purple
spore-thistles at my cabin door. Max is sweet.

This afternoon, by mutual consent, we all knocked off work and played
bridge. Bishop noticed the thistle bouquet in a vase over the
chronometer. He objected.

"They're harmless," Max said. "Besides, they smell nice."

I can hardly wait for tomorrow's rubber. Our work is important, but one
does need relaxation.

* * * * *

_February 25_

Armitage is cheating.

Yesterday he failed to score one of my overtricks. We argued bitterly
about it. Taylor, of course, sided with him. Three hands later, Armitage
got the bid in hearts. "One hundred and fifty honors," he announced.

"That's a lie," I said.

"It was only a hundred," he grinned. "But thank you, Greta. Now I shan't
try the queen finesse."

No wonder they've won the last three evenings! Max is furious with them
both.

* * * * *

_February 28_

We played all day. Max and I kept losing. I always knew Armitage was a
pompous toad, but I never realized he was _slimy_.

This afternoon it was game all, and Armitage overcalled my diamond
opener with three spades. Bishop took him to four and I doubled,
counting on my ace-king of hearts and diamonds.

I led out my diamond ace and Armitage trumped from his hand. Bishop laid
down his dummy. He had clubs and spades solid, with doubleton heart and
diamonds.

"None?" Max asked Armitage dangerously.

Armitage tittered. I wanted to scratch his eyes out. He drew trump
immediately and set up clubs on board, dumping the heart losers from his
hand, and finally sluffing--_two diamonds_.

"Made seven," he said complacently, "less two for the diamond renege
makes five, one overtrick doubled. We were vulnerable, so it's game and
rubber."

I gasped. "You reneged deliberately!"

"Certainly. Doubleton in hearts and diamonds in my hand. If you get in,
I'm down one. As it was, I made an overtrick. The only penalty for a
renege is two tricks. The rule book does not differentiate between
deliberate and accidental reneges. Sorry."

I stared at his florid throat, at his jugular. I could feel my mouth
twitching.

On the next hand I was dummy. I excused myself and went into the lab. I
found a scalpel. I came up quietly behind Armitage and Bishop saw what I
was going to do and shouted and I was not nearly fast enough. Armitage
ducked and Bishop tackled me.

"Thanks, dear," Max said thoughtfully, looking at the