CHAPTER VII.

A GAME OF POKER.

Mr. Max Lyster, in his hasty plans for an innocent village dance, had

neglected to make allowance for a certain portion of the inhabitants whose

innocence was not of the quality that allowed them to miss anything, no

matter who was host. They would shoot the glass out of every window in a

house, if the owner of the house should be in their bad books for any

trifling slight, and would proceed to "clean out" any establishment where

their own peculiar set was ignored.

There were, perhaps, seven or eight women in the place who were shown all

respect by men in general. They were the wives and daughters of the city

fathers--the first of the "family folks" to give the stamp of permanency

to the little camp by the river. These ladies and their husbands, together

with the better class of the "boys," were the people whom Mr. Lyster

expected to meet and to partake of his hospitality in the cheery abode of

Mrs. Huzzard.

But Overton knew there were one or two other people to consider, and felt

impatient with Lyster for his impulsive arrangements. Of course, 'Tana

could not know and Mrs. Huzzard did not, but Lyster had at least been very

thoughtless.

The fact was that the well-ordered establishment of Mrs. Huzzard was a

grievance and a thorn in the side of certain womankind, who dwelt along

the main street and kept open drinking saloons seven days in the week.

They would have bought ribbons and feathers from her, and as a milliner

thought no more about her, or even if she had opened a hotel, with a bar

attached, they would have been willing to greet her as a fellow worker,

and all would have had even chances. But her effrontery in opening an

eating house, where only water--pure or adulterated with tea or

coffee--was drunk--Well, her immaculate pretensions, to use the vernacular

of one of the disgusted, "made them sick."

It may have been their dislike was made more pronounced because of the

fact that the more sober-minded men turned gladly to the irreproachable

abode of Mrs. Huzzard, and the "bosses" of several "gangs" of workmen had

arranged with her for their meals. Besides, the river men directed any

strangers to her house; whereas, before, the saloons had been the first

point of view from which travelers or miners had seen Sinna Ferry. All

these grievances had accumulated through the weeks, until the climax was

capped when the report went abroad that a dance was to take place at the

sickeningly correct restaurant, and that only the _elite_ of the

settlement were expected to attend.

Thereupon some oaths had been exchanged in a desultory fashion over the

bars at Mustang Kate's and Dutch Lena's; and derisive comments made as to

Mrs. Huzzard and her late charge, the girl in the Indian dress. Some of

the boys, who owned musical instruments--a banjo and a mouth organ--were

openly approached by bribery to keep away from the all too perfect

gathering, so that there might be a dearth of music. But the boys with the

musical instruments evaded the bribes, and even hinted aloud their

desire to dance once anyway with the new girl of the curly hair and the

Indian dress.

This decision increased somewhat the muttering of the storm brewing; and

when Dutch Lena's own man indiscreetly observed that he would have to drop

in line, too, if all the good boys were going, then indeed did the cyclone

of woman's wrath break over that particular branch of Hades. Lena's man

was scratched a little with a knife before quiet was restored, and there

had been some articles of furniture flung around promiscuously; also some

violent language.

Overton divined somewhat of all this, knowing as he did the material of

the neighborhood, though no actual history of events came to his ears. And

'Tana, presenting herself to his notice in all the glory of her party

dress, felt her enthusiasm cool as he looked at her moodily. He would have

liked to shut her away from all the vulgar gaze and comment he knew her

charming face would win for her. His responsibilities as a guardian forced

on him so many new phases of thought. He had never before given the social

side of Sinna Ferry much consideration; but he thought fast and angrily as

he looked down on the slim, girlish, white-draped figure and the lovely

appealing face turned upward to him.

"You don't like it--you don't think it is pretty?" she asked, and her

mouth was a little tremulous. "I tried so hard. I sewed part of it myself,

and Mrs. Huzzard said--"

Lyster arose from a seat by the window. He had entered the room but a

moment before, and now lounged toward her with critical eyes.

"Mrs. Huzzard said you were enchanting in your new gown--is not that it?"

he asked, and then frowned at Overton in a serio-comic way. "And lives

there a man with soul so dead that he cannot perceive the manifold

beauties arranged for his inspection? Well, you know I told you I

appreciate you much more than he will ever do; so--"

"What nonsense you are talking!" said Overton, irritably. "Of course, the

dress is all right. I don't know much about such things, though; so my

opinion is not worth much. But I don't think little girls should be told

so much of their charms, Lyster. They are too likely to be made think that

prettiness is the only thing worth living for."

He smiled at 'Tana to soften the severity of his speech; but she was not

looking at him just then, and so missed the softening accompaniment. She

felt it was herself who was taken to task instead of Lyster, and stood

with drooped, darkening face until the door closed behind Overton.

