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the man who could not lose-第5章

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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
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