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like yours； next to an elevator shaft and a fire…escape； I'll have
one as big as a church； and the whole blue ocean to swim in。 And
I'll sit on the rocks in the sunshine and watch the waves and the
yachts〃
〃And grow well again！〃 cried Carter。 〃But you'll write to me；〃 he
added wistfully； 〃every day； won't you？〃
In her wrath； Dolly rose； and from across the table confronted him。
〃And what will I be doing on those rocks？〃 she cried。 〃You KNOW
what I'll be doing！ I'll be sobbing； and sobbing； and calling out
to the waves： 'Why did he send me away？ Why doesn't he want me？
Because he doesn't love me。 That's why！ He doesn't LOVE me！' And
you DON'T！〃 cried Dolly。 〃you DON'T！〃
It took him all of three minutes to persuade her she was mistaken。
〃Very well； then；〃 sobbed Dolly； 〃that's settled。 And there'll be
no more talk of sending me away！
〃There will NOT！〃 said Champneys hastily。 〃We will now；〃 he
announced； 〃go into committee of the whole and decide how we are to
face financial failure。 Our assets consist of two stories；
accepted； but not paid for； and fifteen stories not accepted。 In
cash； he spread upon the table a meagre collection of soiled bills
and coins。 〃We have twenty…seven dollars and fourteen cents。 That
is every penny we possess in the world。〃
Dolly regarded him fixedly and shook her head。
〃Is it wicked；〃 she asked； 〃to love you so？〃
〃Haven't you been listening to me？〃 demanded Carter。
Again Dolly shook her head。
〃I was watching the way you talk。 When your lips move fast they do
such charming things。〃
〃Do you know；〃 roared Carter； 〃that we haven't a penny in the
world； that we have nothing in this flat to eat？〃
〃I still have five hats；〃 said Dolly。
〃We can't eat hats；〃 protested Champneys。
〃We can sell hats！〃 returned Dolly。 〃They cost eighty dollars
apiece！〃
〃When you need money；〃 explained Carter； 〃I find it's just as hard
to sell a hat as to eat it。〃
〃Twenty…seven dollars and fourteen cents；〃 repeated Dolly。 She
exclaimed remorsefully： 〃And you started with three thousand！ What
did I do with it？〃
〃We both had the time of our lives with it！〃 said Carter stoutly。
〃And that's all there is to that。 Post…mortems；〃 he pointed out；
〃are useful only as guides to the future； and as our future will
never hold a second three thousand dollars； we needn't worry about
how we spent the first one。 No！ What we must consider now is how we
can grow rich quick； and the quicker and richer； the better。
Pawning our clothes； or what's left of them； is bad economics。
There's no use considering how to live from meal to meal。 We must
evolve something big； picturesque； that will bring a fortune。 You
have imagination； I'm supposed to have imagination； we must think
of a plan to get money； much money。 I do not insist on our plan
being dignified； or even outwardly respectable； so long as it keeps
you alive； it may be as desperate as〃
〃I see！〃 cried Dolly； 〃like sending mother Black Hand letters！〃
〃Blackmail〃 began that lady's son…in…law doubtfully。
〃Or！〃 cried Dolly； 〃we might kidnap Mr。 Carnegie when he's walking
in the park alone； and hold him for ransom。 Or〃she rushed on
〃we might forge a codicil to father's will； and make it say if
mother shouldn't like the man I want to marry； all of father's
fortune must go to my husband！〃
〃Forgery；〃 exclaimed Champneys； 〃is going further than I〃
〃And another plan；〃 interrupted Dolly；〃 that I have always had in
mind； is to issue a cheaper edition of your book； 'The Dead Heat。'
The reason the first edition of 'The Dead Heat' didn't sell〃
〃Don't tell ME why it didn't sell；〃 said Champneys。 〃I wrote it！〃
〃That book；〃 declared Dolly loyally； 〃was never properly
advertised。 No one knew about it； so no one bought it！〃
〃Eleven people bought it！〃 corrected the author。
〃We will put it in a paper cover and sell it for fifty cents；〃
cried Dolly。 〃 It's the best detective story I ever read； and
people have got to know it is the best。 So we'll advertise it like
a breakfast food。〃
〃The idea；〃 interrupted Champneys； 〃is to make money； not throw it
away。 Besides； we haven't any to throw away。 Dolly sighed bitterly。
〃If only；〃 she exclaimed； 〃we had that three thousand dollars back
again！ I'd save SO carefully。 It was all my fault。 The races took
it； but it was I took you to the races。〃
〃No one ever had to drag ME to the races；〃 said Carter。 〃 It was
the way we went that was extravagant。 Automobiles by the hour
standing idle； and a box each day； and〃
〃And always backing Dromedary；〃 suggested Dolly。 Carter was touched