"That is your fault," she burst out. "He--he might have thought it was

nice, if you hadn't been here with your fool speeches. You just go around

laughing at everything, Mr. Max Lyster, and you're just as empty as that

china cat on the mantel, and it's hollow. I'd like to hit you sometimes

when you say your nice, tantalizing words--that's what _I'd_ like to do;

and maybe some day I will."

"I shouldn't be surprised if you did," he agreed, and stepped back out of

range of her clenched brown hands. "Whew! what a trial you'd be to a

guardian who had nerves. You are spoiling your pretty face with that

satanic expression. Now, why should you make war on me? I'm sure I am one

of your most devoted servants."

"You are your own devoted servant," she retorted, "and you'll never be any

other person's."

"Well, now, I'm not so sure of that," he said, and looked at her

smilingly. All her anger did not keep him from seeing what a wondrous

difference all that white, billowy lawn made in the girl whom he had taken

for a squaw that first day when he saw her swimming the Kootenai.

She looked taller, slighter, with such lovable curves in the girlish form,

and the creamy neck and arms gleaming through the thin material. No

ornaments or ribbons broke the whiteness of her garb--nothing but the

Indian belt of beads that Overton had given her, and in it were reddish

tints and golden brown the color of her hair.

To be sure, the cheeks were a little tanned by the weather, and the little

hand was browner than need be for beauty; but, for all that, he realized,

as Overton had seemingly not done, that the girl, when dressed as dainty

girlhood should be, was very pretty, indeed.

"I am willing to sign myself your bond slave from this hour, if that will

lessen your anger against me," he protested. "Just think, I leave Sinna

Ferry to-morrow. How shall I do penance until then?"

"'It may be for years, and it may be forever,

Then why art thou silent, O voice of my heart?'"

She pouted and frowned a little at his warbling, though a smile eventually

touched her lips, and speculation shone in her eyes.

"I _will_ make you do penance," she declared, "and right now, too. I

haven't any money, but I'll put up my moccasins against five dollars in a

game of poker."

"You--play poker?"

"I'll try," she said briefly, and her eyes sparkled; "I'll play you and

ask no favors."

"Your moccasins are not worth five."

"Maybe not. Call it two-fifty then and promise me two hands at that."

"How sure you are to win!" he laughed, well pleased that she was diverted

from her quick displeasure. "We'll call it five against the moccasins.

Here are the cards. And what am I to do with those little moccasins, even

if I do win them?"

"Oh, I'll take care of the moccasins!" she said, easily. "I guess they'll

not trouble you much, Mr. Lyster. Cut for deal?"

He nodded, and they commenced their game there alone in Mrs. Huzzard's

most respectable _cafe_. Mrs. Huzzard herself did not approve of card

playing. No one but Captain Leek had, as yet, been allowed that privilege.

His playing she had really begun to look upon as almost moral in its

effects, since he pursued it as the most innocent of pastimes, never

betting more than a few dimes, and since it secluded him effectually from

the roaring lion of iniquity to which so many men fell victims in the

lively little settlement. But 'Tana, knowing that card playing by a girl

would not be a thing within Mrs. Huzzard's understanding, glanced warily

at the door leading to the second floor of the establishment and comforted

herself that the mistress of the domain was yet employed by her toilet for

the evening.

'Tana dealt, and did it so deftly that Lyster looked at her in

surprise, even irritation. What business had she touching the bits of

pasteboard like that--like some old gambler. Such a slight slip of a

thing, with all the beauty of early youth in her face, and all the

guilelessness of a vestal in the pure white of her garb. He fancied

he would have felt different if he had seen her playing cards in that

Indian dress; it would not have brought such a discord with it. And it was

not merely that she played, but it was the way she played that brought

vexation to him--that careless, assured handling of the cards. It

seemed almost professional,--it seemed--

"I'll just take that little five," remarked his opponent easily, and

spread out the cards before him. "I know what you've got, and it won't

touch this flush, and if you play again I'd advise you to gather your wits

and not play so wild--that is, if you want to win."

He stared at her in astonishment. It was quite true--while his thoughts

had been with her personality and her incongruous occupation, her thoughts

had been centered very decidedly on the points of the game. She, at least,

had not played "wild." A doubt even came into his mind, as to whether she

played honestly.

"I don't think I cared about winning," he answered, "I'd rather have given

you the stakes than to have had you play for them that way--yes, 'Tana,

double the stakes."

"Oh, would you?" she asked, with saucy indifference. "Well, I ain't asking

favors. I guess I can win all I want."

