the man from glengarry-第57章

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LeNoir；　remarking；　〃Das　leetle　too　queek　for　me；〃　dropped　out。

Once　more　Rouleau　raised　the　bet　to　the　limit；　when　Mr。　Sims
refused；　and　left　the　game　to　him　and　the　lieutenant。　　There　was　no
mistaking　the　eager　triumph　in　the　Frenchman's　pale　face。　　He　began
to　bet　more　cautiously；　his　only　fear　being　that　his　opponent　would
〃call〃　too　soon。　　Dollar　by　dollar　the　bet　was　raised　till　at　last
Rouleau　joyously　gathered　his　last　chips；　raised　the　bet　once　more
by　the　limit；　exclaiming；　as　he　did　so；　〃Alas！　dere　ees　no　more！〃

He　had　played　his　season's　wages　that　night；　but　now　he　would
recover　all。

De　Lacy；　whose　coolness　was　undisturbed；　though　his　face　showed
signs　of　his　many　brandy…and…sodas；　covered　the　bet。

〃Hola！〃　exclaimed　Rouleau　in　triumph。　　〃Eet　ees　to　me！〃　　He　threw
down　his　cards　and　reached　for　the　pile。

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　quietly　looking　at　Rouleau's
cards。　　〃Ah；　a　straight　flush；　queen　high。〃　　Coolly　he　laid　his
cards　on　the　table。　　〃Thought　you　might　have　had　the　ace；〃　he　said；
languidly；　leaning　back　in　his　chair。　　He；　too；　held　a　straight
flush；　but　with　the　king。

Rouleau　gazed　thunderstruck。

〃Mort　Dieu！〃　he　exclaimed；　excitedly。　　〃The　deal　was　from　you。〃

〃Mine；〃　said　De　Lacy；　quietly；　looking　up　at　the　excited　Frenchman。

〃Ah；〃　cried　Rouleau；　beside　himself。　　〃It　iswhat　you　call？　　One
cheat！　cheat！〃

The　lieutenant　sat　up　straight　in　his　chair。

〃Do　you　mean　that　I　cheated　you？〃　he　said；　with　slow　emphasis。
〃Beware　what　you　say。〃

〃Oui！〃　cried　the　Frenchman；　〃sacr…r…reso　I　mean！〃

Before　the　words　had　well　left　his　lips；　and　before　any　one　could
interfere　De　Lacy　shot　out　his　arm；　lifted　the　Frenchman　clear　off
his　feet；　and　hurled　him　to　the　floor。

〃Stop！　you　coward！〃　　Ranald　stood　before　the　lieutenant　with　eyes
blazing　and　breath　coming　quick。

〃Coward？〃　said　De　Lacy；　slowly。

〃You　hit　a　man　unprepared。〃

〃You　are　prepared；　I　suppose；〃　replied　De　Lacy；　deliberately。

〃Yes！　　Yes！〃　cried　Ranald；　eagerly；　the　glad　light　of　battle　coming
into　his　eyes。

〃Good；〃　said　De　Lacy；　slowly　putting　back　his　chair；　and　proceeding
to　remove　his　coat。

〃Glengarry！〃　cried　LeNoir；　raising　the　battle　cry　he　had　cause　to
remember　so　well；　and　flinging　off　his　coat　upon　the　floor；　he
patted　Ranald　on　the　back；　yelling；　〃Go　in；　bully　boy！〃

〃Shut　the　door；　LeNoir；〃　said　Ranald；　quickly；　〃and　keep　it　shut。〃

〃De　Lacy；〃　cried　Harry；　〃this　must　not　go　on！　　Ranald；　think　what
you　are　doing！〃

〃You　didn't　notice　his　remark；　apparently；　St。　Clair；〃　said　the
lieutenant；　calmly。

〃Never　mind；〃　cried　Harry；　〃he　was　excited；　and　anyway　the　thing
must　end　here。〃

〃There　is　only　one　way。　　Does　he　retract？〃　said　De　Lacy；　quietly。

〃Ranald；〃　Harry　cried；　beseechingly；　〃you　know　he　is　no　coward；　you
did　not　mean　that。〃

By　this　time　Ranald　had　himself　in　hand。

〃No；〃　he　said；　regretfully；　forcing　himself　to　speak　the　truth。　　〃I
know　he　is　no　coward；　I　have　seen　him　where　no　coward　would　be；
but；〃　he　added；　〃he　struck　a　man　unguarded；　and　that　was　a　coward's
blow。〃

〃Macdonald；〃　said　De　Lacy　deliberately；　〃you　are　right。　　True；　he
called　me　a　cheat；　but　I　should　have　given　him　time。　　Still；〃　he
added；　rolling　up　his　sleeves；　〃I　hope　you　will　not　deprive
yourself　or　me　of　the　privilege　of　settling　this　little　business。〃

〃I　will　be　glad；〃　said　Ranald；　his　eyes　once　more　lighting　up。
〃Very　glad　indeed；　if　you　wish。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　cried　Harry；　passionately；　〃I　tell　you　I　will　not　have
it。　　He　has　given　you　ample　apology；　De　Lacy；　and　you；　Ranald；　I
thought　a　Macdonald　never　fought　except　for　sufficient　cause！〃
Harry　remembered　the　fighting　rule　of　the　Macdonald　gang。

〃That　is　true；〃　said　Ranald；　gravely；　〃but　it　was　a　cruel　blow；〃
pointing　to　Rouleau；　who；　supported　by　LeNoir；　was　sitting　on　a
chair；　his　face　badly　cut　and　bleeding；　〃and　that；　too；　after
taking　from　him　the　wages　of　six　months　in　the　bush！〃

