the man who could not lose-第6节

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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　home
with　you。　From　Cavanaugh　they　borrowed　a　book…maker's　hand…bag　and
stuffed　it　with　thousand…dollar　bills。　When　they　stepped　into　the
car　the　crowd　still　surrounded　them。

〃He's　taking　it　home　in　a　trunk！〃　they　yelled。

That　night　the　〃sporting　extras〃　of　the　afternoon　papers　gave
prominence　to　the　luck　at　the　races　of　Champneys　Carter。　From
Cavanaugh　and　the　book…makers；　the　racing　reporters　had　gathered
accounts　of　his　winnings。　They　stated　that　in　three　successive
days；　starting　with　one　hundred　dollars；　he　had　at　the　end　of　the
third　day　not　lost　a　single　bet；　and　that　afternoon；　on　the　last
race　alone；　he　had　won　sixty　to　seventy　thousand　dollars。　With　the
text；　they　〃ran〃　pictures　of　Carter　at　the　track；　of　Dolly　in　her
box；　and　of　Mrs。　Ingram　in　a　tiara　and　ball…dress。

Mother…in…law　WILL　be　pleased　cried　Carter。　In　some　alarm　as　to
what　the　newspapers　might　say　on　the　morrow；　he　ordered　that　in　the
morning　a　copy　of　each　be　sent　to　his　room。　That　night　in　his
dreams　he　saw　clouds　of　dust…covered　jackets　and　horses　with
sweating　flanks；　and　one　of　them　named　Ambitious　led　all　the　rest。
When　he　woke；　he　said　to　Dolly：　〃That　horse　Ambitious　will　win
to…day。〃

〃He　can　do　just　as　he　likes　about　THAT！　〃replied　Dolly。　〃I　have
something　on　my　mind　much　more　important　than　horse…　racing。　To…day
you　are　to　learn　how　I　spent　your　money。　It's　to　be　in　the　morning
papers。〃

When　he　came　to　breakfast；　Dolly　was　on　her　knees。　For　his
inspection　she　had　spread　the　newspapers　on　the　floor；　opened　at　an
advertisement　that　appeared　in　each。　In　the　Centre　of　a　half…page
of　white　paper　were　the　lines：

SOLD　OUT　IN　ONE　DAY！

ENTIRE　FIRST　EDITION

THE　DEAD　HEAT

BY

CHAMPNEYS　CARTER

SECOND　EDITION　ONE　HUNDRED　THOUSAND

In　Heaven's　name！　〃　roared　Carter。　〃What　does　this　mean？〃

〃It　means；〃　cried　Dolly　tremulously；　〃I'm　backing　my　dream。　I've
always　believed　in　your　book。　Now；　I'm　backing　it。　Our　lawyers　sent
me　to　an　advertising　agent。　His　name　is　Spink；　and　he　is　awfully
clever。　I　asked　him　if　he　could　advertise　a　book　so　as　to　make　it
sell。　He　said　with　my　money　and　his　ideas　he　could　sell　last　year's
telephone　book　to　people　who　did　not　own　a　telephone；　and　who　had
never　learned　to　read。　He　is　proud　of　his　ideas。　One　of　them　was
buying　out　the　first　edition。　Your　publishers　told　him　your　book
was　'waste　paper；'　and　that　he　could　have　every　copy　in　stock　for
the　cost　of　the　plates。　So　he　bought　the　whole　edition。　That's　how
it　was　sold　out　in　one　day。　Then　we　ordered　a　second　edition　of　one
hundred　thousand；　and　they're　printing　it　now。

〃The　presses　have　been　working　all　night　to　meet　the　demand！〃

〃But；〃　cried　Carter；　〃　there　isn't　any　demand！　〃

〃There　will　be；〃　said　Dolly；　〃when　five　million　people　read　our
advertisements。〃

She　dragged　him　to　the　window　and　pointed　triumphantly　into　the
street。

〃See　that！〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Spink　sent　them　here　for　me　to　inspect。〃

