the man who could not lose-第9章

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funny；　I'll　show　you　！〃　He　pulled　his　pencil　from　his　watch…chain
and；　spreading　his　programme　on　the　ledge　of　the　box；　began　to
write。

From　the　audience　there　rose　a　murmur　of　incredulity；　of　surprise；
of　excited　interest。　In　the　rear　of　the　house　the　press　agent；
after　one　startled　look；　doubled　up　in　an　ecstasy　of　joy。　〃We've
landed　him　！〃　he　gasped。　〃We've　landed　him　He's　going　to　fall　for
it！〃

Dolly　frantically　clasped　her　husband　by　the　coat…tail。

〃Champ！〃　she　implored；　〃what　are　you　doing？〃

Quite　calmly　；　quite　confidently；　Carter　rose。　Leaning　forward　with
a　nod　and　a　smile；　he　presented　the　programme　to　the　beautiful　Miss
Winter。　That　lady　all　but　snatched　at　it。　The　spot…light　was　full
in　her　eyes。　Turning　her　back　that　she　might　the　more　easily　read；
she　stood　for　a　moment；　her　pretty　figure　trembling　with　eagerness；
her　pretty　eyes　bent　upon　the　programme。　The　house　had　grown
suddenly　still；　and　with　an　excited　gesture；　the　leader　of　the
orchestra　commanded　the　music　to　silence　A　man；　bursting　with
impatience；　broke　the　tense　quiet。　〃Read　it！〃　he　shouted。

In　a　frightened　voice　that　in　the　sudden　hush　held　none　of　its
usual　confidence；　Miss　Winter　read　slowly：　〃　The　favorite　cannot
last　the　distance。　Will　lead　for　the　mile　and　give　way　to　Beldame。
Proper　takes　the　place。　First　Mason　will　show。　Beldame　will　win　by
a　length。〃

Before　she　had　ceased　reading；　a　dozen　men　had　struggled　to　their
feet　and　a　hundred　voice　were　roaring　at　her。　〃Read　that　again　！〃
the　chorused。　Once　more　Miss　Winter　read　the　message；　but　before
she　had　finished　half　of　those　in　the　front　rows　were　scrambling
from　their　seats　and　racing　up　the　aisles。　Already　the　reporters
were　ahead　of　them；　and　in　the　neighborhood　not　one　telephone　booth
was　empty。　Within　five　minutes；　in　those　hotels　along　the　White　Way
where　sporting　men　are　wont　to　meet；　betting　commissioners　and
hand…book　men　were　suddenly　assaulted　by　breathless　gentlemen；　some
in　evening　dress；　some　without　collars；　and　some　without　hats；　but
all　with　money　to　bet　against　the　favorite。　And；　an　hour　later；
men；　bent　under　stacks　of　newspaper　〃extras；〃　were　vomited　from　the
subway　stations　into　the　heart　of　Broadway；　and　in　raucous　tones
were　shrieking；　〃Winner　of　the　Suburban；〃　sixteen　hours　before　that
race　was　run。　That　night　to　every　big　newspaper　office　from　Maine
to　California；　was　flashed　the　news　that　Plunger　Carter；　in　a
Broadway　theatre；　had　announced　that　the　favorite　for　the　Suburban
would　be　beaten；　and；　in　order；　had　named　the　three　horses　that
would　first　finish。

Up　and　down　Broadway；　from　rathskellers　to　roof…gardens；　in　cafes
and　lobster　palaces；　on　the　corners　of　the　cross…roads；　in　clubs
and　all…night　restaurants；　Carter's　tip　was　as　a　red　rag　to　a　bull。

Was　the　boy　drunk；　they　demanded；　or　had　his　miraculous　luck　turned
his　head？　Otherwise；　why　would　he　so　publicly　utter　a　prophecy　that
on　the　morrow　must　certainly　smother　him　with　ridicule。　The
explanations　were　varied。　The　men　in　the　clubs　held　he　was　driven
by　a　desire　for　notoriety；　the　men　in　the　street　that　he　was　more
clever　than　they　guessed；　and　had　made　the　move　to　suit　his　own
book；　to　alter　the　odds　to　his　own　advantage。　Others　frowned
mysteriously。　With　superstitious　faith　in　his　luck；　they　pointed　to
his　record。　〃Has　he　ever　lost　a　bet？　How　do　WE　know　what　HE　knows？〃
they　demanded。　〃Perhaps　it's　fixed　and　he　knows　it！〃

The　〃wise〃　ones　howled　in　derision。　〃A　Suburban　FIXED！〃　they
retorted。　〃You　can　fix　ONE　jockey；　you　can　fix　TWO；　but　you　can't
fix　sixteen　jockeys！　You　can't　fix　Belmont；　you　can't　fix　Keene。
There's　nothing　in　his　picking　Beldame；　but　only　a　crazy　man　would
pick　the　horse　for　the　place　and　to　show；　and　shut　out　the
favorite！　The　boy　ought　to　be　in　Matteawan。

Still　undisturbed；　still　confident　to　those　to　whom　he　had　promised
them；　Carter　sent　a　wire。　Nor　did　he　forget　his　old　enemy；　〃Sol〃
Burbank。　〃　If　you　want　to　get　some　of　the　money　I　took；〃　he
telegraphed；　〃wipe　out　the　Belmont　entry　and　take　all　they　offer　on
Delhi。　He　cannot　win。〃

