smoke bellew-第16节

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〃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　mighty　funny　ways。　　You　might　think　it's　a　system；　but　it　ain't。　　Systems　is　impossible。　　They　can't　happen。　　It's　a　sure　hunch　you're　playin'。〃

Smoke　now　altered　his　play。　　He　bet　more　frequently；　with　single　chips；　scattered　here　and　there；　and　he　lost　more　often　than　he　won。

〃Quit　it；〃　Shorty　advised。　　〃Cash　in。　　You've　rung　the　bull's　eye　three　times；　an'　you're　ahead　a　thousand。　　You　can't　keep　it　up。〃

At　this　moment　the　ball　started　whirling；　and　Smoke　dropped　ten　chips　on　'26。'　　The　ball　fell　into　the　slot　of　'26；'　and　the　keeper　again　paid　him　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　　〃If　you're　plum　crazy　an'　got　the　immortal　cinch；　bet'm　the　limit；〃　Shorty　said。　〃Put　down　twenty…five　next　time。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　during　which　Smoke　won　and　lost　on　small　scattering　bets。　　Then；　with　the　abruptness　that　characterized　his　big　betting；　he　placed　twenty…five　dollars　on　the　'double　nought；'　and　the　keeper　paid　him　eight　hundred　and　seventy…five　dollars。

〃Wake　me　up；　Smoke；　I'm　dreamin'；〃　Shorty　moaned。

Smoke　smiled；　consulted　his　note…book；　and　became　absorbed　in　calculation。　　He　continually　drew　the　note…book　from　his　pocket；　and　from　time　to　time　jotted　down　figures。

A　crowd　had　packed　densely　around　the　table；　while　the　players　themselves　were　attempting　to　cover　the　same　numbers　he　covered。　　It　was　then　that　a　change　came　over　his　play。　　Ten　times　in　succession　he　placed　ten　dollars　on　'18'　and　lost。　　At　this　stage　he　was　deserted　by　the　hardiest。　　He　changed　his　number　and　won　another　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　　Immediately　the　players　were　back　with　him；　deserting　again　after　a　series　of　losing　bets。

〃Quit　it；　Smoke；　quit　it；〃　Shorty　advised。　　〃The　longest　string　of　hunches　is　only　so　long；　an'　your　string's　finished。　　No　more　bull's…eyes　for　you。〃

〃I'm　going　to　ring　her　once　again　before　I　cash　in；〃　Smoke　answered。

For　a　few　minutes；　with　varying　luck；　he　played　scattering　chips　over　the　table；　and　then　dropped　twenty…five　dollars　on　the　'double　nought。'

〃I'll　take　my　slip　now；〃　he　said　to　the　dealer；　as　he　won。

〃Oh；　you　don't　need　to　show　it　to　me；〃　Shorty　said；　as　they　walked　to　the　weigher。　　〃I　ben　keepin'　track。　　You're　something　like　thirty…six　hundred　to　the　good。　　How　near　am　I？〃

〃Thirty…six…thirty；〃　Smoke　replied。　　〃And　now　you've　got　to　pack　the　dust　home。　　That　was　the　agreement。〃



IV。

〃Don't　crowd　your　luck；〃　Shorty　pleaded　with　Smoke；　the　next　night；　in　the　cabin；　as　he　evidenced　preparations　to　return　to　the　Elkhorn。　〃You　played　a　mighty　long　string　of　hunches；　but　you　played　it　out。　If　you　go　back　you'll　sure　drop　all　your　winnings。〃

〃But　I　tell　you　it　isn't　hunches；　Shorty。　　It's　statistics。　　It's　a　system。　　It　can't　lose。〃

〃System　be　damned。　　They　ain't　no　such　a　thing　as　system。　　I　made　seventeen　straight　passes　at　a　crap　table　once。　　Was　it　system？　Nope。　　It　was　fool　luck；　only　I　had　cold　feet　an'　didn't　dast　let　it　ride。　　It　it'd　rid；　instead　of　me　drawin'　down　after　the　third　pass；　I'd　a　won　over　thirty　thousan'　on　the　original　two…bit　piece。〃

