Page:Harris Dickson--Old Reliable in Africa.djvu/52

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OLD RELIABLE IN AFRICA

When Shields had gone the Colonel turned to Joe Sloan and asked peremptorily, "How do you stand?" Joe answered straight, "Sixty dollars winner." The Colonel put that down.

"That leaves three hundred and seventy dollars between Mr. Eaton and the man you call Captain Wright." Joe Sloan squirmed at the way the Colonel said "the man you call Captain Wright."

Shields returned in a few moments, "Mr. Eaton complains that he's tired, and will not come back to-night."

The Colonel rose and said, "I think he will come," then went out of the door. Within five minutes he reëntered, pushing Eaton ahead of him. "Now, Mr. Eaton, I should be pleased to know how you stood in this game?"

"Well," Eaton replied languidly, "I think I won something in the neighborhood of two hundred and eighty dollars."

"Exactly how much?"

"Exactly that; beastly nuisance." Eaton turned to go.

"Wait one minute, Mr. Eaton. Don't hurry off. We desire to settle up this game."

"The game is already settled so far as I'm concerned," Eaton responded.

"But not so far as I am concerned." Spottis-