〃I　suppose　you　admit　the　game　was　fair；〃　said　the　lieutenant；
moving　nearer　to　Ranald；　the　threat　in　his　tone　evident　to　all。

〃The　game　was　fair；〃　said　Ranald；　facing　De　Lacy；　〃but　I　will　say
the　lad　was　no　fair　match　for　you！〃

〃He　chose　to　risk　his　money；　which　you　were　not　willing　to　do。〃
De　Lacy　felt　that　he　was　being　put　in　an　unpleasant　light　and　was
determined　to　anger　Ranald　beyond　control。　　Ranald　caught　the
sneer。

〃If　I　did　not　play；〃　he　cried；　hotly；　〃it　was　for　no　fear　of　you
or　any　of　you。　　It　was　no　man's　game　whatever；〃　he　continued；
contemptuously。

〃Now；　De　Lacy；〃　cried　Harry；　again；　〃let　this　stop。　　The　man　who
fights　will　first　fight　me！〃

〃Perhaps　Mr。　Macdonald　would　show　us　how　the　game　should　be
played；〃　said　Mr。　Sims；　coming　as　near　to　a　sneer　as　he　dared。

〃It　would　not　be　hard　to　show　you　this　game；〃　said　Ranald；　ignoring
Mr。　Sims；　and　looking　the　lieutenant　in　the　eyes；　〃or　perhaps　the
other！〃

〃Good！〃　cried　Harry；　gladly　seizing　the　opportunity　of　averting　a
fight。　　〃The　game！　　Take　your　places；　gentlemen！〃

The　lieutenant　hesitated　for　a　moment；　as　if　uncertain　what　to　do。
Then；　with　a　slight　laugh；　he　said；　〃Very　well；　one　thing　at　a
time；　the　other　can　wait。〃

〃Come　on！〃　cried　Harry；　〃who　goes　in？　　LeNoir；　you？〃

LeNoir　looked　at　Ranald。

〃What　you　say？〃

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　shortly；　〃this　is　my　game！〃　　With　that　he　turned
aside　from　the　table　and　spoke　a　few　words　in　a　low　tone　to　LeNoir；
who　assisted　Rouleau　from　the　room；　and　after　some　minutes'　absence；
returned　with　a　little　linen　bag。　　Ranald　took　the　bag　and　began
to　count　out　some　money　upon　the　table　before　him。

〃I　will　play　to　one　hundred　dollars；〃　he　said。

The　lieutenant　and　Mr。　Sims　each　laid　the　same　amount　before　them
upon　the　table。

〃I　have　not　so　much　on　me；〃　said　Harry；　〃but　perhaps　my　I。　O。　U。
will　do。〃

〃What　shall　we　say；〃　said　Mr。　Sims；　〃a　dollar　to　play　and　five
dollars　limit？〃

〃Say　five　and　twenty…five；〃　said　De　Lacy；　who　was　commanding
himself　with　a　great　effort。

〃Is　that　too　high？〃　said　Harry；　looking　toward　Ranald。

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　〃the　higher　the　better。〃

It　was　soon　evident　that　Ranald　knew　the　game。　　He　had　learned　it
during　the　long　winter　nights　in　the　shanty　from　Yankee；　who　was　a
master　at　it；　and　he　played　it　warily　and　with　iron　nerve。　　He
seemed　to　know　as　by　instinct　when　to　retreat　and　when　to　pursue；
and　he　played　with　the　single　purpose　of　bleeding　the　lieutenant
dry。　　Often　did　he　refuse　to　take　toll　of　Harry　or　Mr。　Sims　when
opportunity　offered；　but　never　once　did　he　allow　the　lieutenant　to
escape。

〃You　flatter　me；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　sarcastically；　as　Ranald's
purpose　became　increasingly　clear。

〃I　will　have　from　you　all　you　have　won；〃　replied　Ranald；　in　a　tone
of　such　settled　resolve　that　it　seemed　as　if　nothing　could　prevent
the　accomplishment　of　his　purpose。　　In　vain　the　lieutenant　sought
to　brace　his　nerves　with　his　brandy…and…sodas。　　He　played　now
recklessly　and　again　with　over…caution；　while　Ranald；　taking
advantage　of　every　slip　and　every　sign　of　weakness；　followed　him
with　relentless　determination。

With　such　stakes　the　game　was　soon　over。　　It　was　not　long　before
the　lieutenant　was　stripped　of　his　hundred；　while　Harry　and　Mr。
Sims　had　each　lost　smaller　amounts。

〃You　will　try　another　hundred？〃　said　the　lieutenant；　burning　to　get
revenge。

Without　a　word　Ranald　laid　down　his　hundred；　the　others　did
likewise；　and　once　more　the　game　proceeded。　　There　was　no　change
in　Ranald's　play。　　Thorough　knowledge　of　the　game；　absolute　self…
command；　an　instinctive　reading　of　his　opponent's　mind；　and
unswerving　purpose　soon　brought　about　the　only　result　possible。
The　lieutenant's　second　hundred　with　a　part　of　Harry's　and　Mr。
Sims's　passed　into　Ranald's　possession。

Again　De　Lacy　challenged　to　play。

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　have　done。〃　　He　put　back　into　his　linen　bag
his　one　hundred　dollars；　counted　out　two　hundred；　and　gave　it　to
LeNoir；　saying：　　〃That　is　Rouleau's；〃　and　threw　the　rest　upon　the
table。　　〃I　want　no　man's　money；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　do　not　earn。〃

The　lieutenant　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Hold！〃　he　cried；　〃you　forget；　there　is　something　else！〃

〃No；〃　said　Ranald；　as　Harry　and　Mr。　Sims　pu