Four of a Kind 279 



" About forty no more light's baffling," I re- 

 plied. 



Like men who have nothing to worry about we 

 chaffed each other unmercifully concerning our 

 several abilities at judging distance. On a sudden 

 it flashed into my mind that both the others had 

 returned with most stately strides ! Stepping it off ! 

 And in an instant I became worldly and and 

 wary. 



" Tell you what we'll do," exclaimed my parson, 

 as we turned into the house "I say forty-five 

 yards you say forty-two, and the Lay Delegate 

 says forty. We'll measure it in the morning and 

 learn who has the truer eye and the poorest 

 guesser shall pay the bill for all. How's that ? " 

 We agreed, and the host grinned cheerfully. Pres- 

 ently he produced a huge tape-line and remarked 

 " There's the settler what's the matter with 

 a-measuring of her right now ? " 



My parson took the tape, pulled out a few feet, 

 wound them back, seemed to study a moment, then 

 said : " No use bothering now, I'm for bed : we can 

 settle the thing in the morning," and upstairs he 

 marched, after placing the tape upon a small bracket 

 in the hall. 



For some reason I was extremely wakeful. For 

 a long time I lay thinking of many things and inci- 

 dentally listening like a deer. At last there came a 

 sound the slow creaking of a bed, followed by an 

 uncertain rustling. Then a door creaked, stopped, 

 and again creaked, and presently came the muffled 

 pat-pat of cautious feet. My window was wide open, 

 so I noiselessly moved until I could command the 



