the man who could not lose-第6章
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prophecy。 I've been a full…fledged clairvoyant all my life； and
didn't know it。 Anyway； I'm a sport； and after two of my dreams
breaking right； I've got to back the third one！〃
Glowworm was at ten to one； and at those odds the book…makers to
whom he first applied did not care to take so large a sum as he
offered。 Carter found a book…maker named 〃Sol〃 Burbank who； at
those odds； accepted his two thousand。
When Carter returned to collect his twenty…two thousand； there was
some little delay while Burbank borrowed a portion of it。 He looked
at Carter curiously and none too genially。
〃Wasn't it you；〃 he asked； 〃that had that thirty…to…one shot
yesterday on Dromedary？〃 Carter nodded somewhat guiltily。 A man in
the crowd volunteered： 〃And he had Her Highness in the second； too；
for four hundred。〃
〃You've made a good day；〃 said Burbank。 〃Give me a chance to get my
money back to…morrow。
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Carter。 〃I'm leaving New York to…morrow。〃
The same scarlet car bore them back triumphant to the bank。
〃Twenty…two thousand dollars？〃 gasped Carter； 〃in CASH！ How in the
name of all that's honest can we celebrate winning twenty…two
thousand dollars？ We can't eat more than one dinner； we can't drink
more than two quarts of champagnenot without serious results。〃
〃I'll tell you what we can do！〃 cried Dolly excitedly。 〃We can sail
to…morrow on the CAMPANIA！〃
〃Hurrah！〃 shouted Carter。 〃We'll have a second honey…moon。 We'll
shoot up London and Paris。 We'll tear slices out of the map of
Europe。 You'll ride in one motor…car； I'll ride in another； we'll
have a maid and a valet in a third； and we'll race each other all
the way to Monte Carlo。 And； there； I'll dream of the winning
numbers； and we'll break the bank。 When does the CAMPANIA sail？〃
〃At noon；〃 said Dolly。
〃At eight we will be on board；〃 said Carter。
But that night in his dreams he saw King Pepper； Confederate； and
Red Wing each win a race。 And in the morning neither the engines of
the CAMPANIA nor the entreaties of Dolly could keep him from the
race…track。
〃I want only six thousand；〃 he protested。 〃You can do what you like
with the rest； but I am going to bet six thousand on the first one
of those three to start。 If he loses； I give you my word I'll not
bet another cent； and we'll sail on Saturday。 If he wins Out； I'll
put all I make on the two others。〃
〃Can't you see；〃 begged Dolly； 〃that your dreams are just a rehash
of what you think during the day？ You have been playing in
wonderful luck； that's all。 Each of those horses is likely to win
his race。 When he does you will have more faith than ever in your
silly dreams〃
〃My silly dreams；〃 said Carter grinning； 〃are carrying you to
Europe； first class； by the next steamer。〃
They had been talking while on their way to the bank。 When Dolly
saw she could not alter his purpose； she made him place the
nineteen thousand that remained； after he had taken out the six
thousand； in her name。 She then drew out the entire amount。
〃You told me；〃 said Dolly； smiling anxiously； I could do what I
liked with it。 Maybe I have dreams also。 Maybe I mean to back
them。〃
She drove away； mysteriously refusing to tell him what she intended
to do。 When they met at luncheon； she was still much excited； still
bristling with a concealed secret。
〃Did you back your dream？〃 asked Carter。
Dolly nodded happily。
〃And when am I to know？〃
〃You will read of it；〃 said Dolly； 〃to…morrow； in the morning
papers。 It's all quite correct。 My lawyers arranged it。〃
〃Lawyers！〃 gasped her husband。 〃You're not arranging to lock me in
a private madhouse； are you？〃
〃No；〃 laughed Dolly； 〃but when I told them how I intended to invest
the money they came near putting me there。〃
〃Didn't they want to know how you suddenly got so rich？〃 asked
Carter。
〃They did。 I told them it came from my husband's 'books'！ It was a
very 'near' false…hood。〃
〃It was worse；〃 said Carter。 〃It was a very poor pun。〃
As in their honey…moon days they drove proudly to the track； and
