The Irish standard., 1899-11-04
CHAPTER VII.-CovT1NuEp.


that letter in my possession at least
one point of evidence against him
would be Cancelled. l caught at a
straw, or rather my intuitions served
me. Berante was plainly of Spanish
extraction, and there never was Span
lard who was not gambler. He had
used smile that told me he was famil-
lar with the game Of poker. Perhaps,
being natural gambler myself, I knew
another by instinct.
"Ma.ior," said, 81 have a trinlet that
1 would like to play against that finger
ring of yours"
"You impudcnt boy, what do you
mean?"
81 mean that want that ring, and
I am willing to risk an equal value
against it,"
you have nothing to risk. Did you
not get 4 receipt for your effects when
captured?"
81 did, but I kept one article
was accustomed to carry with me,
ingeniously concealed for use in case
1 should be captured, ffty-dollar
greenback. Ripping off button from
my coat. asked the loan of the ma jor's
knife. Then, inserting the blade be-
tween the brass covering of the but
ton and it's base, drew forth crun-
pied little ball. Opening it, I showed
my bill.
The majors eye glistened. He could
easily have taken it under preteSt of
turning it in,' but l had judged him to
be one OF those men who would make
great pretensions to honor i'll order to
cover the blacklist dishonor, and for
appearance sake would scorn to rob
me. Besides, if he could win my
money, he would not be accountable to
anyone for it. My judgment was cor
rect. A dirty pack of cards was pro-
duced, and, with the guard looking on,
we sat down at a table, to play my
fifty dollars against the majors ring;
the game to be euchre, the best four
games in seven to win.
Berante won the first two games,
the second two. He scored the fifth,
l the sixth, which left us the deciding
game to play. The major won two
points, forcing me to win three in sue
cession. The cards ran well for me,
and scored two. The next hand was
dealt by Berante. Happening to
glance at the stalzed ring on his finger
as he dealt the cards, saw him turn
jack" that is, having, in shutting,
placed knave on the bottom of the
pack, he dexterously turned it for the
trump card. It would have been a
irregularity, and I said nothing.
However, having peculiar hand that
I had learned to play in peculiar
way, I scored point and my oppon-
ent's ring at the same time. He took
it off his finger and handed it to me.
rose to go.
wait Bit" he said, feeling in his
pockets and drawing out two ten dol
lar confederate bills. II must have
that ring back. It's a keepsake"
mot against two confederate tens"
1 said, Except on compulsion. And 1
am sure you would not use compul-
sion, major"
Don't insult me, sir, by intimating
such course"
"1'll tell you what I'll do; I'll stake
the ring and the bill against the letter
you showed me-"
The major smiled, sardonic Mephis-
tophelean smile, and assented. He
laid the letter on the table; beside it l
placed the ring and the bill. AS be-
fore, the games were seven, four Win
ming. The major won three straight
games, and it was easy to see that
turning jack" was not the only trick
ut cards he knew how to practice.
And now I am obliged to own to q
misdemeanor which, Notwithstanding
the palliating circumstances, blush at
confessng. My interest in cards had
led me to become expert at certain de-
vices employed by professional gam
blers, though, in justice to myself, l
must say that, except for innocent
amusement, I had no use for them. I
must now confess to one exception.
My desire to get possession of the in
eliminating letter overborc the re-
membrane that two wrongs do not
make one right. I won the fourth
game fairly, the fifth barely, the sixth
brilliantly, and carried off the seventh
triulnphantly with hand of bowers
and court cards that filled my oppon-
ent with establishment.
"a very bright boy" he said, rising
and smiling urbanely.
"Thank you"
/ picked up the letter and stuffed it
in my trousers pocket. Then, taking
the ring: 1 said: Keep it till you are
in position to redeem it, major; and
as for the BILL permit me to make you
loan on confederate terms; till six
months after ratification of treaty
of peace between the United States and
Confederate Safes"
He declined my offer with a we'll
assumed expression of injury, almost
Indignation. The guard led me into
the hall, but the major called him back
Quick as thought took match from
my pocket. and the letter at the same
time. Scratching the match on the
wall, applied it to the paper. A cor
ner had ignitcd, when Berante came
quickly into the hall and blew out the
flame.
"I'll trouble you for that letter" he
said, with marked politeness and his
peculiar smile.
II won it,
certainly, it is your property, but
the property of prisoners of war is