Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-02-14
CHAPTER NJ. Continually

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
CHAPTER NJ. (Continued)
st have made matters all right with
your clerical friend,' said he. HE has
had good meal, and a glass of doc
tored brandy, by way of a nightcap
and I think he will have a good, long
sleep, and wake without the slightest
trace of a headache. And now, Cap
tain, and you, sir, you must let me at
tend to your wants, and then I'll leave
you to talk as long as you like"
You would be doing me a great IA
vor." said my father, eff you would
hear what have to say. had thought
that I never would tell it to any one
not even to my son here; but If you
will bear with me, I think I can con-
vince you that you haven't done wrong
I'm siding with u.s."
Supper first, Captain" said Manuel,
''and then I'm your man for an all
night sitting, if you like. You know
I'm bachelor, and perhaps that will
explain to you why things are some
what rough"
He clapped his hands, and in a trice
supper was spread. but was too eager
to hear what my father had to tell to
do justice to the meal. though the good
things provided were tempting enough.
When the dishes had been removed and
our cigars lighted heard at last the
history that I had twice before been 80
near clearinghouse when Mr.. Travers
was smitten dumb. and a second time
when the horrors of remembrance had
upset the balance of jim Maguires rea
son.
LET me see,' my father began, chow
old are you, Jack? All. yes! six or sew
en- and twenty. Then it will be we'll
nigh nineteen years ago since this feud
began and hope and trust that it will
end tomorrow. Your mother and l,
Jack, We're married secretly, for her
parents We're bitterly opposed to the
match, and when she died, few
months after your BIRTH I sent you to
live at a farm house.
You can remember me coming for
you one evening VIII n you We're about
eight years old, and 1 took you away to
the Continent, and you know how close
the ties became that bound us to each
other. Had you been old enough to unS
derstand things then you would have
seen that our departure from England
was very much in the nature of fight,
had married very young, and when
you We're four years old my father. who
had no knowledge of your existence,
took it into his head that I must go to
Cambridge, though I was a good deal
older than most men are when they
entc" a University.
"Tle idea pleased me, and I was glad
to so up, and when two years after
wards my father died, leaving me well
off, still stayed on to read for a
degree. I must say that I made my
life at college as pleasant as possible,
but whilst I went in for all the usual
ADJUSTMENTS I did fair amount of
reading, and this brought me into
touch with poor Starlight, and he AMI
struck up a great friendship.
You knew him, Jack, as Travers,
and by that name I shall call him,
could seldom get him to my rooms
ut night, where sometimes we played
for moderate stakes for although he
was a fine whist player he wouldn't
gamble even for penny points, and
tome Of those with whom wished to
stand well were inclined to laugh at
tim for his goodness.
well, one day he and I were reading
quietly, when all at once a noisy party
burst in upon US, for I hadn't sported
thy oak.
1T was a dull afternoon, and with
out any ceremony they tossed my
books away We've come for a hand
at cards. said one Of them. Here's
Paddy with new game that he's go
ing to teach u.s. Little did he think
that he was sounding his own knell, and
that of more than one who was stand
Ing there with him. "A new game I
said What is it, Paddy?'
Now. this man, as his nickname i'm
Piled. was an Irishmaan, as hot-headed
and handsome a specimen of the fiery
race as you could we'll find. His name
was Fergus Lennon, and the passenger
who came here with me in the Corisan-
de is his brother Maurice. What's this
game, Paddy I asked. It's not new
game at ALL he said. It's cribbage'
'Oh! I know it, I said. T don t:nind
having hand with you, just to show
these Johnnies how to count, but
haven't a board. Someone must put
up the scores for u.s. and, With that, 1
rose to get the cards.
"''Wait awhile!' said the Irishman.
tEvery one of you come over to my
roon1s. I've got g. lovely board, and
you all owe me a visit. We can make
ourselves comfortable there, and Well
pay for the honor of our countries
Horccp! Here's Ireland against Eng
land and bad luck to the one that
draws out of it,
'The men seemed to like the notion,
all except Travers, but we got the bet
ter of his scruples, and he came with
us. There We're five of us in ALLEN
non, Travers, myself and two others,
Mayne and Foster.
"'What shall we play for, and how
many cards shall we haye?" asked
Lennon.
Anything in reason said, and let
US have six cards. We shall get more
to count that way, and if you'll take
Mavne beside you I'll take Foster, and
We'll explain the hands as we GO along
The first two or three games were
close, and I won them more by luck
than skill, and then Foster began jeer-
ing Lennon. and I could see the latter's
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