〃Just　the　same；　Shorty；　this　is　a　real　system。〃

〃Huh！　　You　got　to　show　me。〃

〃I　did　show　you。　　Come　on　with　me　now　and　I'll　show　you　again。〃

When　they　entered　the　Elkhorn；　all　eyes　centred　on　Smoke；　and　those　about　the　table　made　way　for　him　as　he　took　up　his　old　place　at　the　keeper's　end。　　His　play　was　quite　unlike　that　of　the　previous　night。　In　the　course　of　an　hour　and　a　half　he　made　only　four　bets；　but　each　bet　was　for　twenty…five　dollars；　and　each　bet　won。　　He　cashed　in　thirty…five　hundred　dollars；　and　Shorty　carried　the　dust　home　to　the　cabin。

〃Now's　the　time　to　jump　the　game；〃　Shorty　advised；　as　he　sat　on　the　edge　of　his　bunk　and　took　off　his　moccasins。　　〃You're　seven　thousan'　ahead。　　A　man's　a　fool　that'd　crowd　his　luck　harder。〃

〃Shorty；　a　man　would　be　a　blithering　lunatic　if　he　didn't　keep　on　backing　a　winning　system　like　mine。〃

〃Smoke；　you're　a　sure　bright　boy。　　You're　college…learnt。　　You　know　more'n　a　minute　than　I　could　know　in　forty　thousan'　years。　　But　just　the　same　you're　dead　wrong　when　you　call　your　luck　a　system。　　I've　ben　around　some；　an'　seen　a　few；　an'　I　tell　you　straight　an'　confidential　an'　all…assurin'；　a　system　to　beat　a　bankin'　game　ain't　possible。〃

〃But　I'm　showing　you　this　one。　　It's　a　pipe。〃

〃No；　you're　not；　Smoke。　　It's　a　pipe…dream。　　I'm　asleep。　　Bime　by　I'll　wake　up；　an'　build　the　fire；　an'　start　breakfast。〃

〃Well；　my　unbelieving　friend；　there's　the　dust。　　Heft　it。〃

So　saying；　Smoke　tossed　the　bulging　gold…sack　upon　his　partner's　knees。　　It　weighed　thirty…five　pounds；　and　Shorty　was　fully　aware　of　the　crush　of　its　impact　on　his　flesh。

〃It's　real；〃　Smoke　hammered　his　point　home。

〃Huh！　　I've　saw　some　mighty　real　dreams　in　my　time。　　In　a　dream　all　things　is　possible。　　In　real　life　a　system　ain't　possible。　　Now；　I　ain't　never　ben　to　college；　but　I'm　plum　justified　in　sizin'　up　this　gamblin'　orgy　of　ourn　as　a　sure　enough　dream。〃

〃Hamilton's　'Law　of　Parsimony；'〃　Smoke　laughed。

〃I　ain't　never　heard　of　the　geezer；　but　his　dope's　sure　right。　　I'm　dreamin'；　Smoke；　an'　you're　just　snoopin'　around　in　my　dream　an'　tormentin'　me　with　system。　　If　you　love　me；　if　you　sure　do　love　me；　you'll　just　yell；　'Shorty！　　Wake　up！'　　An'　I'll　wake　up　an'　start　breakfast。〃



V。

The　third　night　of　play；　as　Smoke　laid　his　first　bet；　the　game…　keeper　shoved　fifteen　dollars　back　to　him。

〃Ten's　all　you　can　play；〃　he　said。　　〃The　limit's　come　down。〃

〃Gettin'　picayune；〃　Shorty　sneered。

〃No　one　has　to　play　at　this　table　that　don't　want　to；〃　the　keeper　retorted。　　〃And　I'm　willing　to　say　straight　out　in　meeting　that　we'd　sooner　your　pardner　didn't　play　at　our　table。〃

〃Scared　of　his　system；　eh？〃　Shorty　challenged；　as　the　keeper　paid　over　three　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。

〃I　ain't　saying　I　believe　in　system；　because　I　don't。　　There　never　was　a　system　that'd　beat　roulette　or　any　percentage　game。　　But　just　the　same　I've　seen　some　queer　strings　of　luck；　and　I　ain't　going　to　let　this　bank　go　bust　if　I　can　help　it。〃

