The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-11-04

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Ii ETz96 S6f7S sat in the trenches
NGgM ny before Platburgplay-
Nm mn ing poker, as though
n G.TNWVIT,S a siege were the last
Il go HWR Ss5tssD thing in the world to
sat on old ammunition boxes, and
we're using empty Maxim cartridges
4 Tor chips.
y Thatcher, the red stripes which
marked him as an artilleryman still
showing through the dirt on his
d trousers, leaned against the legs OF
4 Maxim quick-frer, and the two men
: who worked the gun looked over the
! players shoulders with faces discreetly
{ blank of expression.
Y Raise you ten, " announced That
.her, shoveling the brass shells onto
The improvised table.
Morton met the bet without raising
his eyes from his cards. An instant
J later Thatcher called and Morton
raked in his winnings carelessly.
Months Of hard work in the field lead
ing his sturdy infantry here and there
had neither reduced Morton's rotun-
Il iity nor rubbed the ever present grin
Y from his features. He let his merry
eyes travel up Thatcher's long figure
to his long faceand laughed.
Billy" he said, whimsically,
being an artilleryman you can't be
kia good poker player. 1t isn't in the
nature df things. You fellows are too
slow, too calculating. You don't
know the meaning of the word bluff.
Hepaused long enough toexchange
[rinks with the appreciative crew Of
1.-THE Maxim, and to rake in the cards
(which Thatcher solemnly dealt him.
Look at this siege, be wert on
las he arranged his hand. We've
been squatting in front OF this dinky
Ehannlet for three intern1inable weeks,
Tall because your Fabian artillery can't
punch holes for us to climb through.
Thatcher looked at his friend
severely over the tops Of steel-bowed
|spectacles.
You know perfectly well, he
demonstrated, that it would be
|sheer butchery to try and rush that
Eplace with infantry now
"Of course / know it, answered
Morton, and that swhyI m belaboring
You. III you gunners moved little faster,
look more chances at going wrong and
Thought things out on paper less, we'd
|have been in there ten days ago"
A dull boom sounded from the direction
\ Gos the town, and shell screamed shriilyover
h the top of the trench Morton looked
|srpund with an expression Of mild annoy
ERn-e
"How many shots does that gun need to
|gct the ranger" he asked Of one Of the
[gunners.
Bout ten,' answered the man, with a
grin
Then wen make this Jackpot and dig
for the casenlates, announced Morton.
Three more shells, each Of them swirling
la bit closer, ripped over their heads before
|Thatcher called again.
"Three queens!" announced Morton
|srniling. Thatcher threw down his cards
d
|ploded with laughter.
william, he said 'there is nothing for
lit Tosaveyour honor youmust go out and
Eret shot. You now owe me nearly four
Hundred dollars; you will never have that
|much at one time. You can't stand in my
|debt forever, ergo, you must goand get your
sell killed."
Another shell droned overhead; the
Maxiin's crew were getting manifestly
nervous Morton looked up critically, then
gathered his winnings in tiakling handful.
"Tell ye what III do, he proposed
|"IIl bet you this much, three to one, they
don't get the range in three more shots
Thatcher shook his head solemnly, and as
he did SO, the fifth shell hurtied through the
air and burst 50 close to their position that
1.-The four men scuttled Tor the casemate on
hands and knees As they crawled to
|safety, Morton called
L aIou'd have won your bet. Billy"
Inside the casenlate thefour men sqEatted
land waited for the enemy to gel through
|witf, his morning practice, Such things had
become d matter Of course after three weeks,
|durii.z WHICH tic operations of the siege had
49,, thra<elges deeply shto Fretty definite
|croovcs. This condit5on-i irssi 7rrrr-rssTsrrdi-
81 The sIendcfness Of the opposing forces.
Hhe tiny force in Platburg had been eooped
k,p by 4 daring, flying column, strong genough
~ krep .hen penned in and nothing more,
8 HE the besieged could hold .neir own
&,ss aid not dare attempt sortie in force.
a9av after day of the same sort had rolled
g,ast Thatcher. whose battery Of six three
|nsh guns threw 50 many rounds al regular
Intervals, Was delighted, Morton, whose