olonel emptied three bottles, with no more effect than if the wine had
been water. Maurice did not appreciate this feat until he had himself
emptied a bottle. It was then he saw that the boot was likely to be on
the other foot.

He looked at the Colonel enviously; the old soldier was a gulf. He
had miscalculated, indeed. But he was fertile in plans, and a more
reasonable one occurred to him. He drank another bottle and began to
talk verbosely. Later he grew confidential. He told the Colonel a great
many things which--had never happened, things impossible and improbable.
The Colonel listened soberly, and nodded now and again. Dinner past,
they pushed the remains aside and began to play poker, a game at which
the Colonel proved to be no novice, much to Maurice's wonder.

"Why, you know the game as thoroughly as an Arizona corporal."

"I generally spend a month of the winter in Vienna. One of your
compatriots taught me the interesting game." The Colonel shuffled the
cards. "It is the great American game, so I am told."

"O, they play checkers in the New England states," said Maurice,
hiccoughing slightly. "But out west and in all the great cities poker
has the way."

"What have you got?" asked the Colonel, answering a call.

"Jacks full."

"Takes the pot;" and this Americanism came so naturally that Maurice
roared.

"Poker is a great preliminary study to diplomacy," said the Colonel, as
he scrutinized his hand. "You raise it?"

"Yes. One card. Diplomacy? So it is. I played a game with the Chinese
ambassador in Washington one night. I was teaching him how to play. I
lost all the ready money I had with me. Next day I found out that he
was the shrewdest player in the diplomatic circles. Let's make it a
jackpot."

"All the same to me."

And the game went on. Presently Maurice threw aside his coat. He was
feeling the warmth of the wine, but he opened another bottle.

"Is there any truth," said the Colonel, "about your shooting a man who
is found cheating in your country?"

"There is, if you can draw quicker than he." Maurice glanced at his hand
and threw it down.

"What did you have?"

"Nothing. I was trying to fill a straight."

"So was I," said the Colonel, sweeping the board. "It's your deal." He
unbottoned his coat.

Maurice felt a shiver of delight. Sticking out of the Colonel's belt was
the ebony handle of a cavalry revolver, and he made up his mind to get
it. There were no troopers around--the Colo