like so many valiant gunners. Longstreet, big
enough in his views of humanity, to look upon them as so many boyish
souls, beamed. Then he noted that they seemed to be waiting for
something, wondered what it might be, glanced over his shoulder, looked
back at them and understood. They were waiting for him. So he said
hastily, and in their own phrase:

'Same thing.'

Which, of course, brought down to his place on the bar a small glass
and a large bottle. He had never done a thing like this in all the
calm days of his existence, but now the deed came naturally enough. He
poured his glass and even echoed the other remarks of 'Here's how.'
When the fiery liquor arrived in his stomachical regions he realized
with perfect clarity that it was without doubt some newly invented
substitute for whisky; perhaps that jackass-brandy which he had heard
of. His emotion was twofold: he was glad that Helen was at the hotel
and he was determined not to repeat the dose.

'That's the goods,' said Longstreet jocularly, trying to smack his lips.

Barbee led the way to the nearest table and out of the nowhere brought
into the here a deck of cards. Longstreet was on the verge of
applauding when he noted that every one else accepted the act as a
matter of fact, and subsided into himself and into a chair at the same
moment.

'Who'll make it four-cornered?' demanded Barbee. 'Short, but lively
while she lasts. Little old game, name of stud horse?'

Two of the Mexicans, having hesitated and then looked to Barbee, came
forward and deposited themselves carelessly in the two chairs. Barbee
shuffled, cut, shuffled again and put the cards down.

'Cut for deal,' he ordered.

When each of the other men had leaned forward and lifted a sheaf of
cards, Longstreet divided the remainder. The deal went to Barbee. And
what is more, Longstreet understood why; Barbee showed the highest
card, a king. Longstreet straightened in his chair and his interest
grew; he went over in mind what he had learned at the ranch. A pair
beats a stiff, two pair beat a pair, threes beat two pair and so on.
It was simplicity itself and here was he, Professor Edward Longstreet,
measuring his judgment against that of Mexican Mendoza, Mexican Chavez
and Yellow Barbee, cowpuncher. Ready from the flip of the first card
to concede that these gentlemen had had a rather wider experience with
card-playing, none the less he realized the superiority of his
mentality, his