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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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〃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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Smoke Bellew
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 swor