〃Cold　feet。〃

〃Gambling　is　just　as　much　business；　my　friend；　as　any　other　business。　　We　ain't　philanthropists。〃

Night　by　night；　Smoke　continued　to　win。　　His　method　of　play　varied。　Expert　after　expert；　in　the　jam　about　the　table；　scribbled　down　his　bets　and　numbers　in　vain　attempts　to　work　out　his　system。　　They　complained　of　their　inability　to　get　a　clew　to　start　with；　and　swore　that　it　was　pure　luck；　though　the　most　colossal　streak　of　it　they　had　ever　seen。

It　was　Smoke's　varied　play　that　obfuscated　them。　　Sometimes；　consulting　his　note…book　or　engaging　in　long　calculations；　an　hour　elapsed　without　his　staking　a　chip。　　At　other　times　he　would　win　three　limit…bets　and　clean　up　a　thousand　dollars　and　odd　in　five　or　ten　minutes。　　At　still　other　times；　his　tactics　would　be　to　scatter　single　chips　prodigally　and　amazingly　over　the　table。　　This　would　continue　for　from　ten　to　thirty　minutes　of　play；　when；　abruptly；　as　the　ball　whirled　through　the　last　few　of　its　circles；　he　would　play　the　limit　on　column；　colour；　and　number；　and　win　all　three。　　Once；　to　complete　confusion　in　the　minds　of　those　that　strove　to　divine　his　secret；　he　lost　forty　straight　bets；　each　at　the　limit。　　But　each　night；　play　no　matter　how　diversely；　Shorty　carried　home　thirty…five　hundred　dollars　for　him。

〃It　ain't　no　system；〃　Shorty　expounded　at　one　of　their　bed…going　discussions。　　〃I　follow　you；　an'　follow　you；　but　they　ain't　no　figgerin'　it　out。　　You　never　play　twice　the　same。　　All　you　do　is　pick　winners　when　you　want　to；　an'　when　you　don't　want　to；　you　just　on　purpose　don't。〃

〃Maybe　you're　nearer　right　than　you　think；　Shorty。　　I've　just　got　to　pick　losers　sometimes。　　It's　part　of　the　system。〃

〃Systemhell！　　I've　talked　with　every　gambler　in　town；　an'　the　last　one　is　agreed　they　ain't　no　such　thing　as　system。〃

〃Yet　I'm　showing　them　one　all　the　time。〃

〃Look　here；　Smoke。〃　　Shorty　paused　over　the　candle；　in　the　act　of　blowing　it　out。　　〃I'm　real　irritated。　　Maybe　you　think　this　is　a　candle。　　It　ain't。　　An'　this　ain't　me　neither。　　I'm　out　on　trail　somewheres；　in　my　blankets；　lyin'　on　my　back　with　my　mouth　open；　an'　dreamin'　all　this。　　That　ain't　you　talkin'；　any　more　than　this　candle　is　a　candle。〃

〃It's　funny；　how　I　happen　to　be　dreaming　along　with　you　then；〃　Smoke　persisted。

〃No；　it　ain't。　　You're　part　of　my　dream；　that's　all。　　I've　hearn　many　a　man　talk　in　my　dreams。　　I　want　to　tell　you　one　thing；　Smoke。　I'm　gettin'　mangy　an'　mad。　　If　this　here　dream　keeps　up　much　more　I'm　goin'　to　bite　my　veins　an'　howl。〃



VI。

On　the　sixth　night　of　play　at　the　Elkhorn；　the　limit　was　reduced　to　five　dollars。

〃It's　all　right；〃　Smoke　assured　the　game…keeper。　　〃I　want　thirty…　five　hundred　to…night；　as　usual；　and　you　only　compel　me　to　play　longer。　　I've　got　to　pick　twice　as　many　winners；　that's　all。〃

〃Why　don't　you　buck　somebody　else's　table？〃　the　keeper　demanded　wrathfully。

〃Because　I　like　this　one。〃　Smoke　glanced　over　to　the　roaring　stove　only　a　few　feet　away。　　〃Besides；　there　are　no　draughts　here；　and　it　i