"A game of cards."
"What kind of a game of cards?"
"An American game," was the reply. "Hans learned it when he was in the
United States and has taught us something about it. It's called poker."
"I've played it," said Stubbs.
"Good! Then you will join us?"
"I should be elsewhere," said Stubbs, hesitatingly.
Be it known that Anthony Stubbs, war correspondent of the New York Gazette, had, in his day, liked to play a game of poker, whether it was right or whether it was wrong. Even to this day the lure of the game held, and in spite of the danger such a game entailed, Stubbs was not loath to play. Besides, the little man bethought himself that while the game was in progress he might learn something of value, so he said:
"All right. I'll play."
The man called Hans now sprang to his feet.
"I want to warn you," he said, "that I am extremely lucky at this game."