title: Bad Biscuits and Ugly Women: A Roundup of Stories
author: Liz Kingston Bettle
description: A native of Balmorhea, Texas, Liz Kingston Bettle currently lives in Lampasas, Texas, with her husband of forty-five years, George Richard (Dick) Bettle. She graduated from Balmorhea High School and earned a B.A. from Howard Payne University before working as a chef, floral designer, and secondary school teacher. She is now retired and enjoys collecting swan figurines and Indian artifacts.
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  # QUEEN OF SPADES
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### E. P. Roe
  
  
  This page copyright © 2002 Munsey's.
  
  
  http://www.munseys.com
  
  ## QUEEN OF SPADES
  
  
  "Mother," remarked Farmer Banning, discontentedly, "Susie is
  
  
  making a long visit."
  
  
  "She is coming home next week," said his cheery wife. She had
  
  
  drawn her low chair close to the air-tight stove, for a late March
  
  
  snowstorm was raging without.
  
  
  "It seems to me that I miss her more and more."
  
  
  "Well, I'm not jealous."
  
  
  "Oh, come, wife, you needn't be. The idea! But I'd be jealous if
  
  
  our little girl was sorter weaned away from us by this visit in
  
  
  town."
  
  
  "Now, see here, father, you beat all the men I ever heard of in
  
  
  scolding about farmers borrowing, and here you are borrowing
  
  
  trouble."
  
  
  "Well, I hope I won't have to pay soon. But I've been thinking
  
  
  that the old farmhouse may look small and appear lonely after her gay
  
  
  winter. When she is away, it's too big for me, and a suspicion lonely