“Uponmyhonor，“saidJacksimply，“theyplayedlastnightforthefirsttime。Andtheyforcedmetoshowthem。But，“addedJackafterasignificantpause，“IthoughtitwouldmakethegamelivelierandbemoreofamorallessonifIgavethemnearlyallgoodpathands。SoIraninacolddeckonthem——thefirsttimeI
everdidsuchathinginmylife。Ifixedupapackofcardssothatonehadthreetens，anotherthreejacks，andanotherthreequeens，andsoonuptothreeaces。Inaminutetheyhadalltumbledtothegame，andyouneversawsuchbetting。Everymanandwomantherebelievedheorshehadstruckasurething，andstakedaccordingly。Anewpanfulofbeanswasbroughton，andSeth，yourfriend，bankedforthem。Andatlasttheparsonrakedinthewholepile。“
“Isupposeyougavehimthethreeaces，“saidDr。Duchesnegloomily。
“Theparson，“saidJackslowly，“HADN’TASINGLEPAIRINHISHAND。
Itwasthestoniest，deadest，neatestBLUFFIeversaw。Andwhenhe’dfrightenedoffthelastmanwhoheldoutandlaidthatmeaslyhandofhisfacedownonthatpileofkings，queens，andaces，andlookedaroundthetableasherakedinthepile，therewasasmileofhumbleself-righteousnessonhisfacethatwasworthdoublethemoney。“
APUPILOFCHESTNUTRIDGE
TheschoolmasterofChestnutRidgewasinterruptedinhisafter-
schoolsolitudebytheclickofhoofandsoundofvoicesonthelittlebridlepaththatledtothescantclearinginwhichhisschoolhousestood。Helaiddownhispenasthefiguresofamanandwomanonhorsebackpassedthewindowsanddismountedbeforetheporch。Herecognizedthecomplacent，good-humoredfacesofMr。andMrs。Hoover，whoownedaneighboringranchofsomeimportanceandwhowereaccountedwelltodopeoplebythecommunity。Beingachildlesscouple，however，whiletheygenerouslycontributedtothesupportofthelittleschool，theyhadnotaddedtoitsflock，anditwaswithsomecuriositythattheyoungschoolmastergreetedthemandawaitedthepurportoftheirvisit。ThiswasprotractedindeliverythroughacertainpolitedalliancewiththerealsubjectcharacteristicoftheSouthwesternpioneer。
“Well，Almiry，“saidMr。Hoover，turningtohiswifeafterthefirstgreetingwiththeschoolmasterwasover，“thismakesmefeellikeoldtimes，youbet！Why，Iain’tbininsideaschoolhousesinceIwasknee-hightoagrasshopper。Thar’sthebenches，andthedesks，andthebooksandallthem’ab，abs，’jestliketheolddays。Dear！Dear！ButtheteacherinthosedayswasezoldandgrizzledezIbe——andsomeo’thescholars——nooffensetoyou，Mr。
Brooks——wasolderandbiggernoryou。Buttimesischanged:yetlook，Almiry，iftharain’tahunko’stalegingerbreadinthatdeskjestasitusterbe！Lord！howitallcomesback！EzIwassayin’onlyt’otherday，wecan’tbetoogratefultoourparentsforgivin’usaneddicationinouryouth；“andMr。Hoover，withtheairofrecallinganalmamaterofsequesteredgloomandcloisterederudition，gazedreverentlyaroundthenewpinewalls。
ButMrs。Hooverhereintervenedwithagraciousappreciationoftheschoolmaster’syouthafterherusualkindlyfashion。“Anddon’tyouforgetit，HiramHoover，thattheseyoungfolksofto-daykinteachtheoldschoolmastersof’waybackmore’nyouandIdreamof。
