THE MAN WHO COULD NOT LOSE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10592, 22 October 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAN WHO COULD NOT LOSE.

(By Richard Harding Davis.)

They dined on the roof at Deimonico's. Dolly wore the largest .of the five hats still unsold, and Carter selected the dishes entirely according to ■which ..was the most expensive. Every now and again they would look anxiously down across the street at the hank that held their money. They were nervous lest it should take lire.

"We can be extravagant to-night," said Dolly, "because we owe it to Dromedary to celebrate. But from tonight on, we must save. We've had an awful lesson. What' happened to us

last month must never happen again. We were down to a bill. Now we have twenty-five hundred across the street, and you have several hundreds in your pocket. On that wo can live easily for a- year. Meanwhile, you can write 'the' great American novel without having to worry about money, or to look for a 'steady job.' And, then your book will come out,. and you will be famous, and rich, and —" "Passing on from that," interrupted Carter, "the thing of first importance is to get you out of that hot, beastly flat, i propose we start to-morrow for Cape Cod. I know a lot of fishing villages there where we could board and lodge for twelve dollars a week, and row and play tennis and live in onr bathing suits."

Dolly assented with enthusiasm, and during the. course 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 Jehosaphat!" ■ ' 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, th-y had always breakfasted. For sentimental reasons they now revisited it. But Dolly was eager to return at once to

the. fiat to pack, and Carter seemed i'istrait. He explained that he had hai a bad night. "I'm so sorry," sympathised 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 them won! 1 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 wore in your mind. That's tho 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 Sheepshcad Bay race-track, as on a Fall River boat, and —"

He halted and frowned unhappily.. "We needn't bet more than ten dollars," ho 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 Dollv. "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, "vou'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's —it's uncanny.' It gives mo a creepy feeling. It makes you seem sort of supernatural. And, oh," she cried, ' !' only I had let you bet all you had with you!" • ' "I did," stammered 1 Carter, in extreme agitation. "I bet four hundred. I got five to one. Dolly," he gasped, in awe, "we've "won two thousand dollors."

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'b 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 bookmakers to whom be first applied did not care to take so large a sum as he offered: Carter foun.l a bookmaker named "Sol" Burbank. who, at those odds, accepted his two thousand. Whan Carter returned to collect his twenty-two thousand, there was. some little delay while Burbank borrow a portion of it. He looked at Carter D'rionsly, and none too genially. "Wasn't it you," he asked, "that

.had that thirty to oue 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- mo a chance to get my money back to-morrow." '"l'm sorry," said Carter, "I'm leaving New York to-morrow."

The same scarlet ear bore them back triumphant to the bank. "Twenty - two thousand dollars I" gasped Carter, "in cash! How in the name of all that's honest can we celebrate winning twenty-two thousand dollars? We can't en* more than ono dinner, wo can't drink more than two quarts of/ champagne., not without serious results."

"I'll tell you what wc can do!" Cried Dolly excitedly. "We can sail to-mor-row on the Campania!" "Hurrah!" shouted Carter. "We'll have a second honeymoon. 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. That night in bis dreams ho saw King Popper, Confederate and Red Wing, each win a race. And, on tho morning, neither the engines of tho Campania nor the entreaties of Dolly could keep him from the race-track. "I want only six thousand," he protested. "You can do what voir like' with tho rest, but I am !|oing to bot six thousand on the first of those three to start. If he loses, 1 give you my word, I'll not het 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, tli.ii, e all. ICach of those horses is likely to. win hi.s 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 J'hirope, 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 mado 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. IWavlie I mean to back them."

She drove away, mysteriously refusing to tell him what she intended to do. When they' niet at luncheon, sho was still much excited, still bristling with a concealed secret.

"Did you back your dream?" asked Carter.

Dolly nodded happily. "And, when am 1 to know?" "You will read of it," said Dolly, "to-morrow, in the morning papers. It's all quite correct. Mv lawvers arranged it."

"Lawyers!" gasped her husband. "You're not arranging to.lock mo in n private madhouse, are you?" '• "No," laughed Dolly, "but when I told them how I intended to invent tho money thev came near putting mo 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' falsehood."

"It was worse," said Carter. "It was a very poor pun."

As in their honeymoon days they drove proudly to tho track, and..when Carter had placed Dolly in' a box largo enough for twenty, ho pushed his way_ into the crowd around tho stand of "Sol" Burbank. That veteran of tho turf welcomed him gladly. "Coming to give mo my money back?" lie called.

