The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-01
COURT CARDS AND CUPID
By Colin .. CoIlins.

Copyrignteo, loVts py M. n- Suhuine Huhn
 Jack O. Spades" Culbert called him that first morning; he had gone to work in the Bunkley building. Pro- tests to the effect that his name was John Symonds were of no avail. His name was Jack, and he was as black e the ace of spades. so the name clung.
 At first he was angry, but one could not remain angry long with Kings land culbert, and in the end Jack wound up by paying him . hero wor- ship that at times threatened to cost the man his position: for with Culbert in the elevator, it ran express to the next to the top floor, no matter what the other passengers might threaten.
 But Jack had gained the position through having saved Bunkley's little girl from a runaway accident. and he merely smiled tolerantly at the com Slaints and suggested that perhaps the elevator had become unmanage- able. N Until Edith Mcqueen came, Culbert had reigned alone, but after that he was relegated to second place, the only instance wherein, according to Sen Hodgman. the queen outranked both king and jack in the pack.
 Miss Mcqueen was employed oy Hodgman & Petit, whose office was on the third floor and it was Culberts habit to drop off at their offices on his way out to lunch and pick up the girl He had obtained the position for her, and 1t was understood that they were engaged, though no golden band an nounced that fact
 Then there came the day when Jack noticed that Miss Mcqueen had been crying when she came in. Culpert did not arrive until fate and his race was drawn and very white. He oio not even smile when he nodded 70 Tack when he went out to lunch he stayed twice as long as usual, ana when he did return 1t seemed to Jack that he had had more than one COCK tail he usually allowed himself.
 Miss McQueen did not go out to lunch at all. and when her employers hao ridden down to lunch together. Jack sIipped into the office to ask If ne could bring her in something. There he found her with her head upon her arms. Her eyes glistened with tears as she raised her face at the sound or his entrance. xx,.s Cueenie?" he pleaded. lts sho sooN for the headache" ,..,.
 She shook her head with a wan n.tie smile and Jack slipped out again. . Ina. night the car passed Culberts hioo. twice before 1t stopped for him. king had been deposeo.
 Rnt he was reinstated again because of his evident suffering. After that first day he did not repeat the cocn- tail episode; indeed, he seemed oo- Iivious to lunch time and never by any chance used the elevator when MISS Mcqueen might happen to De soihs out or in. S,.
 Iact pondered the situation put there was only one conclusion possinie in his limited experience. There nau haen a quarrel and both were too proud to speak first ,,.rs vood friends of his, these two, ana their quarrel hurt him as much as u seemed to hurt them. More than one he was tempted to speak to one or tne otber and tell how the other suiiereu' but a certain delicacy held nm oasn n ana he could only miserably wait the turn of events.
 Then came Jacks scare. It was du1l afternoon, and he let the elevator idrop slowly down. At the grouno floor he threw open the door to LOOK mn at A huge policenan; not charlie 1vho had the beat and who sometimes caue in to get warm, but another man, q stranger. s,rao+
 Though he had never hdo oii
 dealings with the police, JACK was afraid of them. To him they were not guardians of the peace. Tney were men who arrested people. when the biR man demanded to know when cffioe Miss Mcqueen was in, refresning his memory as to the name rom Tormidable looking document, JACK
 CT want to see her about stolen ,uatch." he added, and Iack's misery ~va. complete. The little chatelaine sha had worn had been replaced lateiy nv a more elaborate affair of gold witn . long chain. It must be this one that was wanted.
 There was only one thing to be done :. Hadn't MT. Culbert gotten the Janitor out of jail that time he hed trouoie with his wife? Jack ran tAe car up +o the sixth floor and with vague gro the left'' shut the door and dropped down to the third.
 He burst in upon Miss Mcqueen wltn a face grey with horror and excite ment. She rose uncertainty at his call and came into the hall
 He fairly dragged her into the car and shot up to the top floor. Through fine lattice guard he could see the off cer descending the stairs. Some one had told him where the girl worked and he was going after her.
 Planting with fear he stopped at the seventh floor and pushed Miss Mcqueen into Culberts office, closing and lock- ing the door after him. Culbert looked up wearily from the desk.
 '.Whst's the matter, JackY' he de-