And　that　night；　when　each　newspaper　called　him　up　at　his　flat；　he
made　the　same　answer。　〃The　three　horses　Will　finish　as　I　said。　You
can　state　that　I　gave　the　information　as　I　did　as　a　sort　of　present
to　the　people　of　New　York　City。〃

In　the　papers　the　next　morning　〃Carter's　Tip〃　was　the　front…　page
feature。　Even　those　who　never　in　the　racing　of　horses　felt　any
concern　could　not　help　but　take　in　the　outcome　of　this　one　a
curious　interest。　The　audacity　of　the　prophecy；　the　very　absurdity
of　it；　presupposing；　as　it　did；　occult　power；　was　in　itself
amusing。　And　when　the　curtain　rose　on　the　Suburban　it　was　evident
that　to　thousands　what　the　Man　Who　Could　Not　Lose　had　foretold　was
a　serious　and　inspired　utterance。

This　time　his　friends　gathered　around　him；　not　to　benefit　by　his
advice；　but　to　protect　him。　〃They'll　mob　you！〃　they　warned。
〃They'll　tear　the　clothes　off　your　back。　Better　make　your　getaway
now。〃

Dolly；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　sat　beside　him。　Every　now　and　again
she　touched　his　hand。　Below　his　box；　as　around　a　newspaper　office
on　the　night　when　a　president　is　elected；　the　people　crushed　in　a
turbulent　mob。　Some　mocked　and　jeered；　some　who　on　his　tip　had
risked　their　every　dollar；　hailed　him　hopefully。　On　every　side
policemen；　fearful　of　coming　trouble；　hemmed　him　in。　Carter　was
bored　extremely；　heartily　sorry　he　had　on　the　night　before　given
way　to　what　he　now　saw　as　a　perverse　impulse。　But　he　still　was
confident；　still　undismayed。

To　all　eyes；　except　those　of　Dolly；　he　was　of　all　those　at　the
track　the　least　concerned。　To　her　he　turned　and；　in　a　low　tone；
spoke　swiftly。　〃I　am　so　sorry；〃　he　begged。　〃But；　indeed；　indeed；　I
can't　lose。　You　must　have　faith　in　me。〃

〃In　you；　yes；〃　returned　Dolly　in　a　whisper；　〃but　in　your　dreams；
no！〃

The　horses　were　passing　on　their　way　to　the　post。　Carter　brought
his　face　close　to　hers。

〃I'm　going　to　break　my　promise；〃　he　said；　〃and　make　one　more　bet；
this　one　with　you。　I　bet　you　a　kiss　that　I'm　right。〃

Dolly；　holding　back　her　tears；　smiled　mournfully。　〃Make　it　a
hundred；〃　she　said。

Half　of　the　forty　thousand　at　the　track　had　backed　Delhi；　the　other
half；　following　Carter's　luck　and　his　confidence　in　proclaiming　his
convictions；　had　backed　Beldame。　Many　hundred　had　gone　so　far　as　to
bet　that　the　three　horses　he　had　named　would　finish　as　he　had
foretold。　But；　in　spite　of　Carter's　tip；　Delhi　still　was　the
favorite；　and　when　the　thousands　saw　the　Keene　polka…dots　leap　to
the　front；　and　by　two　lengths　stay　there；　for　the　quarter；　the
half；　and　for　the　three…　quarters；　the　air　was　shattered　with
jubilant；　triumphant　yells。　And　then　suddenly；　with　the　swiftness
of　a　moving　picture；　in　the　very　moment　of　his　victory；　Beldame
crept　up　on　the　favorite；　drew　alongside；　drew　ahead　passed　him；
and　left　him　beaten。　It　was　at　the　mile。

The　night　before　a　man　had　risen　in　a　theatre　and　said　to　two
thousand　people：　〃The　favorite　will　lead　for　the　mile；　and　give　way
to　Beldame。〃　Could　they　have　believed　him；　the　men　who　now　cursed
themselves　might　for　the　rest　of　their　lives　have　lived　upon　their
winnings。　Those　who　had　followed　his　prophecy　faithfully；
superstitiously；　now　shrieked　in　happy；　riotous
self…congratulation。　〃At　the　MILE！〃　they　yelled。　〃He　TOLD　you；　at
the　MILE！〃　They　turned　toward　Carter　and　shook　Panama　hats　at　him。
〃Oh；　you　Carter！〃　they　shrieked　lovingly。

It　was　more　than　a　race　the　crowd　was　watching　now；　it　was　the
working　out　of　a　promise。　And　when　Beldame　stood　off　Proper's　rush；
and　Proper　fell　to　second；　and　First　Mason　followed　three　lengths
in　the　rear；　and　in　that　order　they　flashed　under　the　wire；　the
yells　were　not　that　a　race　had　been　won；　but　that　a　prophecy　had
been　fulfilled。

Of　the　thousands　that　cheered　Carter　and　fell　upon　him　and　indeed
did　tear　his　clothes　off　his　back；　one　of　his　friends　alone　was
sufficiently　unselfish　to　think　of　what　it　might；　mean　to　Carter。

〃Champ！〃　roared　his　friend；　pounding　him　on　both　shoulders。　〃You
old　wizard！　I　win　ten　thousand！　How　much　do　you　win？〃

Carter　cast　a　swift　glance　at　Dolly。　he　said；　〃I