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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
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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 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。
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Smoke Bellew
〃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
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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 syste