saved from
my folly, for had gotten into the game
Iwould have surely betrayed the whole
party. AS it was, I came very nea,
doing so within another ten minutes.
It was the colonel's turn to draw tc
fill his hand. Tie drew one card
Y1,o41 41,a of into ~
est to him than the medicine I know
not, but he forgot all about the qui
nine-at least for the moment.
hoped he would win; it would put him
in good hun1or, and he would be al
the more lcnient with us.
1 was standing where could over
look the hand of lieutenant;
youngster about my own age, with al
impassive face. noticed that he helt
three aces, and I looked for him t
win. was surprised to sec him pas
out. The rest kept on betting till al
were satisfied.
"Call"
"Show down."
"Three knaves."
'"Three kings"
"What y got, colonel?"
"Full o. tens.''
SCOOP" And the "pot" was brushed
over to the colonel. I admired the lieu
tenants foresight in passing out wit
three aces.
Another set of large hands was dealt
and the confederate bills began to pill
up on the table like the contents of
waste-paper basket. A little bettin
soon drove all out except the lieuter
ant and the colonel. The colonel be
$50; the lieutenant who had passed on
on three aces called him and won tn
SPOT on three deuces.
"By thunder, corporal" exclaimed
shat was well played"
Every man at the table looked u
at me- I turned red, then white, Will
Margaret instinctively shrank bac
into the darkness.
"Where's the corporate" asked til
colonel.
"I'm no corporal" said the lieutc1
ant, eff he means me-"
was too paralyzed to reply. Plum
came to the rescue. Looking signit
cantlv at the confederates, he put h