on a sensitive spot。 〃That horse；〃 he protested loudly； 〃is a
mighty good horse。 Some day〃
〃That's what you always said；〃 remarked Dolly； 〃but he never seems
to have his day。〃
〃It's strange；〃 said Champneys consciously。 〃I dreamed of Dromedary
only last night。 Same dream over and over again。〃 Hastily he
changed the subject。
〃For some reason I don't sleep well。 I don't know why。〃
Dolly looked at him with all the love in her eyes of a mother over
her ailing infant。
〃It's worrying over me； and the heat；〃' she said。 〃And the garage
next door； and the skyscraper going up across the street； might
have something to do with it。 And YOU；〃 she mocked tenderly；
〃wanted to send me to the sea…shore。〃
Carter was frowning。 As though about to speak； he opened his lips；
and then laughed embarrassedly。
〃Out with it；〃 said Dolly； with an encouraging smile。 〃Did he win？〃
Seeing she had read what was in his mind； Carter leaned forward
eagerly。 The ruling passion and a touch of superstition held him in
their grip。
〃He 'win' each time；〃 he whispered。 〃I saw it as plain as I see
you。 Each time he came up with a rush just at the same place； just
as they entered the stretch； and each time he won！〃 He slapped his
hand disdainfully upon the dirty bills before him。 〃If I had a
hundred dollars！〃
There was a knock at the door； and Carter opened it to the elevator
boy with the morning mail。 The letters； save one； Carter dropped
upon the table。 That one； with clumsy fingers； he tore open。 He
exclaimed breathlessly： 〃It's from PLYMPTON'S MAGAZINE！ MaybeI've
sold a story！〃 He gave a cry almost of alarm。 His voice was as
solemn as though the letter had announced a death。
〃Dolly；〃 he whispered； 〃it's a checka check for a HUNDRED
DOLLARS！〃
Guiltily； the two young people looked at each other。
〃We've GOT to！〃 breathed Dolly。 〃GOT to！ If we let TWO signs like
that pass； we'd be flying in the face of Providence。〃
With her hands gripping the arms of her chair； she leaned forward；
her eyes staring into space； her lips moving。
〃COME ON； you Dromedary！〃 she whispered。
They changed the check into five and ten dollar bills； and； as
Carter was far too excited to work； made an absurdly early start
for the race…track。
〃We might as well get all the fresh air we can；〃 said Dolly。
〃That's all we will get！〃
From their reserve fund of twenty…seven dollars which each had
solemnly agreed with the other would not be risked on race…horses；
Dolly subtracted a two…dollar bill。 This she stuck conspicuously
across the face of the clock on the mantel。
〃Why？〃 asked Carter。
〃When we get back this evening；〃 Dolly explained； 〃that will be the
first thing we'll see。 It's going to look awfully good！〃
This day there was no scarlet car to rush them with refreshing
swiftness through Brooklyn's parkways and along the Ocean Avenue。
Instead； they hung to a strap in a cross… town car； changed to the
ferry； and again to the Long Island Railroad。 When Carter halted at
the special car of the Turf Club； Dolly took his arm and led him
forward to the day coach。
〃But；〃 protested Carter； 〃when you're spending a hundred dollars
with one hand； why grudge fifty cents for a parlor… car seat？ If
you're going to be a sport； be a sport。〃 〃And if you've got to be
a piker；〃 said Dolly； don't be ashamed to be a piker。 We're not
spending a hundred dollars because we can afford it； but because
you dreamt a dream。 You didn't dream you were riding in
parlor…cars！ If you did； it's time I woke you。〃
This day there was for them no box overlooking the finish； no
club…house luncheon。 With the other pikers； they sat in the free
seats； with those who sat coatless and tucked their handkerchiefs
inside their collars； and with those who mopped their perspiring
countenances with rice…paper and marked their cards with a hat…pin。
Their lunch consisted of a massive ham sandwich with a top dressing
of mustard。
Dromedary did not run until the fifth race； and the long wait；
before they could learn their fate； was intolerable。 They knew most
of the horses； and； to pass the time； on each of the first races
Dolly made imaginary bets。 Of these mental wagers； she lost every
one。
〃If you turn out to be as bad a guesser when you're asleep as I am
when I'm awake；〃 said Dolly； 〃we're going to lose our fortune。〃
〃I'm weakening！〃 declared Carter。 〃A hundred dollars is beginning
to look to me like an awful lot of money。 Twenty… seven dollars；
and there's only twenty of that left now； is mighty small capital；
but twenty dollars plus a hundred could keep us alive for a month！〃
〃Di