smoke bellew-第15节

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〃We　might　as　well　break　camp　and　start　back　for　Dawson；〃　Smoke　said；　beginning　to　fold　the　blankets。

〃I　am　sorry；　Smoke；〃　Joy　said。　　〃It's　all　my　fault。〃

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　answered。　　〃All　in　the　day's　work；　you　know。〃

〃But　it's　my　fault；　wholly　mine；〃　she　persisted。　　〃Dad's　staked　for　me　down　near　Discovery；　I　know。　　I'll　give　you　my　claim。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Shorty；〃　she　pleaded。

Shorty　shook　his　head　and　began　to　laugh。　　It　was　a　colossal　laugh。　Chuckles　and　muffled　explosions　yielded　to　hearty　roars。

〃It　ain't　hysterics；〃　he　explained；　〃I　sure　get　powerful　amused　at　times；　an'　this　is　one　of　them。〃

His　gaze　chanced　to　fall　on　the　gold　pan。　　He　walked　over　and　gravely　kicked　it；　scattering　the　gold　over　the　landscape。

〃It　ain't　ourn；〃　he　said。　　〃It　belongs　to　the　geezer　I　backed　up　five　hundred　feet　last　night。　　An'　what　gets　me　is　four　hundred　an'　ninety　of　them　feet　was　to　the　good　。　。　。　his　good。　　Come　on；　Smoke。　Let's　start　the　hike　to　Dawson。　　Though　if　you're　hankerin'　to　kill　me　I　won't　lift　a　finger　to　prevent。〃




SHORTY　DREAMS。




I。

〃Funny　you　don't　gamble　none；〃　Shorty　said　to　Smoke　one　night　in　the　Elkhorn。　　〃Ain't　it　in　your　blood？〃

〃It　is；〃　Smoke　answered。　　〃But　the　statistics　are　in　my　head。　　I　like　an　even　break　for　my　money。〃

All　about　them；　in　the　huge　bar…room；　arose　the　click　and　rattle　and　rumble　of　a　dozen　games；　at　which　fur…clad；　moccasined　men　tried　their　luck。　　Smoke　waved　his　hand　to　include　them　all。

〃Look　at　them；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　cold　mathematics　that　they　will　lose　more　than　they　win　to…night；　that　the　big　proportion　is　losing　right　now。〃

〃You're　sure　strong　on　figgers；〃　Shorty　murmured　admiringly。　　〃An'　in　the　main　you're　right。　　But　they's　such　a　thing　as　facts。　　An'　one　fact　is　streaks　of　luck。　　They's　times　when　every　geezer　playin'　wins；　as　I　know；　for　I've　sat　in　in　such　games　an'　saw　more'n　one　bank　busted。　　The　only　way　to　win　at　gamblin'　is　wait　for　a　hunch　that　you've　got　a　lucky　streak　comin'　and　then　to　play　it　to　the　roof。〃

〃It　sounds　simple；〃　Smoke　criticized。　　〃So　simple　I　can't　see　how　men　can　lose。〃

〃The　trouble　is；〃　Shorty　admitted；　〃that　most　men　gets　fooled　on　their　hunches。　　On　occasion　I　sure　get　fooled　on　mine。　　The　thing　is　to　try；　an'　find　out。〃

Smoke　shook　his　head。

〃That's　a　statistic；　too；　Shorty。　　Most　men　prove　wrong　on　their　hunches。〃

〃But　don't　you　ever　get　one　of　them　streaky　feelin's　that　all　you　got　to　do　is　put　your　money　down　an'　pick　a　winner？〃

Smoke　laughed。

〃I'm　too　scared　of　the　percentage　against　me。　　But　I'll　tell　you　what；　Shorty。　　I'll　throw　a　dollar　on　the　'high　card'　right　now　and　see　if　it　will　buy　us　a　drink。〃

Smoke　was　edging　his　way　in　to　the　faro　table；　when　Shorty　caught　his　arm。

〃Hold　on。　　I'm　gettin'　one　of　them　hunches　now。　　You　put　that　dollar　on　roulette。〃

They　went　over　to　a　roulette　table　near　the　bar。

〃Wait　till　I　give　the　word；〃　Shorty　counselled。

〃What　number？〃　Smoke　asked。

〃Pick　it　yourself。　　But　wait　till　I　say　let　her　go。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　I've　got　an　even　chance　on　that　table？〃　Smoke　argued。

