r a second the four stared
incredulously. A pair of ones!

An extraordinary change took place in Husky. He grunted and blinked.
Suddenly he threw back his head and roared with laughter. Big Jack
steeled himself, shrugged, and rose. Going to the fire-place, he
tapped the ashes out of his pipe and prepared to fill it again.

"'Tain't for me to kick," he said coolly; "since I got it up!" Jack
deserved better at the hands of fortune.

The cup passed to Joe again. He shook it interminably.

"Ah, shoot!" growled Shand.

Whereupon Joe put down the cup and prepared to engage in another
snarling argument. Only a combined threat from the three to put him
out of the game forced him to play. He got five, and suddenly became
quiet and anxious.

Shand threw four, whereupon Joe's little soul rebounded in the air
again. Husky got eight. Shand rose without a word and crossed the room
to the door.

"Wait till the game is over," said Big Jack quietly. "We'll all go out
together and save trouble."

Young Joe, once more in possession of the cup, was unable to get up
sufficient nerve to make the fateful cast. He shook it as if he meant
to wear a hole in the tin. He offered to let Husky shoot first, and
when he refused tried to pick a quarrel with him.

Finally Big Jack drew out his watch. "Ten seconds," he said, "or you
forfeit. Are you with me, Shand?"

"Sure!" muttered the other.

Joe, with a groan of nervous apprehension, made his cast. He got a
ten. Another reaction took place in him.

"Let me see you beat that!" he cried offensively. "I'm all right!" He
smirked at the girl.

Husky picked up the dice and with one hasty shake tossed them out. By
this time he had had as much suspense as he could stand. His nervous
cast sent the cubes flying wide. One turned up a five between them.
The other rolled beyond Joe. They had to crawl on hands and knees to
see it. Six black spots were revealed.

"Eleven!" roared Husky. "I win!"

Joe's self-control gave way altogether. Tears were in his voice. "Do
it over!" he cried. "You got to do it over! It wasn't on the table!
You never shook the cup! I won't stand for it!"

Husky, having won, blissfully calmed down. "Ah, you short sport," he
contemptuously retorted, "you deserve to lose!"

Joe sprang up with a tearful oath. "I won't stand for it!" he cried.
"I said I wouldn't stand by a throw of the dice. You've got to fight
me!"

Big Jack, expecting something of the kind, intervened f