"No, to tako some away," said'Cartcr, handing him his six thousand. Without apparently looking at it, Burbank passed it to his cashier. "King Pepper, twelve to six thousand," lie 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, ho found himself beset by a crowd of curious, eager "pickers." They both impeded his operations, and acted as his bodyguard. Confederate was an almost prohibitivo 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 hi,-, 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'and thousands, a thrilling and fascinating spectacle. To learn what horse he was flaying and at what odds, racing touts and runners for other bookmakers and individual speculators leaped into the mob that surrounded him, and then squirming their way out, ran shrieking down tho line. In ton minutes through tho bets of Carter, and those that backed his luck, the odds against Red Wing wero forced down from fifteen to one to even monov. His approach was hailed by the bookmakers cither with jeers or with shouts of welcome. Those who had lost demanded a chance to regain their money. Those with whom he had not bet, found iii that fact consolation, and (haffed the losers. Some curtly refused, even tho smallest part of his money. "Not with me!" they laughed. From stand to stand the layers of odds taunted him, or each other. "Don't touch it, it's tainted !"> they shouted. "Look out, Joe, he's the Jonah man!" Or, "Come at me again!" they called. "And, once more!" they challenged ns they reached for a thousand-dollar hill.

And when in time, each shook his head and grumbled: "That's all I want," or looked tho other way, tho mob around Carter jeered. "He's fought 'em to a standstill!" they shouted, jubilantly. In their eyes a man who alone, was able and willing to wipe the name of a horso off the blackboards was a hgro. To the horror of Dolly, instead of watching the horseo parade past, the crowd gathered in front of her box and pointed and. stared at her. From the Club House her men friends and acquaintances, invaded it. "Has Carter gone mad?" they demanded. "He's dealing out thousanddollar bills like cigarettes. He's turned the ring into a wheat pit!" When ho reached tho box a sunburned man in a sombrero blocked his way. "I'm the owner of Red Wing," ho explained, "bred him and trained him myself. I know he'll bo lucky if ho. gets the place. You're hacking him in thousands to win. What do you know about him?" "Know he will win," said Carter.

The veteran commissioner of the club stand buttonholed him. "Mr Carter,"' he begged, "why don't you bet through mop I'll give you as good odds as they will in that ring. You don't wnnt • your clothes torn ofr you, and your money taken from you." "They haven't taken such a lot of it yet," said Carter. When fted Wing won, the crowd be- , neath the box, the men in the box, and" the people standing around it, most,of whom had followed Carter's plunge, nheorcd and fell over him, to shake hands.and pound him on the baok. From every side excited photographers pointed cameras, and Lander's band played: "Every Little Bit Added to What You've Got, Makes Just a, Little. Bit More." As he' left the box to, collect his money, a big man with a brown moustache and two smooth - shaven giants closed in around him, as tackles interfere for .the man who has the ball. The big man took him by the, arm. Cartershook himself free. "What's tlic idea?" he demanded; "I'm Pinkerton," said the big man, -. , genially. "You, .need a bodyguard. If• • you've got an empty scat in your oar, I'll drive homo with you." ' '. ',,.:! From C-wnnaufh they borrowed &'•'"' ■• bookmaker's handbag and stuffed "it* '. , with thousand-dollar bills. When they .' stepped into the car the crowd still surrounded th^m. "He's taking it home in a trunk!" ' they yelled. I That night the "sporting extras" of ■ the afternoon papers gave promi-