We’veheardofyourbooklarnin’，Mr。Brooks，aforethis，andwe’reproudtohevyouhere，eveniftheLordhasnotpleasedtogiveusthechildrentosendtoye。Butwe’vealwayspaidourshareinkeepinguptheschoolforothersthatwasmorefavored，andnowitlooksasifHehadnotforgottenus，andezif“——withasignificant，half-shyglanceatherhusbandandacorroboratingnodfromthatgentleman——“ezif，reelly，wemightbereckonin’tosendyouascholarourselves。“
Theyoungschoolmaster，sympatheticandsensitive，feltsomewhatembarrassed。Theallusiontohisextremeyouth，mollifiedthoughitwasbythesalveofpraisefromthetactfulMrs。Hoover，hadannoyedhim，andperhapsaddedtohisslightconfusionovertheinformationshevouchsafed。HehadnotheardofanylateadditiontotheHooverfamily，hewouldnothavebeenlikelyto，inhissecludedhabits；andalthoughhewasaccustomedtothenaiveanddirectsimplicityofthepioneer，hecouldscarcelybelievethatthisgoodladywasannouncingamaternalexpectation。Hesmiledvaguelyandbeggedthemtobeseated。
“Yesee，“saidMr。Hoover，droppinguponalowbench，“thewaythethingpansoutisthis。Almiry’sbrotherisapow’fulpreacherdownthecoastatSanAntonioandhezsettleddowntharwithabigFreeWillBaptistChurchcongregationandaheapo’landgotfromthemMexicans。Thar’saloto’poorSpanishandInjintrashthatbelongtotheland，andAlmiry’sbrotherhezsetaboutconvertin’
’em，givin’’emconvickshionandreligion，thoughthemostof’emisPapistsandfollowersoftheScarletWoman。Tharwasanorphan，alittlegirlthathegotouterthehandso’thempriests，kindersnatchedasabrandfromtheburnin’，andhesenthertoustobebroughtupinthewayso’theLord，knowin’thatwehadnochildrenofourown。Butwethoughtsheoughtergetthebenefito’
schoolin’too，besidesourowncare，andwereckonedtobringherherereg’lartoschool。“
Relievedandpleasedtohelpthegood-naturedcoupleinthecareofthehomelesswaif，albeitsomewhatdoubtfuloftheirreligiousmethods，theschoolmastersaidhewouldbedelightedtonumberheramonghislittleflock。Hadshealreadyreceivedanytuition？
“Onlyfromthempadres，yeknow，thingsaboutsaints，VirginMarys，visions，andmiracles，“putinMrs。Hoover；“andwekinderthoughtezyouknowSpanishyoumightbeabletogetrido’theminexchangefor’convictiono’sins’and’justificationbyfaith，’yeknow。“
“I’mafraid，“saidMr。Brooks，smilingatthethoughtofdisplacingtheChurch’s“mysteries“forcertaincorybanticdisplaysandthaumaturgicalexhibitionshehadwitnessedattheDissenters’campmeeting，“thatImustleaveallthattoyou，andImustcautionyoutobecarefulwhatyoudolestyoualsoshakeherfaithinthealphabetandthemultiplicationtable。“
“Mebbeeyou’reright，“saidMrs。Hoover，mystifiedbutgood-
natured；“butthar’sonethingmoreweoughtertellye。She’s——
she’satrifledarkcomplected。“
Theschoolmastersmiled。“Well？“hesaidpatiently。
“Sheisn’taniggernoranInjin，yeknow，butshe’skinderahalf-
Spanish，half-MexicanInjin，whattheycall’mes——mes’“——
“Mestiza，“suggestedMr。Brooks；“ahalf-breedormongrel。“
“Ireckon。Nowtharwouldn’tbeanyobjectiontothat，eh？“saidMr。Hooveralittleuneasily。
“Notbyme，“returnedtheschoolmastercheerfully。“Andalthoughthisschoolisstate-aidedit’snota’publicschool’intheeyeofthelaw，soyouhaveonlythefoolishprejudicesofyourneighborstodealwith。“HehadrecognizedthereasonoftheirhesitationandknewthestrongracialantagonismheldtowardsthenegroandIndianbyMr。Hoover’sSouthwesterncompatriots，andhecouldnotrefrainfrom“rubbingitin。“
