smoke bellew-第19章

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aughts　here；　and　it　is　warm　and　comfortable。〃

On　the　ninth　night；　when　Shorty　had　carried　the　dust　home；　he　had　a　fit。

〃I　quit；　Smoke；　I　quit；〃　he　began。　　〃I　know　when　I　got　enough。　　I　ain't　dreamin'。　　I'm　wide　awake。　　A　system　can't　be；　but　you　got　one　just　the　same。　　There's　nothin'　in　the　rule　o'　three。　　The　almanac's　clean　out。　　The　world's　gone　smash。　　There's　nothin'　regular　an'　uniform　no　more。　　The　multiplication　table's　gone　loco。　　Two　is　eight；　nine　is　eleven；　and　two…times…six　is　eight　hundred　an'　forty…　sixan'an'　a　half。　　Anything　is　everything；　an'　nothing's　all；　an'　twice　all　is　cold　cream；　milk…shakes；　an'　calico　horses。　　You've　got　a　system。　　Figgers　beat　the　figgerin'。　　What　ain't　is；　an'　what　isn't　has　to　be。　　The　sun　rises　in　the　west；　the　moon's　a　paystreak；　the　stars　is　canned　corn…beef；　scurvy's　the　blessin'　of　God；　him　that　dies　kicks　again；　rocks　floats；　water's　gas；　I　ain't　me；　you're　somebody　else；　an'　mebbe　we're　twins　if　we　ain't　hashed…brown　potatoes　fried　in　verdigris。　　Wake　me　up！　　Somebody！　　Oh！　　Wake　me　up！〃



VII。

The　next　morning　a　visitor　came　to　the　cabin。　　Smoke　knew　him；　Harvey　Moran；　the　owner　of　all　the　games　in　the　Tivoli。　　There　was　a　note　of　appeal　in　his　deep　gruff　voice　as　he　plunged　into　his　business。

〃It's　like　this；　Smoke；〃　he　began。　　〃You've　got　us　all　guessing。　I'm　representing　nine　other　game…owners　and　myself　from　all　the　saloons　in　town。　　We　don't　understand。　　We　know　that　no　system　ever　worked　against　roulette。　　All　the　mathematic　sharps　in　the　colleges　have　told　us　gamblers　the　same　thing。　　They　say　that　roulette　itself　is　the　system；　the　one　and　only　system；　and；　therefore；　that　no　system　can　beat　it；　for　that　would　mean　arithmetic　has　gone　bug…　house。〃

Shorty　nodded　his　head　violently。

〃If　a　system　can　beat　a　system；　then　there's　no　such　thing　as　system；〃　the　gambler　went　on。　　〃In　such　a　case　anything　could　be　possiblea　thing　could　be　in　two　different　places　at　once；　or　two　things　could　be　in　the　same　place　that's　only　large　enough　for　one　at　the　same　time。〃

〃Well；　you've　seen　me　play；〃　Smoke　answered　defiantly；　〃and　if　you　think　it's　only　a　string　of　luck　on　my　part；　why　worry？〃

〃That's　the　trouble。　　We　can't　help　worrying。　　It's　a　system　you've　got；　and　all　the　time　we　know　it　can't　be。　　I've　watched　you　five　nights　now；　and　all　I　can　make　out　is　that　you　favour　certain　numbers　and　keep　on　winning。　　Now　the　ten　of　us　game…owners　have　got　together；　and　we　want　to　make　a　friendly　proposition。　　We'll　put　a　roulette　table　in　a　back　room　of　the　Elkhorn；　pool　the　bank　against　you；　and　have　you　buck　us。　　It　will　be　all　quiet　and　private。　　Just　you　and　Shorty　and　us。　　What　do　you　say？〃

〃I　think　it's　the　other　way　around；〃　Smoke　answered。　　〃It's　up　to　you　to　come　and　see　me。　　I'll　be　playing　in　the　bar…room　of　the　Elkhorn　to…night。　　You　can　watch　me　there　just　as　well。〃



VIII。

That　night；　when　Smoke　took　up　his　customary　place　at　the　table；　the　keeper　shut　down　the　game。

〃The　game's　closed；〃　he　said。　　〃Boss's　orders。〃

But　the　assembled　game…owners　were　not　to　be　balked。　　In　a　few　minutes　they　arranged　a　pool；　each　putting　in　a　thousand；　and　took　over　the　table。

〃Come　on　and　buck　us；〃　Harvey　Moran　challenged；　as　the　keeper　sent　the　ball　on　its　first　whirl　around。

〃Give　me　the　twenty…five　limit；〃　Smoke　suggested。

〃Sure；　go　to　it。〃

Smoke　immediately　placed　twenty…five　chips　on　the　'double　nought；'　and　won。

Moran　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　forehead。

〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　　〃We　got　ten　thousand　in　this　bank。〃

At　the　end　of　an　hour　and　a　half；　the　ten　thousand　was　Smoke's。

〃The　bank's　bust；〃　the　keeper　announced。

〃Got　enough？〃　Smoke　asked。

The　game…owners　looked　at　one　another。　　They　were　awed。　　They；　the　fatted　proteges　of　the　laws　of　chance；　were　undone。　　They　were　up　against　one　who　had　more　intimate　access　to　those　laws；　or　who　had　invoked　higher　and　undreamed　laws。

〃We　quit；〃　Moran　said。　　〃Ain't　that　right；　Burke？〃

Big　Burke；　who　owned　the　games　in　the　M。　and　G。　Saloon；　nodded。

〃The　impossible　has　happened；〃　he　said。　　〃This　Smoke　here　has　got　a　system　all　right。　　If　we　let　him　go　on　we'll　all　bust。　　All　I　can　see；　if　we're　goin'　to　keep　our　tables　running；　is　to　cut　down　the　limit　to　a　dollar；　or　to　ten　cents；　or　a　cent。　　He　won't　win　much　in　a　night　with　such　stakes。〃

