cards, you might as well put all your money on
the first turn, win or lose, as to try and play system. Systems
don't work in faro, nor love affairs, nor any other game of chance.
Be gone. Put your marker on the grand raffle. In other words take
the first horse to town and get married. Ten chances to one Jonesy
will have the laugh on you before the year is out.'

"'I don't think you are a bit nice to-day, Red,' says Loys.

"'He's jealous,' says Kyle.

"'That's what I am, young man,' says I. 'If I had ten years off my
shoulders, and a little of the glow off my hair, I'd give you a run
for your alley that would leave you breathless at the wind-up.'

"'I think your hair is a beautiful color, Red,' says Loys. 'Many a
woman would like to have it.'

"'Of course they would,' I answered. 'But they don't get it. I'm
foxy, I am.' Still I was touched in a tender spot. That young
woman knew Just the right thing to say, by nature. 'Well, what are
you young folks going to do?' I asked them.

"They decided that they'd think it over until next day, but that
turned out to be too late, for what must Kyle do but get chucked
from his horse and have his leg broke near the hip. You don't want
to take any love affairs onto the back of a bad horse, now you mark
me! There was no such thing as downing that boy when he was in his
right mind.

"Now here was a hurrah! Loys, she dasn't cry, for fear of uncle,
and Kyle, he used the sinfullest language known to the tongue of
man. 'Twas the first time I'd ever heard him say anything much,
but he made it clear that it wasn't because he couldn't.

"'What will we do, Red? What will we do?' says he.

"'Now,' says I, 'don't bile over like that, because it's bad for
your leg.'

"He cussed the leg.

"'Go on and tell me what we can do,' says he.

"'When you ask me that, you've pulled the right bell,' says I.
'I'll tell you exactly what we'll do. I go for the doctor. Savvy?
Well, I bring back the minister at the same time. Angevine, he
loses the Jersey cow over in the cane-break, and uncle and Angevine
go hunting her, for not even Loys is ace high in uncle's mind
alongside that cow. The rest is easy.'

"'Red, you're a brick--you're the best fellow alive,' says Kyle,
nearly squeezing the hand off me.

"'I've tried to conceal it all my life, but I knew it would be
discovered some day,' says I. 'Well, I suppose I'd better break
the news to Loys--'twouldn't be any more than po