〃As　good　as　the　next　geezers。〃

〃But　not　as　good　as　the　bank's。〃

〃Wait　and　see；〃　Shorty　urged。　　〃Now！　　Let　her　go！〃

The　game…keeper　had　just　sent　the　little　ivory　ball　whirling　around　the　smooth　rim　above　the　revolving；　many…slotted　wheel。　　Smoke；　at　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　reached　over　a　player；　and　blindly　tossed　the　dollar。　　It　slid　along　the　smooth；　green　cloth　and　stopped　fairly　in　the　centre　of　'34。'

The　ball　came　to　rest；　and　the　game…keeper　announced；　〃Thirty…four　wins！〃　　He　swept　the　table；　and　alongside　of　Smoke's　dollar；　stacked　thirty…five　dollars。　　Smoke　drew　the　money　in；　and　Shorty　slapped　him　on　the　shoulder。

〃Now；　that　was　the　real　goods　of　a　hunch；　Smoke！　　How'd　I　know　it？　There's　no　tellin'。　　I　just　knew　you'd　win。　　Why；　if　that　dollar　of　yourn'd　fell　on　any　other　number　it'd　won　just　the　same。　　When　the　hunch　is　right；　you　just　can't　help　winnin'。〃

〃Suppose　it　had　come　'double　nought'？〃　Smoke　queried；　as　they　made　their　way　to　the　bar。

〃Then　your　dollar'd　ben　on　'double　nought；'〃　was　Shorty's　answer。　〃They's　no　gettin'　away　from　it。　　A　hunch　is　a　hunch。　　Here's　how。　Come　on　back　to　the　table。　　I　got　a　hunch；　after　pickin'　you　for　a　winner；　that　I　can　pick　some　few　numbers　myself。〃

〃Are　you　playing　a　system？〃　Smoke　asked；　at　the　end　of　ten　minutes；　when　his　partner　had　dropped　a　hundred　dollars。

Shorty　shook　his　head　indignantly；　as　he　spread　his　chips　out　in　the　vicinities　of　'3；'　'11；'　and　'17；'　and　tossed　a　spare　chip　on　the　'green。'

〃Hell　is　sure　cluttered　with　geezers　that　played　systems；〃　he　exposited；　as　the　keeper　raked　the　table。

From　idly　watching；　Smoke　became　fascinated；　following　closely　every　detail　of　the　game　from　the　whirling　of　the　ball　to　the　making　and　the　paying　of　the　bets。　　He　made　no　plays；　however；　merely　contenting　himself　with　looking　on。　　Yet　so　interested　was　he；　that　Shorty；　announcing　that　he　had　had　enough；　with　difficulty　drew　Smoke　away　from　the　table。　　The　game…keeper　returned　Shorty　the　gold　sack　he　had　deposited　as　a　credential　for　playing；　and　with　it　went　a　slip　of　paper　on　which　was　scribbled；　〃Out　。　。　。　350　dollars。〃　Shorty　carried　the　sack　and　the　paper　across　the　room　and　handed　them　to　the　weigher；　who　sat　behind　a　large　pair　of　gold…scales。　Out　of　Shorty's　sack　he　weighed　350　dollars；　which　he　poured　into　the　coffer　of　the　house。

〃That　hunch　of　yours　was　another　one　of　those　statistics；〃　Smoke　jeered。

〃I　had　to　play　it；　didn't　I；　in　order　to　find　out？〃　Shorty　retorted。　〃I　reckon　I　was　crowdin'　some　just　on　account　of　tryin'　to　convince　you　they's　such　a　thing　as　hunches。〃

〃Never　mind；　Shorty；〃　Smoke　laughed。　〃I've　got　a　hunch　right　now〃

Shorty's　eyes　sparkled　as　he　cried　eagerly：　　〃What　is　it？　　Kick　in　an'　play　it　pronto。〃

〃It's　not　that　kind；　Shorty。　　Now；　what　I've　got　is　a　hunch　that　some　day　I'll　work　out　a　system　that　will　beat　the　spots　off　that　table。〃

