The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-04-22
CAPT. WNcEN1's BET
~ PAUL. WlllERa.

For more than = year We had held
q position on the frontier Of Yunnan.
and the day when we were recalled
was made one Of general rejoicing.
Captain Vincent. who was in com.
mand. decided to give . grand recep.
ton to the troops that were coming
to relieve 10. All the resources Of tho
country were drawn upon to make the
coming supper. the only meal that We
we're to partake Of together with our
successors, . memorable one. We
were to leave the camp the next morn
ing 1t sunrise.
A nare Of trumpets announced the
arrival Of the little detachment An
hour after We were al like old friends.
After quarters were found for the
men ! went out for Z walk in the out
skirts Of the woods. with the lieuten'
ant who was to relieve me. His name
was Caral. He was small, thin. nerv'
Gus. but full Of nre and energy.
II suppose you are not sorry 70
leave this desert?" he said.
l did not try to conceal my JOY ct
the prospect u soon seeing France
again and of meeting III ny old
friends.
"And your captaiuf"
III possibls, 10 feels even more
happy than l. He n going to BE- maj.
ried when he gets home. It il quite
romance. ! think he has been en-
gagged for seven years. and during that
time he has seen his hancee only whea
he has been on furlougl: but he would
not marry until he has bis three gold
braids, his cross and has put aside
enough money 70 cot up . home u
good STYLE"
"Then his iiaHcee has no fortuue3"
n do not thisk %. but he has near
y all the time been stationed on
frontier posts where he could save
peactically al his salary and he has
every chance Of quick promotion"
The beating Of q gong summoned 10
back 10 camp for ne dinner, which
proved o very jolly &nair. for many
were The bottles Of good French cham
payne that were emptied.
When We left the ta1le Cafal was
very nervous and said THAT the excite.
ment and the heat had rvbbed him Of
every desire to sleep.
Suppose We have . quiss game Of
cards." he suggested.
The new captain declined saying -
was going b try and sleep.
Captain vincent, however. accepted.
and he and Lieutenant Caral' sat h .
corner Of the broad veranda, where ]
watched the game
At first Caral lost all the time. b
ing used to play he had made the
stakes rather high. and out Of polite
ness Captain Vincent had consented
without objection. Az for me. ] was
glad to see my captain adding 70 the
little amount hs had saved up IT, Ais
marriage.
Then luck tursed. Vincent lost nol
only all his winnings but every fsane
ha had In bic pockets.
Caral felt rather embarrassed at bio
constant luck. His position was In
deed rather di6icult II he stopped the
play he saved the captain from fuSth'
or losses, but he also prevented bin
from winning back what he had Dos(
already. and this, was quite . consA'
cradle amount
At last Captain Vincent who va
on the verge Of collapse. suggested
that they quit or double the stakes.
The challenge was accepted, and
again the captain host: but still he
played on doggediy. It was evident
that the game could not last long IN
this way. In half IN hour Vincent had
lost every franc hs owned in thu
world.
I heartily cursed this devil Of q
lieutenant, who, in . few hours, had
ruined my captains whole future hap
piness.
Vincent tried to laugh.
81 am dead broke now" he said, but
I stake two years. salary against the
pile"
Ihoped and prayed that Caral would
refuse, and watched his face eagerly
Every trace Of passion had left II. Car
al looked at vincent's pale featured
then to me, hesitated q moment and
then said. greatly to my surprise: "All
right-even or uneven!"
Everybody knows this game. which
even children phy. Onc OF the play
ers holds In his hand q number oi
chips and the other il to guess
whether this namber Is even or un
even. II his guess II correct he wins
Caral picked up . number Of gold
coins from ths pile In front Of him
and held then toward the captain
closing his hand.
Even or uneven?' he said. again.
Il was . dneadful wager. With on(
word Vincent was to decide his whole
future fate. n he guessed correctly hs
would get beck all Of his savings, and
the events Of this evening would b<
like q bad dream. He wouh be able 4
return to France and marry the giri
who had hsep waiting foe him durin(
these many years. II his guess wal
xrong hA Haa done for. He Hould loal