Brandon of the Engineers

"Never mind that," said Dick. "I suppose you didn't stop?"

"No; I took a drink that braced me up and soon afterwards thought I saw

my chance. The cards looked pretty good, and I put up a big bluff and

piled on all I had."

"But you had nothing; you'd lost what you began with."

Jake colored. "Bethune had given me a check to bearer."

"I was afraid of that," Dick said gravely. "But go on."

"I thought I'd bluff them, but Black and the Spaniard told me to play,

though Kenwardine held back at first. Said they didn't want to take

advantage of my rashness and I couldn't make good. Well, I saw how I

could put it over, and it looked as if they couldn't stop me, until Black

brought out a trump I didn't think he ought to have. After that I don't

remember much, but imagine I turned on the fellow and made some trouble."

"Can you remember how the cards went?"

"No," said Dick awkwardly, "not now, and I may have been mistaken about

the thing. I believe I fell over the table and they put me on a couch.

After a time, I saw there was nobody in the room, and thought I'd better

get out." He paused and added with a flush: "I was afraid Miss Kenwardine

might find me in the morning."

"You can't pay back the money you lost?"

"I can't. The check will show in the works' accounts and there'll sure be

trouble if the old man hears of it."

Dick was silent for a few moments. It was curious that Jake had tried to

defend Kenwardine; but this did not matter. The lad's anxiety and

distress were plain.

"If you'll leave the thing entirely in my hands, I'll see what can be

done," he said. "I'll have to tell Bethune."

"I'll do whatever you want, if you'll help me out," Jake answered

eagerly, and after asking some questions about his losses, Dick went to

Bethune's shack.

Bethune listened thoughtfully to what he had to say, and then remarked:

"We'll take it for granted that you mean to see him through. Have you

enough money?"

"No; that's why I came."

"You must get the check back, anyhow," said Bethune, who opened a drawer

and took out a roll of paper currency. "Here's my pile, and it's at your

service, but it won't go far enough."

"I think it will, with what I can add," said Dick, after counting the

bills. "You see, I don't mean to pay the full amount."

Bethune looked at him and smiled. "Well, that's rather unusual, but if

they made him drunk and the game was not quite straight! Have you got his

promise not to play again?"