: /eiigeVto.' the luck at the races of Champ- • ■ • From Cavanaugh and the bookimakers, the racing reporters had gathered accounts of his winnings. They stated that in three successive days, Starting with one hundred dollars, he had- at the end of the third day not lost a' single beat, and that afternoon on-. the last_racc alone he had won sixtv t6 seventy thousand dollars. With tlm. next, they "ran" pictures of Carter at th 6 track, of Dolly in her box, and of Mrs Ingram in a tiara and ball dress. - "Mother-in-law will be pleased!" cried Garter. In some alarm as to what the newspapers might say on the morrow, he ordered that in the morning a copy of each, be sent to his room. That night in his dreams he saw clouds of dust; colored jackets and horses with sweat ing flanks, and one of them named Ambitious led all the rest. When he woke he said to Dolly: "That horse: Ambitious will win to-day."" "He can do just as he likes about that" ieplied Dolly. "I have something on my mind much more important than- horse racing.' To-day,, you are to learn how I spent your money. It's to be in the morning papers." When lie came .to breakfast;.: Dolly was on her knees. For his inspection she had spread the newspapers''on the floor opened at an advertisement that appeared in each. In the centre of a* half-page of white paper were the lines: SOLD OUT IN ONE DAY! Entire First Edition. THE DEAD HEAT. -. :. : .'..-; j~By . \r% '''J ' HCJecambneysj-Cakter. %Secqnd-.Edition OneHundredThousand. " ~^"JiL r Heaven's name!" roared Carter. J<4A"J£- means," cried Dolly, tremuloushacking my dream. "I've >,,- ' ":t?liys~believed in your book. I'm ' fiafolfinEp. it". Our lawyers sent me to a"ri''"v*aavertising agent. His name js ' Spinlr'/'Tand he is awfully clever. I asked him if. he could advertise a book, sO'Cas: to make it sell. He said with my money and his ideas he could h*U Ifist' gear's telephone book to people who did'Tiot own a telephone, and who had/ never learned to read. Ho is _, ptriud'of his ideas. One of them was Dttying- -'out, the first edition. Your publishers" told him your book was " -'waste paper,' and that he could have • ' cVeijf' copy - in stock, for the cost oi the ' plates. 'So he bought the whole edi~ti6ti. That's how it was sold out in one dayi"* ordered a. second edi- . tSon"" of J ' one hundred thousand, and | • . ftrey're,' printing it now. . The presses ' have.'been "worKing all night to meet tne'""dem'and 1" y cried Carter, "there isn't any demand!?' ' "."Theie-will be," said Dolly, "when five' people read our advertisement-." • ' . him to the window and pointed'triumphantly into the street. ' .'"See that!", she said. "Mr Spink here for me to inspect." 1 _. "Drawn up in a lino that stretched from Fifth Avenue to Broadway neie ' an., army of sandwich-men. On the .' boards they carried were the,words. -"iCeifd 'The Dead Heat.' Second Edi*tiori.-- One Hundre<! Thousand.!'' On .the fence in front of the building going njV-across the street in letters a toot - - '"highbarter again read the name ol Ins novel. In letters in size more modest, ; ■ but';in colors more defiant, it glared -,,'*"- afc'him from ash-cans and barrels. "How much does this cost-" ho gasped. r;jVs''"Jk~ CoS * every dollar you had"irr Ihe -".*. bank'," said Dolly, "and, before we are """-.', -through it will cost you twice as much '' more. •Mr Spink* is only waiting to _"-■ hear from me before he starts spendi ing fifty thousand dollars, that's o:il\ Zl*' half ot what you won on ltod Wing. " Ilm only waiting for you to make out '1 "a."* cheque before I tell Spink to start spending it."

"~ l ln a dazed state Carter drew a cheque for fiftj' thousand dollars and meekly handed it to his 'nife They carried it themselves to the omce ot Mr Spink. On their 'nay, on e\eij side, they saw evidences or his handiwork A On-walb, on scaffolding, on bdl-boaids were advertisements of "The Dead Heat." Over Madison Square a huge kite as large as a Zeppelin an ship painted the name of the book against the sky, on "dodgers" it floated in tho air, "on handbills it stared up from tho gutters. 'i Mr 'Spink was a nervous young man with,-a *bald head and eyeglasses He grasped the cheque as a general might ,_ welcome fifty thousand fresh tioops "s'Jßemfoicements l " ho cried "Now, watch me. Now I can do things that aro'bigj national, Napoleonic We can't get those hooks bound inside ot a week, hutftmeanwhilo orders mil be pouring in,-.people will be growing crazy toi it. livery man, woman, and child in Greater New York w ill w ant a copj. live sent out fifty boja dressed as "jock*ey3"on horseback to ride neck and ifecl£up and down every avenue "Tho Dead-Heat" ■is printed on the saddle doth. Half 01 them have been arrested already. It's a little idea ot my ownS' ',

•ftUßut," protested Carter, "it's not a racing story, it's a detective story'" t devil it is!" gasped Spink. - '-SBirb -what's the difference ? " lie exclaimed. "They've got to buy it any"They'd buy it if it was a cookJ'.bo'ok. And, I -say," he cued dehglrced*ly,t'.'that's great press work you'ic doiugrfor;,the book at the laces! The papers are full of you this morning, , and -"every man who reads about jour luck at-th's track will see j our name as the-author of 'The Dead Heat*' and TfilVrush to buy the book. HeTi think 'The,"' Dead ' Heat' is' a guide to ti p Turf!'.'J * - xiWhen-' Carter reached the tiack he found~Jiis notoriety had piecedcd him Ambitious did not run until the lourth