“Theykinsee，“interposedMrs。Hoover，“thatshe’snotanigger，forherhairdon’t’kink，’andafurrinInjin，ofcourse，isdifferentfromoneo’ourown。“
“IftheyhearherspeakSpanish，andyousimplysaysheisaforeigner，assheis，itwillbeallright，“saidtheschoolmastersmilingly。“Lethercome，I’lllookafterher。“
Muchrelieved，afterafewmorewordsthecoupletooktheirdeparture，theschoolmasterpromisingtocallthenextafternoonattheHoovers’ranchandmeethisnewscholar。“Yemightgiveusahintortwohowsheoughterbefixedupaforeshejoinstheschool。“
Theranchwasaboutfourmilesfromtheschoolhouse，andasMr。
BrooksdrewreinbeforetheHoovers’gateheappreciatedthedevotionofthecouplewhowerewillingtosendthechildthatdistancetwiceaday。Thehouse，withitsoutbuildings，wasonamoreliberalscalethanitsneighbors，andshowedfewofthemakeshiftsandhalf-heartedadvancestowardspermanentoccupationcommontotheSouthwesternpioneers，whoweremoreorlessnomadsininstinctandcircumstance。Hewasusheredintoawell-furnishedsittingroom，whoseglaringfreshnesswassubduedandrepressedbyblack-framedengravingsofscripturalsubjects。AsMr。Brooksglancedatthemandrecalledtheschoolroomsoftheoldmissions，withtheirmonasticshadowswhichhalfhidthegaudy，tinseledsaintsandflamingorensanguinedheartsuponthewalls，hefearedthatthelittlewaifofMotherChurchhadnotgainedanycheerfulnessintheexchange。
AssheenteredtheroomwithMrs。Hoover，herlargedarkeyes——themostnotablefeatureinhersmallface——seemedtosustaintheschoolmaster’sfancifulfearintheirhalf-frightenedwonder。ShewasclingingcloselytoMrs。Hoover’sside，asifrecognizingthegoodwoman’smaternalkindnessevenwhiledoubtfulofherpurpose；
butontheschoolmasteraddressingherinSpanish，asingularchangetookplaceintheirrelativepositions。Aquicklookofintelligencecameintohermelancholyeyes，andwithitaslightconsciousnessofsuperioritytoherprotectorsthatwasembarrassingtohim。Fortherestheobservedmerelythatshewassmallandslightlybuilt，althoughherfigurewashiddeninalong“checkapron“orcalicopinaforewithsleeves——alocalgarment——
whichwasutterlyincongruouswithheroriginality。Herskinwasolive，incliningtoyellow，orrathertothatexquisiteshadeofbufftobeseeninthenewbarkofthemadrono。Herfacewasoval，andhermouthsmallandchildlike，withlittletosuggesttheaboriginaltypeinherotherfeatures。
Themaster’squestionselicitedfromthechildthefactthatshecouldreadandwrite，thatsheknewher“HailMary“andcreedhappilytheProtestantMrs。Hooverwasunabletofollowthisquestioning，buthealsoelicitedthemoredisturbingfactthatherrepliesandconfidencessuggestedacertainfamiliarityandequalityofconditionwhichhecouldonlysetdowntohisownyouthfulnessofappearance。HewasapprehensivethatshemightevenmakesomeremarkregardingMrs。Hoover，andwasnotsorrythatthelatterdidnotunderstandSpanish。ButbeforehelefthemanagedtospeakwithMrs。Hooveraloneandsuggestedachangeinthecostumeofthepupilwhenshecametoschool。“Thebettersheisdressed，“suggestedthewilyyoungdiplomat，“thelesslikelyisshetoawakenanysuspicionofherrace。“
“Nowthat’sjestwhat’sbotherin’me，Mr。Brooks，“returnedMrs。