The poker game had started after dinner. Father Mulcahy declined, having already committed to reading stories at the orphanage. BJ, Hawkeye, Margaret, Colonel Potter, Klinger and Charles were intently looking at the cards Klinger had dealt.
"Klinger," asked Hawkeye, "Did you deal out any good cards? I don't have them."
"Captain," Klinger replied, "Then someone else must have them."
"I'm down almost fifteen dollars right now. Every time you deal a hand I feel like you're reaching for my wallet," Hawkeye replied.
Colonel Potter took charge, "Let's stop complaining, shall we, and play poker."
"Yes, Colonel," Hawkeye replied, signaling Klinger that he wanted 3 new cards.
Hawkeye wasn't the only one behind. Klinger had lost about ten dollars. Everyone else was pretty much where they started, except Winchester. His pile of cash had grown quite a bit.
"I'll keep these cards," Winchester waved off Klinger.
"Trade you!" Hawkeye said.
"No thank you, Pierce," Winchester responded, "I am perfectly content to let you lose on your own."
Klinger dealt the cards. He took one look at what he had, and folded right away, "Hard to win with one of a kind."
Over the next two hours, Charles increased his lead. Hawkeye was ready to drop out, saying he didn't want to help increase the Winchester fortune any more. Colonel Potter suggested they take a break, instead.
Hawkeye, BJ and Margaret went to the mess tent to get a cup of coffee.
"Winchester is winning enough to start his own country," Hawkeye stated.
"Or, open his own bank," BJ replied.
"At this rate, he could probably do both!" Hawkeye exclaimed.
"He suggested the game?" Margaret still couldn't believe it.
"Margaret, we were as surprised as you. Winchester usually goes out of his way to be out of the way if we get a poker game going," Hawkeye stated.
"I know," Margaret answered, "He seems different, tonight. Very quiet."
BJ added, "Charles will dominate any conversation he can. He seems to be more focused on the game, itself."
"Maybe it's something else," Margaret replied.
Klinger stopped by the table and caught just the end of the conversation. He'd promised Major Winchester not to tell anyone. The Major was awfully quiet at the poker game. And. these were people who might be able to help. Medical staff. A company clerk didn't write anything that wasn't required on an army form: plagiarism wasn't a concern. Completing the forms so they wouldn't be sent back was.
So, Klinger explained what Major Winchester had told him, earlier.
"Remember," he finished, "You didn't hear it from me." Then, he left the mess tent and headed towards the Swamp.
"That doesn't sound like Winchester," BJ remarked.
"No, it doesn't," Hawkeye explained, "Charles would never 'copy' anything. Otherwise, he couldn't brag about it."
"Perhaps we should find out more about this doctor in Vermont. About this article," BJ suggested.
"Excellent idea, Mr. Holmes," Hawkeye grinned, "Something seems amiss."
"Poor Charles," Margaret concurred, "I'm sure this really hurts him."
"It certainly wounds his rather extensive pride, "Hawkeye answered.
"Seems kind of strange that another doctor would have written a very similar article so recently, doesn't it?" BJ asked.
"I'd like to know more about that," Margaret exclaimed.
"Let's make a couple of phone calls to the states, tomorrow. We'll start with the magazine, to get the other doctor's information. Then, we'll call him," Hawkeye suggested.
"That's a great idea," Margaret nodded.
They agreed to ask Klinger to set those calls up, and then headed back to the poker game.