Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-11-11

ArAscINArINo GAME

A FASCINATING GAME.
"Gone 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. stron-
ger; got to git through right off. Ben
ter the medical officer of the army 10
auinine; sick man waitin'."
Corporal of the gyardi" sang out
the voice that had stopped US
We heard some one brushing
through the weeds that lined the road,
and presently saw 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 gal, and repeated what he had
said TO the picket.
"All right; come on"
1 was about to propose that we de-
cline the honor and go by another
road. when the madness of such a
method struck me; besides, 1 had
promised to let PUNK do the talking;
so / kept silent. We were led into
the camp, the men being in bivouac,
sleeping about their camp-frcs. 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 rs to the headquar-
ters of the commanding officer.
We found him engaged with his staff
at game of draV-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. Archard," said the officer of
the day, 'here are some citizens who
want to go through the lines"
. Without stopping the game or even
CHANGING up at us, he asked us where
. we were from and where we were
I going. PUNK answered with his story
about the quinine.
I "Im glad you've got some quinine,'
said the colonel, looking at his hand
from under the rim of his hat. II have
n lot of men down with camp-fever
/ and Old Pills hasn't any. Can you
: spare a.little?"
e My heart went up in my throat, and
r Margaret turned shade whittier.
Certainly, colonel" said PUNK
T without a moments hesitation. Then
v turning to me: Bring out the bottle
/. joe"
!. "I-haven't-any bottle" I STAN
mered.
: Haven't it? gave it to you
o BY this time I caught my cue. ~Yo'
Il did no such thing"
"You good for nothing, forgetful crit
O ter, d. y mean ter tell me you've don
left tn stuff behind, after our ridir
e ten miles t git it?"
l. 1 fumbled in my pockets an
scratched my head. Meanwhile tn
n players were too interested in winnin
?, and losing to follow the matter NJ
n New hands were played, and /, VIII
Y, could never look at any game c
5: chance without wishing to be in i
;" soon forgot that 1 was making IN
?: way through the lines with an impol
ar tant war secret and with my life
" my hands. ] drew a bill from m
~ | pocket and was about to call for chip
lie when felt Afargaret's hand graspin
N my arm. Looking at her, noticed ii
fright on her face and was saved fro
as my folly, for had gotten into the gan
e. / would have surely betrayed the who
on party. AS il was, / came very ne'
at doing so within another ten minutes
ed 1t was the colonePs turn to draw
d. fill his hand. He drew one car
us Whether the game was of more int
est TO him than the medicine kno
ay not, but he forgot all ABOUT the q
n nine--at least for the moment.
nd hoped he would win; it would put nj
ne | in Il good humor, and he would be {
t." the more lenient with us.
ed 1 was standing where could owe
it: look the hand of a lieutenant
ct youngster about my own age, with
IN impressive face. noticed that he h
us, three aces, and looked for him
his win. i was surprised to see him pr
'ur out. The rest kept on betting till
a were satisfied.
for CALI
he "Show down."
three knaves."
"Three kings"
[ what y got, colonel?"
Full o tens"
SCOOP" And the pot" was brush
over TO the colonel. 1 admired the Ii
p tenants foresight in passing out W
&, three noes.
2. Another set of large bands was de-