4 THE LAW OF HEMLOCK MOUNTAIN
quarters, though his class standing had been distin-
guished and his gridiron record had become a tradition.
  This sort of game with "the roof off and deuces
wild," was not good for the morale of his junior
officers, mused the major. It was like spiking whisky
with absinthe. Yes, to-morrow he would have Spur-
rier at his quarters and talk to him like a Dutch uncle.
  There were three left battling for the often
sweetened pot now, with three more who had dropned
out, looking on, and a tensity envelopec the long-
drawn climax of the evening's session.
  Captain Comyn's cheek bones had reddened and his
irascible frown lines deepened. For the moment his
fears of melancholia had been swallowed up in a fitful
fury against Spurrier and his smiling face.
  At last came the decisive moment of the final call
and the show-down, and through the dead silence of
the moment sounded the distant sing-song of a sentry:
  "Corporal of the guard, number one, relief !"
  Over the window sill a tiny green lizard slithered
quietly and hesitated, pressing itself flat against the
whitewash.
  Then the major's cards came down face upward-
and showed a queen-high straight.
  "Not quite good enough, major," announced Comyn
brusquely as his breath broke from him with a sort of
gasp and he spread out a heart flush.
  But Spurrier, who had drawn three cards, echoed
the captain's words: "Not quite good enough." He
laid down two aces and two deuces, which under the
cutthroat rule of "deuces wild" he was privileged to
call four aces.
  Comyn came to his feet and pushed back his chair,