the man who could not lose-第3章

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Carter　had　struggled　earnestly　to　find　a　job。　But　his　inexperience
and　the　season　of　the　year　were　against　him。　No　newspaper　wanted　a
dramatic　critic　when　the　only　shows　in　town　had　been　running　three
months；　and　on　roof　gardens；　nor　did　they　want　a　〃cub〃　reporter
when　veterans　were　being　〃laid　off〃　by　the　dozens。　Nor　were　his
services　desired　as　a　private　secretary；　a　taxicab　driver；　an　agent
to　sell　real　estate　or　automobiles　or　stocks。　As　no　one　gave　him　a
chance　to　prove　his　unfitness　for　any　of　these　callings；　the　fact
that　he　knew　nothing　of　any　of　them　did　not　greatly　matter。　At
these　rebuffs　Dolly　was　distinctly　pleased。　She　argued　they　proved
he　was　intended　to　pursue　his　natural　career　as　an　author。

That　their　friends　might　know　they　were　poor　did　not　affect　her；
but　she　did　not　want　them　to　think　by　his　taking　up　any　outside
〃job〃　that　they　were　poor　because　as　a　literary　genius　he　was　a
failure。　She　believed　in　his　stories。　She　wanted　every　one　else　to
believe　in　them。　Meanwhile；　she　assisted　him　in　so　far　as　she　could
by　pawning　the　contents　of　five　of　the　seven　trunks；　by　learning　to
cook　on　a　〃　Kitchenette；〃　and　to　laundry　her　handkerchiefs　and　iron
them　on　the　looking…glass。

They　faced　each　other　across　the　breakfast…table。　It　was　only　nine
o'clock；　but　the　sun　beat　into　the　flat　with　the　breath　of　a
furnace；　and　the　air　was　foul　and　humid。

〃I　tell　you；〃　Carter　was　saying　fiercely；　〃you　look　ill。　You　are
ill。　You　must　go　to　the　sea…shore。　You　must　visit　some　of　your
proud；　friends　at　East　Hampton　or　Newport。　Then　I'll　know　you're
happy　and　I　won't　worry；　and　I'll　find　a　job。　I　don't　mind　the
heat…and　I'll　write　you　love　letters〃he　was　talking　very　fast　and
not　looking　at　Dolly〃like　those　I　used　to　write　you；　before〃

Dolly　raised　her　hand。　〃Listen！〃　she　said。　〃Suppose　I　leave　you。
What　will　happen？　I'll　wake　up　in　a　cool；　beautiful　brass　bed；
won't　Iwith　cretonne　window…curtains；　and　salt　air　blowing　them
about；　and　a　maid　to　bring　me　coffee。　And　instead　of　a　bathroom
like　yours；　next　to　an　elevator　shaft　and　a　fire…escape；　I'll　have
one　as　big　as　a　church；　and　the　whole　blue　ocean　to　swim　in。　And
I'll　sit　on　the　rocks　in　the　sunshine　and　watch　the　waves　and　the
yachts〃

〃And　grow　well　again！〃　cried　Carter。　〃But　you'll　write　to　me；〃　he
added　wistfully；　〃every　day；　won't　you？〃

In　her　wrath；　Dolly　rose；　and　from　across　the　table　confronted　him。

〃And　what　will　I　be　doing　on　those　rocks？〃　she　cried。　〃You　KNOW
what　I'll　be　doing！　I'll　be　sobbing；　and　sobbing；　and　calling　out
to　the　waves：　'Why　did　he　send　me　away？　Why　doesn't　he　want　me？
Because　he　doesn't　love　me。　That's　why！　He　doesn't　LOVE　me！'　And
you　DON'T！〃　cried　Dolly。　〃you　DON'T！〃

It　took　him　all　of　three　minutes　to　persuade　her　she　was　mistaken。

〃Very　well；　then；〃　sobbed　Dolly；　〃that's　settled。　And　there'll　be
no　more　talk　of　sending　me　away！

〃There　will　NOT！〃　said　Champneys　hastily。　〃We　will　now；〃　he
announced；　〃go　into　committee　of　the　whole　and　decide　how　we　are　to
face　financial　failure。　Our　assets　consist　of　two　stories；
accepted；　but　not　paid　for；　and　fifteen　stories　not　accepted。　In
cash；　he　spread　upon　the　table　a　meagre　collection　of　soiled　bills
and　coins。　〃We　have　twenty…seven　dollars　and　fourteen　cents。　That
is　every　penny　we　possess　in　the　world。〃

Dolly　regarded　him　fixedly　and　shook　her　head。

〃Is　it　wicked；〃　she　asked；　〃to　love　you　so？〃

〃Haven't　you　been　listening　to　me？〃　demanded　Carter。

Again　Dolly　shook　her　head。

〃I　was　watching　the　way　you　talk。　When　your　lips　move　fast　they　do
such　charming　things。〃

〃Do　you　know；〃　roared　Carter；　〃that　we　haven't　a　penny　in　the
world；　that　we　have　nothing　in　this　flat　to　eat？〃

〃I　still　have　five　hats；〃　said　Dolly。

〃We　can't　eat　hats；〃　protested　Champneys。

〃We　can　sell　hats！〃　returned　Dolly。　〃They　cost　eighty　dollars
apiece！〃

〃When　you　need　money；〃　explained　Carter；　〃I　find　it's　just　as　hard
to　sell　a　hat　as　to　eat　it。〃

〃Twenty…seven　dollars　and　fourteen　cents；〃　repeated　Dolly。　She
exclaimed　remorsefully：　〃And　you　started　with　three　thousand！　What
did　I　do　with　it？〃

