the man who could not lose-第5节

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Dolly　assented　with　enthusiasm；　and　during　the　courses　of　the
dinner　they　happily　discussed　Cape　Cod　from　Pocasset　to　Yarmouth；
and　from　Sandwich　to　Provincetown。　So　eager　were　they　to　escape；
that　Carter　telephoned　the　hallman　at　his　club　to　secure　a　cabin
for　the　next　afternoon　on　the　Fall　River　boat。　As　they　sat　over
their　coffee　in　the　cool　breeze；　with；　in　the　air；　the　scent　of
flowers　and　the　swing　of　music；　and　with；　at　their　feet；　the　lights
of　the　great　city；　the　world　seemed　very　bright。

〃It　has　been　a　great　day；〃　sighed　Carter。　〃And　if　I　hadn't　had
nervous　prostration　I　would　have　enjoyed　it。　That　race…　course　is
always　cool；　and　there　were　some　fine　finishes。　I　noticed　two
horses　that　would　bear　watching；　Her　Highness　and　Glowworm。　If　we
weren't　leaving　to…morrow；　I'd　be　inclined〃　Dolly　regarded　him
with　eyes　of　horror。

〃Champneys　Carter！〃　she　exclaimed。　As　she　said　it；　it　sounded　like
〃Great　Jehoshaphat！〃

Carter　protested　indignantly。　〃I　only　said；　〃he　explained；　〃if　I
were　following　the　races；　I'd　watch　those　horses。　Don't　worry！〃　he
exclaimed。　〃I　know　when　to　stop。〃

The　next　morning　they　took　breakfast　on　the　tiny　terrace　of　a
restaurant　overlooking　Bryant　Park；　where；　during　the　first　days　of
their　honeymoon；　they　had　always　breakfasted。　For　sentimental
reasons　they　now　revisited　it。　But　Dolly　was　eager　to　return　at
once　to　the　flat　and　pack；　and　Carter　seemed　distraught。　He
explained　that　he　had　had　a　bad　night。

〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　sympathized　Dolly；　〃but　to…night　you　will　have　a
fine　sleep　going　up　the　Sound。　Any　more　nightmares？〃　she　asked。

〃Nightmares！〃　exploded　Carter　fiercely。　〃Nightmares　they　certainly
were！　I　dreamt　two　of　the　nightmares　won！　I　saw　them；　all　night；
just　as　I　saw　Dromedary；　Her　Highness　and　Glowworm；　winning；
winning；　winning！〃

〃Those　were　the　horses　you　spoke　about　last　night；〃　said　Dolly
severely。　〃After　so　wonderful　a　day；　of　course　you　dreamt　of
racing；　and　those　two　horses　were　in　your　mind。　That's　the
explanation。〃

They　returned　to　the　flat　and　began；　industriously；　to　pack。　About
twelve　o'clock　Carter；　coming　suddenly　into　the　bedroom　where　Dolly
was　alone；　found　her　reading　the　MORNING　TELEGRAPH。　It　was　open　at
the　racing　page　of　〃past　performances。〃

She　dropped　the　paper　guiltily。　Carter　kicked　a　hat…box　out　of　his
way　and　sat　down　on　a　trunk。

〃I　don't　see；〃　he　began；　〃why　we　can't　wait　one　more　day。　We'd　be
just　as　near　the　ocean　at　Sheepshead　Bay　race…track　as　on　a　Fall
River　boat；　and〃　He　halted　and　frowned　unhappily。　〃We　needn't
bet　more　than　ten　dollars；〃　he　begged。

〃Of　course；〃　declared　Dolly；　〃if　they　SHOULD　win；　you'll　always
blame　ME！〃　Carter's　eyes　shone　hopefully。

〃And；〃　continued　Dolly；　I　can't　bear　to　have　you　blame　me。　So〃

〃Get　your　hat！〃　shouted　Carter；　〃or　we'll　miss　the　first　race。〃

Carter　telephoned　for　a　cab；　and　as　they　were　entering　it　said
guiltily：　〃I've　got　to　stop　at　the　bank。〃

〃You　have　NOT！〃　announced　Dolly。　〃That　money　is　to　keep　us　alive
while　you　write　the　great　American　novel。　I'm　glad　to　spend　another
day　at　the　races；　and　I'm　willing　to　back　your　dreams　as　far　as　ten
dollars；　but　for　no　more。〃

〃If　my　dreams　come　true；〃　warned　Carter；　you'll　be　awfully　sorry。〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　Dolly。　〃I'll　merely　send　you　to　bed；　and　you　can　go
on　dreaming。〃

When　Her　Highness　romped　home；　an　easy　winner；　the　look　Dolly
turned　upon　her　husband　was　one　both　of　fear　and　dismay。

〃I　don't　like　it！〃　she　gasped。　〃It'sit's　uncanny。　It　gives　me　a
creepy　feeling。　It　makes　you　seem　sort　of　supernatural。　And　oh；〃
she　cried；　〃if　only　I　had　let　you　bet　all　you　had　with　you！〃

〃I　did；〃　stammered　Carter；　in　extreme　agitation。　〃　I　bet　four
hundred。　I　got　five　to　one；　Dolly；〃　he　gasped；　in　awe；　〃we've　won
two　thousand　dollars。〃

Dolly　exclaimed　rapturously：　〃We'll　put　it　all　in　bank；〃　she　cried。

〃We'll　put　it　all　on　Glowworm！〃　said　her　husband。

〃Champ！〃　begged　Dolly。　〃Don't　push　your　luck。　Stop　while〃
Carter　shook　his　head。

〃It's　NOT　luck！〃　he　growled。　〃It's　a　gift；　it's　second　sight；　it's
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