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With a wave of her hand Miss Winter designated the audience。
〃Then；〃 she coaxed； reproachfully； 〃won't you tell THEM？〃
Again； instantly； with a promptness and unanimity that sounded
suspiciously as though it came from ushers well rehearsed； several
voice echoed her petition： 〃Give us all a chance！'' shouted one。
〃Don't keep the good things to yourself！ 〃 reproached another。 〃 I
want to get rich； TOO！〃 wailed a third。 In his heart； Carter prayed
they would choke。 But the audience； so far from resenting the
interruptions； encouraged them； and Carter's obvious discomfort
added to its amusement。 It proceeded to assail him with applause；
with appeals； with commands to 〃speak up。〃
The hand…clapping became general…insistent。 The audience would not
be denied。 Carter turned to Dolly。 In the recesses of the box she
was enjoying his predicament。 His friends also were laughing at
him。 Indignant at their desertion； Carter grinned vindictively。
〃All right；〃 he muttered over his shoulder。 〃Since you think it's
funny； I'll show you ！〃 He pulled his pencil from his watch…chain
and； spreading his programme on the ledge of the box； began to
write。
From the audience there rose a murmur of incredulity； of surprise；
of excited interest。 In the rear of the house the press agent；
after one startled look； doubled up in an ecstasy of joy。 〃We've
landed him ！〃 he gasped。 〃We've landed him He's going to fall for
it！〃
Dolly frantically clasped her husband by the coat…tail。
〃Champ！〃 she implored； 〃what are you doing？〃
Quite calmly ； quite confidently； Carter rose。 Leaning forward with
a nod and a smile； he presented the programme to the beautiful Miss
Winter。 That lady all but snatched at it。 The spot…light was full
in her eyes。 Turning her back that she might the more easily read；
she stood for a moment； her pretty figure trembling with eagerness；
her pretty eyes bent upon the programme。 The house had grown
suddenly still； and with an excited gesture； the leader of the
orchestra commanded the music to silence A man； bursting with
impatience； broke the tense quiet。 〃Read it！〃 he shouted。
In a frightened voice that in the sudden hush held none of its
usual confidence； Miss Winter read slowly： 〃 The favorite cannot
last the distance。 Will lead for the mile and give way to Beldame。
Proper takes the place。 First Mason will show。 Beldame will win by
a length。〃
Before she had ceased reading； a dozen men had struggled to their
feet and a hundred voice were roaring at her。 〃Read that again ！〃
the chorused。 Once more Miss Winter read the message； but before
she had finished half of those in the front rows were scrambling
from their seats and racing up the aisles。 Already the reporters
were ahead of them； and in the neighborhood not one telephone booth
was empty。 Within five minutes； in those hotels along the White Way
where sporting men are wont to meet； betting commissioners and
hand…book men were suddenly assaulted by breathless gentlemen； some
in evening dress； some without collars； and some without hats； but
all with money to bet against the favorite。 And； an hour later；
men； bent under stacks of newspaper 〃extras；〃 were vomited from the
subway stations into the heart of Broadway； and in raucous tones
were shrieking； 〃Winner of the Suburban；〃 sixteen hours before that
race was run。 That night to every big newspaper office from Maine
to California； was flashed the news that Plunger Carter； in a
Broadway theatre； had announced that the favorite for the Suburban
would be beaten； and； in order； had named the three horses that
would first finish。
Up and down Broadway； from rathskellers to roof…gardens； in cafes
and lobster palaces； on the corners of the cross…roads； in clubs
and all…night restaurants； Carter's tip was as a red rag to a bull。
Was the boy drunk； they demanded； or had his miraculous luck turned
his head？ Otherwise； why would he so publicly utter a prophecy that
on the morrow must certainly smother him with ridicule。 The
explanations were varied。 The men in the clubs held he was driven
by a desire for notoriety； the men in the street that he was more
clever than they guessed； and had made the move to suit his own
book； to alter the odds to his own advantage。 Others frowned
mysteriously。 With superstitious faith in his luck； they pointed to
his record。 〃Has he ever lost a bet？ How do WE know what HE knows？〃
they demanded。 〃Perhaps it's fixed and he knows it！〃
The 〃wise〃 ones howled in derision。 〃A Suburban FIXED！〃 they
retorted。 〃You can fix ONE jockey； you can fix TWO； but you can't