All　looked　at　Smoke。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃In　that　case；　gentlemen；　I'll　have　to　hire　a　gang　of　men　to　play　at　all　your　tables。　　I　can　pay　them　ten　dollars　for　a　four…hour　shift　and　make　money。〃

〃Then　we'll　shut　down　our　tables；〃　Big　Burke　replied。　　〃Unless〃　He　hesitated　and　ran　his　eye　over　his　fellows　to　see　that　they　were　with　him。　　〃Unless　you're　willing　to　talk　business。　　What　will　you　sell　the　system　for？〃

〃Thirty　thousand　dollars；〃　Smoke　answered。　　〃That's　a　tax　of　three　thousand　apiece。〃

They　debated　and　nodded。

〃And　you'll　tell　us　your　system？〃

〃Surely。〃

〃And　you'll　promise　not　to　play　roulette　in　Dawson　ever　again？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　Smoke　said　positively。　　〃I'll　promise　not　to　play　this　system　again。〃

〃My　God！〃　Moran　exploded。　　〃You　haven't　got　other　systems；　have　you？〃

〃Hold　on！〃　Shorty　cried。　　〃I　want　to　talk　to　my　pardner。　　Come　over　here；　Smoke；　on　the　side。〃

Smoke　followed　into　a　quiet　corner　of　the　room；　while　hundreds　of　curious　eyes　centred　on　him　and　Shorty。

〃Look　here；　Smoke；〃　Shorty　whispered　hoarsely。　　〃Mebbe　it　ain't　a　dream。　　In　which　case　you're　sellin'　out　almighty　cheap。　　You've　sure　got　the　world　by　the　slack　of　its　pants。　　They's　millions　in　it。　　Shake　it！　　Shake　it　hard！〃

〃But　if　it's　a　dream？〃　Smoke　queried　softly。

〃Then；　for　the　sake　of　the　dream　an'　the　love　of　Mike；　stick　them　gamblers　up　good　and　plenty。　　What's　the　good　of　dreamin'　if　you　can't　dream　to　the　real　right；　dead　sure；　eternal　finish？〃

〃Fortunately；　this　isn't　a　dream；　Shorty。〃

〃Then　if　you　sell　out　for　thirty　thousan'；　I'll　never　forgive　you。〃

〃When　I　sell　out　for　thirty　thousand；　you'll　fall　on　my　neck　an'　wake　up　to　find　out　that　you　haven't　been　dreaming　at　all。　　This　is　no　dream；　Shorty。　　In　about　two　minutes　you'll　see　you　have　been　wide　awake　all　the　time。　　Let　me　tell　you　that　when　I　sell　out　it's　because　I've　got　to　sell　out。〃

Back　at　the　table；　Smoke　informed　the　game…owners　that　his　offer　still　held。　　They　proffered　him　their　paper　to　the　extent　of　three　thousand　each。

〃Hold　out　for　the　dust；〃　Shorty　cautioned。

〃I　was　about　to　intimate　that　I'd　take　the　money　weighed　out；〃　Smoke　said。

The　owner　of　the　Elkhorn　cashed　their　paper；　and　Shorty　took　possession　of　the　gold…dust。

〃Now；　I　don't　want　to　wake　up；〃　he　chortled；　as　he　hefted　the　various　sacks。　　〃Toted　up；　it's　a　seventy　thousan'　dream。　　It's　be　too　blamed　expensive　to　open　my　eyes；　roll　out　of　the　blankets；　an'　start　breakfast。〃

〃What's　your　system？〃　Big　Burke　demanded。　　〃We've　paid　for　it；　and　we　want　it。〃

Smoke　led　the　way　to　the　table。

〃Now；　gentlemen；　bear　with　me　a　moment。　　This　isn't　an　ordinary　system。　　It　can　scarcely　be　called　legitimate；　but　its　one　great　virtue　is　that　it　works。　　I've　got　my　suspicious；　but　I'm　not　saying　anything。　　You　watch。　　Mr　Keeper；　be　ready　with　the　ball。　　Wait；　I　am　going　to　pick　'26。'　　Consider　I've　bet　on　it。　　Be　ready；　Mr　KeeperNow！〃

The　ball　whirled　around。

〃You　observe；〃　Smoke　went　on；　〃that　'9'　was　directly　opposite。〃

The　ball　finished　in　'26。'

Big　Burke　swore　deep　in　his　chest；　and　all　waited。

〃For　'double　nought'　to　win；　'11'　must　be　opposite。　　Try　it　yourself　and　see。〃

〃But　the　system？〃　Moran　demanded　impatiently。　　〃We　know　you　can　pick　winning　numbers；　and　we　know　what　those　numbers　are；　but　how　do　you　do　it？〃

〃By　observed　sequences。　　By　accident　I　chanced　twice　to　notice　the　ball　whirled　when　'9'　was　opposite。　　Both　times　'26'　won。　　After　that　I　saw　it　happen　again。　　Then　I　looked　for　other　sequences；　and　found　them。　　'Double　nought'　opposite　fetches　'32；'　and　'11'　fetches　'double　nought。'　　It　doesn't　always　happen；　but　it　USUALLY　happens。　You　notice；　I　say　'usually。'　　As　I　said　before；　I　have　my　suspicions；　but　I'm　not　saying　anything。〃

Big　Burke；　with　a　sudden　dawn　of　comprehension　reached　over；　stopped　the　wheel；　and　examined　it　ca