〃System！〃　Shorty　groaned；　then　surveyed　his　partner　with　a　vast　pity。　　〃Smoke；　listen　to　your　side…kicker　an'　leave　system　alone。　Systems　is　sure　losers。　　They　ain't　no　hunches　in　systems。〃

〃That's　why　I　like　them；〃　Smoke　answered。　　〃A　system　is　statistical。　When　you　get　the　right　system　you　can't　lose；　and　that's　the　difference　between　it　and　a　hunch。　　You　never　know　when　the　right　hunch　is　going　wrong。〃

〃But　I　know　a　lot　of　systems　that　went　wrong；　an'　I　never　seen　a　system　win。〃　　Shorty　paused　and　sighed。　　〃Look　here；　Smoke；　if　you're　gettin'　cracked　on　systems　this　ain't　no　place　for　you；　an'　it's　about　time　we　hit　the　trail　again。〃



II。

During　the　several　following　weeks；　the　two　partners　played　at　cross　purposes。　　Smoke　was　bent　on　spending　his　time　watching　the　roulette　game　in　the　Elkhorn；　while　Shorty　was　equally　bent　on　travelling　trail。　　At　last　Smoke　put　his　foot　down　when　a　stampede　was　proposed　for　two　hundred　miles　down　the　Yukon。

〃Look　here；　Shorty；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　not　going。　　That　trip　will　take　ten　days；　and　before　that　time　I　hope　to　have　my　system　in　proper　working　order。　　I　could　almost　win　with　it　now。　　What　are　you　dragging　me　around　the　country　this　way　for　anyway？〃

〃Smoke；　I　got　to　take　care　of　you；〃　was　Shorty's　reply。　　〃You're　getting　nutty。　　I'd　drag　you　stampedin'　to　Jericho　or　the　North　Pole　if　I　could　keep　you　away　from　that　table。〃

〃It's　all　right；　Shorty。　　But　just　remember　I've　reached　full　man…　grown；　meat…eating　size。　　The　only　dragging　you'll　do；　will　be　dragging　home　the　dust　I'm　going　to　win　with　that　system　of　mine；　and　you'll　most　likely　have　to　do　it　with　a　dog…team。〃

Shorty's　response　was　a　groan。

〃And　I　don't　want　you　to　be　bucking　any　games　on　your　own；〃　Smoke　went　on。　　〃We're　going　to　divide　the　winnings；　and　I'll　need　all　our　money　to　get　started。　　That　system's　young　yet；　and　it's　liable　to　trip　me　for　a　few　falls　before　I　get　it　lined　up。〃



III。

At　last；　after　long　hours　and　days　spent　at　watching　the　table；　the　night　came　when　Smoke　proclaimed　he　was　ready；　and　Shorty；　glum　and　pessimistic；　with　all　the　seeming　of　one　attending　a　funeral；　accompanied　his　partner　to　the　Elkhorn。　　Smoke　bought　a　stack　of　chips　and　stationed　himself　at　the　game…keeper's　end　of　the　table。　Again　and　again　the　ball　was　whirled　and　the　other　players　won　or　lost；　but　Smoke　did　not　venture　a　chip。　　Shorty　waxed　impatient。

〃Buck　in；　buck　in；〃　he　urged。　　〃Let's　get　this　funeral　over。　　What's　the　matter？　　Got　cold　feet？〃

Smoke　shook　his　head　and　waited。　　A　dozen　plays　went　by；　and　then；　suddenly；　he　placed　ten　one…dollar　chips　on　'26。'　　The　number　won；　and　the　keeper　paid　Smoke　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　　A　dozen　plays　went　by；　twenty　plays；　and　thirty；　when　Smoke　placed　ten　dollars　on　'32。'　　Again　he　received　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。

〃It's　a　hunch。〃　　Shorty　whispered　vociferously　in　his　ear。　　〃Ride　it！　　Ride　it！〃

Half　an　hour　went　by；　during　which　Smoke　was　inactive；　then　he　placed　ten　dollars　on　'34'　and　won。

〃A　hunch！〃　Shorty　whispered。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Smoke　whispered　back。　　〃It's　the　system。　Isn't　she　a　dandy？〃

〃You　can't　tell　me；〃　Shorty　contended。　　〃Hunches　comes　in