fix sixteen jockeys！ You can't fix Belmont； you can't fix Keene。
There's nothing in his picking Beldame； but only a crazy man would
pick the horse for the place and to show； and shut out the
favorite！ The boy ought to be in Matteawan。
Still undisturbed； still confident to those to whom he had promised
them； Carter sent a wire。 Nor did he forget his old enemy； 〃Sol〃
Burbank。 〃 If you want to get some of the money I took；〃 he
telegraphed； 〃wipe out the Belmont entry and take all they offer on
Delhi。 He cannot win。〃
And that night； when each newspaper called him up at his flat； he
made the same answer。 〃The three horses Will finish as I said。 You
can state that I gave the information as I did as a sort of present
to the people of New York City。〃
In the papers the next morning 〃Carter's Tip〃 was the front… page
feature。 Even those who never in the racing of horses felt any
concern could not help but take in the outcome of this one a
curious interest。 The audacity of the prophecy； the very absurdity
of it； presupposing； as it did； occult power； was in itself
amusing。 And when the curtain rose on the Suburban it was evident
that to thousands what the Man Who Could Not Lose had foretold was
a serious and inspired utterance。
This time his friends gathered around him； not to benefit by his
advice； but to protect him。 〃They'll mob you！〃 they warned。
〃They'll tear the clothes off your back。 Better make your getaway
now。〃
Dolly； with tears in her eyes； sat beside him。 Every now and again
she touched his hand。 Below his box； as around a newspaper office
on the night when a president is elected； the people crushed in a
turbulent mob。 Some mocked and jeered； some who on his tip had
risked their every dollar； hailed him hopefully。 On every side
policemen； fearful of coming trouble； hemmed him in。 Carter was
bored extremely； heartily sorry he had on the night before given
way to what he now saw as a perverse impulse。 But he still was
confident； still undismayed。
To all eyes； except those of Dolly； he was of all those at the
track the least concerned。 To her he turned and； in a low tone；
spoke swiftly。 〃I am so sorry；〃 he begged。 〃But； indeed； indeed； I
can't lose。 You must have faith in me。〃
〃In you； yes；〃 returned Dolly in a whisper； 〃but in your dreams；
no！〃
The horses were passing on their way to the post。 Carter brought
his face close to hers。
〃I'm going to break my promise；〃 he said； 〃and make one more bet；
this one with you。 I bet you a kiss that I'm right。〃
Dolly； holding back her tears； smiled mournfully。 〃Make it a
hundred；〃 she said。
Half of the forty thousand at the track had backed Delhi； the other
half； following Carter's luck and his confidence in proclaiming his
convictions； had backed Beldame。 Many hundred had gone so far as to
bet that the three horses he had named would finish as he had
foretold。 But； in spite of Carter's tip； Delhi still was the
favorite； and when the thousands saw the Keene polka…dots leap to
the front； and by two lengths stay there； for the quarter； the
half； and for the three… quarters； the air was shattered with
jubilant； triumphant yells。 And then suddenly； with the swiftness
of a moving picture； in the very moment of his victory； Beldame
crept up on the favorite； drew alongside； drew ahead passed him；
and left him beaten。 It was at the mile。
The night before a man had risen in a theatre and said to two
thousand people： 〃The favorite will lead for the mile； and give way
to Beldame。〃 Could they have believed him； the men who now cursed
themselves might for the rest of their lives have lived upon their
winnings。 Those who had followed his prophecy faithfully；
superstitiously； now shrieked in happy； riotous
self…congratulation。 〃At the MILE！〃 they yelled。 〃He TOLD you； at
the MILE！〃 They turned toward Carter and shook Panama hats at him。
〃Oh； you Carter！〃 they shrieked lovingly。
It was more than a race the crowd was watching now； it was the
working out of a promise。 And when Beldame stood off Proper's rush；
and Proper fell to second； and First Mason followed three lengths
in the rear； and in that order they flashed under the wire； the
yells were not that a race had been won； but that a prophecy had
been fulfilled。
Of the thousands that cheered Carter and fell upon him and indeed
did tear his clothes off his back； one of his friends alone was
sufficiently unselfish to think of what it might； mean to Carter。
〃Champ！〃 roared his friend； pounding him on both shoulders。 〃You
old wizard！ I win ten thousand！ How much do you win？〃
Carter cast a swift glance at Dolly。 he