when Carter had placed Dolly in a box large enough for twenty； he
pushed his way into the crowd around the stand of 〃Sol〃 Burbank。
That veteran of the turf welcomed him gladly。
〃Coming to give me my money back？〃 he called。
〃No； to take some away；〃 said Carter； handing him his six thousand。
Without apparently looking at it； Burbank passed it to his cashier。
〃King Pepper； twelve to six thousand；〃 he called。
When King Pepper won； and Carter moved around the ring with
eighteen thousand dollars in thousand and five hundred dollar bills
in his fist； he found himself beset by a crowd of curious； eager
〃pikers。〃 They both impeded his operations and acted as a
body…guard。 Confederate was an almost prohibitive favorite at one
to three； and in placing eighteen thousand that he might win six；
Carter found little difficulty。 When Confederate won； and he
started with his twenty…four thousand to back Red Wing； the crowd
now engulfed him。 Men and boys who when they wagered five and ten
dollars were risking their all； found in the sight of a young man
offering bets in hundreds and thousands a thrilling and fascinating
spectacle。
To learn what horse he was playing and at what odds； racing touts
and runners for other book…makers and individual speculators leaped
into the mob that surrounded him； and then； squirming their way
out； ran shrieking down the line。 In ten minutes； through the bets
of Carter and those that backed his luck； the odds against Red Wing
were forced down from fifteen to one to even money。 His approach
was hailed by the book…makers either with jeers or with shouts of
welcome。 Those who had lost demanded a chance to regain their
money。 Those with whom he had not bet； found in that fact
consolation； and chaffed the losers。 Some curtly refused even the
smallest part of his money。
〃Not with me！〃 they laughed。 From stand to stand the layers of odds
taunted him； or each other。 〃Don't touch it； it's tainted！〃 they
shouted。 〃Look out； Joe； he's the Jonah man？〃 Or； 〃Come at me
again！〃 they called。 〃And； once more！〃 they challenged as they
reached for a thousand…dollar bill。
And； when in time； each shook his head and grumbled： 〃That's all I
want；〃 or looked the other way； the mob around Carter jeered。
〃He's fought 'em to a stand…still！〃 they shouted jubilantly。 In
their eyes a man who alone was able and willing to wipe the name of
a horse off the blackboards was a hero。
To the horror of Dolly； instead of watching the horses parade past；
the crowd gathered in front of her box and pointed and stared at
her。 From the club…house her men friends and acquaintances invaded
it。
〃Has Carter gone mad？〃 they demanded。 〃He's dealing out
thousand…dollar bills like cigarettes。 He's turned the ring into a
wheat Pit！〃
When he reached the box a sun…burned man in a sombrero blocked his
way。
〃I'm the owner of Red Wing；〃 he explained； 〃bred him and trained
him myself。 I know he'll be lucky if he gets the place。 You're
backing him in thousands to WIN。 What do you know about him？〃
〃Know he will win；〃 said Carter。
The veteran commissioner of the club stand buttonholed him。 〃Mr。
Carter；〃 he begged； 〃why don't you bet through me？ I'll give you as
good odds as they will in that ring。 You don't want your clothes
torn off you and your money taken from you。〃
〃They haven't taken such a lot of it yet；〃 said Carter。
When Red Wing won； the crowd beneath the box； the men in the box；
and the people standing around it； most of whom had followed
Carter's plunge； cheered and fell over him； to shake hands and
pound him on the back。 From every side excited photographers
pointed cameras； and Lander's band played： 〃 Every Little Bit Added
to What You've Got Makes Just a Little Bit More。〃 As he left the
box to collect his money； a big man with a brown mustache and two
smooth…shaven giants closed in around him； as tackles interfere for
the man who has the ball。 The big man took him by the arm。 Carter
shook himself free。
〃What's the idea？〃 he demanded。
〃I'm Pinkerton；〃 said the big man genially。 〃You need a body…
guard。 If you've got an empty seat in your car； I'll drive