〃We　both　had　the　time　of　our　lives　with　it！〃　said　Carter　stoutly。
〃And　that's　all　there　is　to　that。　Post…mortems；〃　he　pointed　out；
〃are　useful　only　as　guides　to　the　future；　and　as　our　future　will
never　hold　a　second　three　thousand　dollars；　we　needn't　worry　about
how　we　spent　the　first　one。　No！　What　we　must　consider　now　is　how　we
can　grow　rich　quick；　and　the　quicker　and　richer；　the　better。
Pawning　our　clothes；　or　what's　left　of　them；　is　bad　economics。
There's　no　use　considering　how　to　live　from　meal　to　meal。　We　must
evolve　something　big；　picturesque；　that　will　bring　a　fortune。　You
have　imagination；　I'm　supposed　to　have　imagination；　we　must　think
of　a　plan　to　get　money；　much　money。　I　do　not　insist　on　our　plan
being　dignified；　or　even　outwardly　respectable；　so　long　as　it　keeps
you　alive；　it　may　be　as　desperate　as〃

〃I　see！〃　cried　Dolly；　〃like　sending　mother　Black　Hand　letters！〃

〃Blackmail〃　began　that　lady's　son…in…law　doubtfully。

〃Or！〃　cried　Dolly；　〃we　might　kidnap　Mr。　Carnegie　when　he's　walking
in　the　park　alone；　and　hold　him　for　ransom。　Or〃she　rushed　on
〃we　might　forge　a　codicil　to　father's　will；　and　make　it　say　if
mother　shouldn't　like　the　man　I　want　to　marry；　all　of　father's
fortune　must　go　to　my　husband！〃

〃Forgery；〃　exclaimed　Champneys；　〃is　going　further　than　I〃

〃And　another　plan；〃　interrupted　Dolly；〃　that　I　have　always　had　in
mind；　is　to　issue　a　cheaper　edition　of　your　book；　'The　Dead　Heat。'
The　reason　the　first　edition　of　'The　Dead　Heat'　didn't　sell〃

〃Don't　tell　ME　why　it　didn't　sell；〃　said　Champneys。　〃I　wrote　it！〃

〃That　book；〃　declared　Dolly　loyally；　〃was　never　properly
advertised。　No　one　knew　about　it；　so　no　one　bought　it！〃

〃Eleven　people　bought　it！〃　corrected　the　author。

〃We　will　put　it　in　a　paper　cover　and　sell　it　for　fifty　cents；〃
cried　Dolly。　〃　It's　the　best　detective　story　I　ever　read；　and
people　have　got　to　know　it　is　the　best。　So　we'll　advertise　it　like
a　breakfast　food。〃

〃The　idea；〃　interrupted　Champneys；　〃is　to　make　money；　not　throw　it
away。　Besides；　we　haven't　any　to　throw　away。　Dolly　sighed　bitterly。

〃If　only；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃we　had　that　three　thousand　dollars　back
again！　I'd　save　SO　carefully。　It　was　all　my　fault。　The　races　took
it；　but　it　was　I　took　you　to　the　races。〃

〃No　one　ever　had　to　drag　ME　to　the　races；〃　said　Carter。　〃　It　was
the　way　we　went　that　was　extravagant。　Automobiles　by　the　hour
standing　idle；　and　a　box　each　day；　and〃

〃And　always　backing　Dromedary；〃　suggested　Dolly。　Carter　was　touched
on　a　sensitive　spot。　〃That　horse；〃　he　protested　loudly；　〃is　a
mighty　good　horse。　Some　day〃

〃That's　what　you　always　said；〃　remarked　Dolly；　〃but　he　never　seems
to　have　his　day。〃

〃It's　strange；〃　said　Champneys　consciously。　〃I　dreamed　of　Dromedary
only　last　night。　Same　dream　over　and　over　again。〃　Hastily　he
changed　the　subject。

〃For　some　reason　I　don't　sleep　well。　I　don't　know　why。〃

Dolly　looked　at　him　with　all　the　love　in　her　eyes　of　a　mother　over
her　ailing　infant。

〃It's　worrying　over　me；　and　the　heat；〃'　she　said。　〃And　the　garage
next　door；　and　the　skyscraper　going　up　across　the　street；　might
have　something　to　do　with　it。　And　YOU；〃　she　mocked　tenderly；
〃wanted　to　send　me　to　the　sea…shore。〃

Carter　was　frowning。　As　though　about　to　speak；　he　opened　his　lips；
and　then　laughed　embarrassedly。

〃Out　with　it；〃　said　Dolly；　with　an　encouraging　smile。　〃Did　he　win？〃

Seeing　she　had　read　what　was　in　his　mind；　Carter　leaned　forward
eagerly。　The　ruling　passion　and　a　touch　of　superstition　held　him　in
their　grip。

〃He　'win'　each　time；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　saw　it　as　plain　as　I　see
you。　Each　time　he　came　up　with　a　rush　just　at　the　same　place；　just
as　they　entered　the　stretch；　and　each　time　he　won！〃　He　slapped　his
hand　disdainfully　upon　the　dirty　bills　before　him。　〃If　I　had　a
hundred　dollars！〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Carter　opened　it　to　the　elevator
boy　with　the　morning　mail。　The　letters；　save　one；　Carter　dropped
upon　the　table。　That　one；　with　clumsy　fingers；　he　tore　open。　He
exclaimed　breathlessly：　〃It's　from　PLYMPTON'S　MAGAZINE！