smoke bellew(史沫克·贝罗)-第17章
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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 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。〃
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〃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
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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
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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 is
warm and comfortable。〃
On the ninth night； when Shorty had carried the dust home； he had a
fit。
〃I quit； Smoke； I quit；〃 he began。 〃I know when I got enough。 I
ain't dreamin'。 I'm wide awake。 A system can't be； but you got one just
the same。 There's nothin' in the rule o' three。 The almanac's clean out。
The world's gone smash。 There's nothin' regular an' uniform no more。
The multiplication table's gone loco。 Two is eight； nine is eleven； and
two…times…six is eight hundred an' forty… sixan'an' a half。 Anything is
everything； an' nothing's all； an' twice all is cold cream； milk…shakes； an'
calico horses。 You've got a system。 Figgers beat the figgerin'。 What
ain't is； an' what isn't has to be。 The sun rises in the west； the moon's a
paystreak； the stars is canned corn…beef； scurvy's the blessin' of God； him
that dies kicks again； rocks floats； water's gas； I ain't me； you're somebody
else； an' mebbe we're twins if we ain't hashed…brown potatoes fried in
verdigris。 Wake me up！ Somebody！ Oh！ Wake me up！〃
VII。
The next morning a visitor came to the cabin。 Smoke knew him；
Harvey Mora