"No doubt you can," he assented, gravely. "But as young ladies do not

generally depend on their skill with cards to earn their pocket money, I'm

afraid Overton would have a lecture ready for you, if he learned of your

skill."

"Let him," she said, recklessly. "I've tried to be good, and tried to be

nice, and--and even pretty," she added, touching the dainty sleeve and

skirt of her dress, "but what use is it? He just stands off and stares

at me, and even speaks sharp as if he's sorry he ever brought me down

here. I didn't think he'd be like that. He was nicer in Akkomi's village;

and now--"

She hesitated, and, seeing that Lyster's eyes were watching her

attentively, she laughed in a careless way, and curled the five-dollar

bill around her finger.

"So I might as well be bad, don't you see? and I'm going to be, too. I

want this five dollars to gamble with, and for nothing else in the world.

I'm going to get square with some one."

"Which means you are going to worry some one else, just because Overton

has annoyed you," decided Lyster. "That is a woman's idea of retaliation,

I believe. Am I the selected victim?"

"Of course you're not, or I wouldn't have told you. All I wanted of you

was to give me a start."

"Exactly; your frankness is not very flattering; but, in spite of it, I'd

like to give you a start in a different way--toward a good school, for

instance. How would you like that?"

She looked at him for a moment suspiciously, she was so used to raillery

from him; then she answered briefly:

"But you are not my guardian, Mr. Max Lyster."

"Then you prefer card playing?"

"No, I don't. I'd like it, but my income can't cover such luxuries, and I

have booked myself to play for a time this evening, if I can get the man I

want to play with."

"But that is what you must not do," he said, hastily. "With Overton or

myself, of course, a game would not do you any special harm; but you

simply must not indulge in such pastime with this promiscuous gathering

of people--of men."

"But it isn't men--it's only one man I want to play--do you see?"

"I might if I knew who it was; but you don't know any men here but Dan and

me."

"Yes, I do, too. I know Captain Alphonso Leek."

"Perhaps, but--" Lyster smiled, and shook his head dubiously.

"But he won't play with me, because he don't like me; that's what you

would say, if you were not too polite--isn't it? He doesn't approve of me,

and can't understand why I'm on the face of the earth, and especially why

Dan should take any responsibility but Captain Leek on his hands. Huh!

Can't I see? Of course I do. I heard him call me _'that'_ this morning.

And so, I want to play a game of poker with him."

She looked impishly at him from under her brows, and twirled the money.

"Won't you be a messenger of peace and fix the game for me?" she asked,

insinuatingly. "You know you promised to do penance."

"Then I forswear all rash promises for the future," he declared.

"But you did promise."

"Well, then, I'll keep my word, since you are such a little Shylock. And

if it is only the captain--"

She laughed after he had gone out, and sat there shuffling the cards and

building them into various forms. She was thus employed when Overton again

passed the window and entered the room ere she could conceal them. He

observed her attempt to do so and smiled indulgently.

"Playing with the cards, are you?" he asked, in a careless way. "They are

expensive toys sometimes. But I'll teach you 'seven-up' some day; it's an

easy game."

"Is it?" she said; but did not look up at him. His indifference to the

pretty dress had not yet ceased to annoy her.

"Yes. And see here, 'Tana! I forgot to give you a present I brought you a

little while ago. It's a ring a fellow from the upper lake region worried

me into buying, as he was dead broke. He bought it from an Indian up near

Karlo. Queer for an Indian to have, isn't it?"

"Near Karlo?" she said, and reached out her hand for it.

There was a strange look on her face, a strange choking sound in her

throat. He noticed it, and his voice was very kindly as he spoke again.

"You don't like even to hear of that region, do you? You must have been

very miserable somewhere up there. But never mind, little girl; we'll try

to forget all that. And if the ring fits you, wear it, no matter what

country it comes from."

She tried to thank him, but the words would not come easily, and her

outstretched hand in which the ring lay was tremulous.

"Oh, that's all right," he said hastily, afraid, no doubt, she was going

to cry, as he had seen her do before at kind words. "Never mind about the

thanks. If you care to wear it, that's all that's necessary; though a

snake ring is not the prettiest of ornaments for a girl. It fits, doesn't

it?"

"Yes, it fits," she returned, and slipped it on her finger. "It is very

nice," but she shivered as with cold, and her hand shook.

It was curious enough to attract notice anywhere, a silver and a gold

snake twined together with their heads meeting, and in the flattened gold

head, eyes of garnet gleamed, while the silver head had eyes of emerald.

Not a girlish looking ornament, surely.

"I'll wear it," she said, and dropped the hand to her side. "But don't

tell the rest where it came from. I may want to tease them."