“Your half share!” repeated Uncle Billy, with amused incredulity.     

       “My half share of the claim,—of this yer house, you know,—one half of all that Dick Bullen calls our rotten starvation property,”        reiterated Uncle Jim, with a half smile.     

       Uncle Billy laughed. It was a novel idea; it was, of course, “all in the air,” like the rest of their game, yet even then he had an odd feeling that he would have liked Dick Bullen to have known it. “Wade in, old pard,” he said. “I'm on it.”      

       Uncle Jim lit another candle to reinforce the fading light, and the deal fell to Uncle Billy. He turned up Jack of clubs. He also turned a little redder as he took up his cards, looked at them, and glanced hastily at his partner. “It's no use playing,” he said. “Look here!” He laid down his cards on the table. They were the ace, king and queen of clubs, and Jack of spades,—or left bower,—which, with the turned-up Jack of clubs,—or right bower,—comprised ALL the winning cards!     

       “By jingo! If we'd been playin' four-handed, say you an' me agin some other ducks, we'd have made 'four' in that deal, and h'isted some money—eh?”        and his eyes sparkled. Uncle Jim, also, had a slight tremulous light in his own.     

       “Oh no! I didn't see no three crows this afternoon,” added Uncle Billy gleefully, as his partner, in turn, began to shuffle the cards with laborious and conscientious exactitude. Then dealing, he turned up a heart for trumps. Uncle Billy took up his cards one by one, but when he had finished his face had become as pale as it had been red before. “What's the matter?” said Uncle Jim quickly, his own face growing white.     

       Uncle Billy slowly and with breathless awe laid down his cards, face up on the table. It was exactly the same sequence IN HEARTS, with the knave of diamonds added. He could again take every trick.     

       They stared at each other with vacant faces and a half-drawn smile of fear. They could hear the wind moaning in the trees beyond; there was a sudden rattling at the door. Uncle Billy started to his feet, but Uncle Jim caught his arm. “DON'T LEAVE THE CARDS! It's only the wind; sit down,”        he said in a low awe-hushed voice, “it's your deal; you were two before, and two now, that makes your four; you've 

 Prev. P 28/150 next