he book abstractedly. "Suppose," he said slowly, but
without looking at his partner, "suppose, as it's gettin' late now, we
play for my half share of the claim agin the limit--seventy thousand--to
square up."

"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 only one point to mak