Drawn　up　in　a　line　that　stretched　from　Fifth　Avenue　to　Broadway
were　an　army　of　sandwich　men。　On　the　boards　they　carried　were　the
words：　〃Read　'The　Dead　Heat。'　Second　Edition。　One　Hundred
Thousand！〃　On　the　fence　in　front　of　the　building　going　up　across
the　street；　in　letters　a　foot　high；　Carter　again　read　the　name　of
his　novel。　In　letters　in　size　more　modest；　but　in　colors　more
defiant；　it　glared　at　him　from　ash…cans　and　barrels。

〃How　much　does　this　cost？〃　he　gasped。

〃It　cost　every　dollar　you　had　in　bank；〃　said　Dolly；　〃and　before　we
are　through　it　will　cost　you　twice　as　much　more。　Mr。　Spink　is　only
waiting　to　hear　from　me　before　he　starts　spending　fifty　thousand
dollars；　that's　only　half　of　what　you　won　on　Red　Wing。　I'm　only
waiting　for　you　to　make　me　out　a　check　before　I　tell　Spink　to　start
spending　it。〃

In　a　dazed　state　Carter　drew　a　check　for　fifty　thousand　dollars　and
meekly　handed　it　to　his　wife。　They　carried　it　themselves　to　the
office　of　Mr。　Spink。　On　their　way；　on　every　side　they　saw　evidences
of　his　handiwork。　On　walls；　on　scaffolding；　on　bill…boards　were
advertisements　of　〃The　Dead　Heat。〃　Over　Madison　Square　a　huge　kite
as　large　as　a　Zeppelin　air…ship　painted　the　name　of　the　book
against　the　sky；　on　〃dodgers〃　it　floated　in　the　air；　on　handbills
it　stared　up　from　the　gutters。

Mr。　Spink　was　a　nervous　young　man　with　a　bald　head　and　eye…
glasses。　He　grasped　the　check　as　a　general　might　welcome　fifty
thousand　fresh　troops。

〃Reinforcements！〃　he　cried。　〃Now；　watch　me。　Now　I　can　do　things
that　are　big；　national；　Napoleonic。　We　can't　get　those　books　bound
inside　of　a　week；　but　meanwhile　orders　will　be　pouring　in；　people
will　be　growing　crazy　for　it。　Every　man；　woman；　and　child　in
Greater　New　York　will　want　a　copy。　I've　sent　out　fifty　boys　dressed
as　jockeys　on　horseback　to　ride　neck　and　neck　up　and　down　every
avenue。　'The　Dead　Heat'　is　printed　on　the　saddle…cloth。　Half　of
them　have　been　arrested　already。　It's　a　little　idea　of　my　own。〃

〃But；〃　protested　Carter；　〃it's　not　a　racing　story；　it's　a　detective
story！〃

〃The　devil　it　is！〃　gasped　Spink。　〃But　what's　the　difference！　〃　he
exclaimed。　〃　They've　got　to　buy　it　anyway。　They'd　buy　it　if　it　was
a　cook…book。　And；　I　say；〃　he　cried　delightedly；　〃that's　great　press
work　you're　doing　for　the　book　at　the　races！　The　papers　are　full　of
you　this　morning；　and　every　man　who　reads　about　your　luck　at　the
track　will　see　your　name　as　the　author　of　'The　Dead　Heat；'　and　will
rush　to　buy　the　book。　He'll　think　'The　Dead　Heat'　is　a　guide　to　the
turf！〃

When　Carter　reached　the　track　he　found　his　notoriety　had　preceded
him。　Ambitious　did　no　run　until　the　fourth　race；　and　until　then；　as
he　sat　in　his　box；　an　eager　crowd　surged　below。　He　had　never　known
such　popularity。　The　crowd　had　read　the　newspapers；　and　such
head…lines　as　〃He　Cannot　Lose！〃　〃Young　Carter　Wins　70；000！〃　〃Boy
Plunger　Wins　Again！〃　〃Carter　Makes　Big　Killing！〃　〃The　Ring　Hit
Hard！〃　〃The　Man　Who　Cannot　Lose！〃　〃Carter　Beats　Book…makers！〃　had
whetted　their　curiosity　and　filled　many　with　absolute　faith　in　his
luck。　Men　he　had　not　seen