own _music_," says
he.--And jest then his remarks wuz brung to a close by Wes a-jumpin' two
men, and a-lightin' square in the king-row.... "Crown that," says Wes,
a-droppin' back into his old tune. And fer the rest o' _that_ game Wes
helt the feller purty level, but had to finally knock under--but by jest
the clos'test kind o' shave o' winnin'.

"They ain't much use," says the feller, "o' keepin' _this_ thing
up--'less I could manage, _some_ way er other, to git beat _onc't 'n a
while_!"

"Move," says Wes, a-drappin' back into the same old whistle and
a-_settlin'_ there.

"'Music has charms,' as the Good Book tells us," says the feller, kindo'
nervous-like, and a-roachin' his hair back as ef some sort o' p'tracted
headache wuz a-settin' in.

"Never wuz '_skunked_,' wuz ye?" says Wes, kindo' suddent-like, with a
fur-off look in them big white eyes o' his--and then a-whistlin' right
on 'sef he hadn't said _nothin'_.

"_Not much!_" says the feller, sorto' s'prised-like, as ef such a' idy
as that had never struck him afore.--"Never was 'skunked' _myse'f_: but
I've saw fellers in my time 'at _wuz_!" says he.

But from that time on I noticed the feller 'peared to play more keerful,
and railly la'nched into the game with somepin' like inter'st. Wes he
seemed to be jest a-limber-in'-up-like; and-sir, blame me! ef he didn't
walk the feller's log fer him _that_ time, 'thout no 'pearent trouble at
all!

"And, _now_," says Wes, all quiet-like, a-squarin' the board fer
another'n,--"we're kindo' gittin' at things _right_. Move." And away
went that little unconcerned whistle o' his ag'in, and _Mr. Cityman_
jest gittin' white and sweaty too--he wuz so nervous. Ner he didn't
'pear to find much to laugh at in the _next_ game--ner the next _two_
games nuther! Things wuz a-gettin' mighty inte_rest_in' 'bout them
times, and I guess the feller wuz ser'ous-like a-wakin' up to the solem'
fact 'at it tuk 'bout all _his_ spare time to keep up his end o' the
row, and even that state o' pore satisfaction wuz a-creepin' furder and
furder away from him ever' new turn he undertook. Whilse _Wes_ jest
peared to git more deliber't' and certain ever' game; and that unendin'
se'f-satisfied and comfortin' little whistle o' his never drapped a
stitch, but toed out ever' game alike,--to'rds the _last_, and, fer the
_most_ part, disasterss to the feller 'at had started in with sich
confi_dence_ and actchul promise, don't you know.

Well-sir, the fe