"Eyebrow chap. Money no end--mines, lumber, domestic animals, that
sort of thing."

"Beg pardon, sir! I'm to go----"

"Chap's wife taken a great fancy to you. Would have you to do for the
funny, sad beggar. So he's won you. Won you in a game of drawing
poker. Another man would have done as well, but the creature was keen
for you. Great strength of character. Determined sort. Hope you won't
think I didn't play soundly, but it's not a forthright game. Think
they're bluffing when they aren't. When they are you mayn't think it.
So far as hiding one's intentions, it's a most rottenly immoral game.
Low, animal cunning--that sort of thing."

"Do I understand I was the stake, sir?" I controlled myself to say.
The heavens seemed bursting about my head.

"Ultimately lost you were by the very trifling margin of superiority
that a hand known as a club flush bears over another hand consisting
of three of the eights--not quite all of them, you understand, only
three, and two other quite meaningless cards."

I could but stammer piteously, I fear. I heard myself make a wretched
failure of words that crowded to my lips.

"But it's quite simple, I tell you. I dare say I could show it you in
a moment if you've cards in your box."

"Thank you, sir, I'll not trouble you. I'm certain it was simple. But