race, and until then, as he sat m his bpx,ran ( eager crowd surged below. He ]iad">never known such popularity . The crowd*-had read the newspapers and suchiJieadlmes as, "He Can Not Lose'" "JBoungT Carter Wins 70,000 Dollais!" *ißoy Plunger Wins Again l " "C.iitpr Mates Big Killing'" "Tho King Hit Hard IV "Tho Man Who Can Not -Lose EL I "Caiter Beats Bnokirufkci i l '"

had whetted their cminsitj and filled manjr.-with absolute taitli m his luck. JVlo'ii.h'e'had not seen in jeais giasped liirn by tho hand and oaidessly ask.od uVJie> could toll of something g'lod friends old and new begged lnm to dine withfthem, to immediately hpvv a di.nk with-'thenr, a> least to "tiy" ft cigar. who-protested the\ had lost their all'begged, for just a hint which would help'them to come out even, and every one, without exception, assured linn he ..was-going to buy his latest book. - "I tried to get it last night at a dozen news-stands," manj' of them said, , J "but they told mo the entire edition -rwasy exhausted."

-'. ''The crowd of hungry-eyed race-goers wMtin'g below the box, and watching --Carier s- everv movement, distiesscd Dolly. _ -~; filiate it!" she cried. "They look at-ybu like a lot of starved dogs begging- for a home. Let's go home, we to make any more money. 'atadjave. may lose what we have. And, it all to advertise the book."' .'\,'JTf you're not careful," said Caiter, ..'spnre one will buy that book and re.'d jtTahd then you and Spmk will have to take" shelter in a cyclone cellar." vWhen he arose to make his bet on Ambitious, his friends from the Clubstand and a half-dozen of Pirikerton's inen'closed in around him and-ih a flying wedge pudied into the ri.ig. The newspapv.-i h.id done their work and he was instantly surrounded by a hungry, lion ling mob". In cc;npai,ooa with the one of the pievious day, it was as a football scrimmage to a run on a bank. When he made: his ■'■' first' wager and the crowd learned the name of ithe horse, it broke with a yell; into . hundreds of flying nnssilesj which hurled themselves at the bookmakers. Under their attack, as on the day before, Ambitious receded to even moiiey. There was hardly a person at the track who did not back the luck of the man who "couid not lose." And when Ambitious won easily it was not the- horse or his jockey that was cheered, but the young man in the box. In New York the extras hid already announced that he was again lucky, / and when Dolly and Carter reached the. tank they found the entire staff on hand to receive him and his winnings. They'-amounted to a suni so magnificent that Carter found for the rest of their lives'the interest would furnish Dolly and himself an income upon which they could'live modestly and well.

A distinguished - looking, whitehaired official of the hank congratulated Carter warmly. "Should you u is!', to "invest some of this," ho said. '"I rhould bo glad to advise you. My 1.-nrn - icdge in that direction may bo wider than your own." Carter murmured his thanks. Tho white-bail ed gentleman lowered his

voice. '■, < , - "On certain other-subjects, 3 '. he continued, " ',' you s ' know many things of which > I -am -totally: .'ignorant .Could you tell mo,'' he-asked carelessly, "who will -win the Sulwrban^to-mp&oiv?" Carter 'frowned''mysteriously-. "I can tell you better ,'inithe morning," he said. • "It" looks-like' Beldam?', with Proper and First'jVlason within-'call." The white-haired' man . showed his surprise and also' that his ignorance was not as profound'.-as.he suggested. "I thought the Keene' entry—" he ventured. ~ . --/'-,

""I know," "said Carteiv doubtfully. "If it were for a .mile,-1 -would say Delhi, but I don't.think-.ke can last the distance.' . In the morning I'll v ire

you." - - As they settled -back in their car, Carter took both of- Dolly's hands in his. "So far as he said, "we are independent of your mother—independent of my books, and I want to make yoii a promise. * I want to promise jou that no matter what Idroam in tlie future, I'll never back another horse." Dollv gave»a gasp of satisfaction. • "And what's more," added Carter hastily, "not another dollar can you risk in backing my-books. "After this, they've got to stand or Tall on their "'.'Agreed!" cried Dolly. "Our plunging davs are over."\Vhem they reached the flat they found waiting for Carter the junior partner of a real publishing house. He had a blank contract, and he wanted to secure the right to publish Carter's next book. "I have a few short stories — suggested Career. • "Collections „o£ short stones, protested the visitor politely, "do not sell. Wo would prefer another novel on the I same lines as ' The Dead Heat.' " "Have you road ' Ihe Dead Heat ? asked Carter. "I have not," admitted the puolisher, "but the next wbok by the same author is sure to— Wo will pay m advance of loyalties fifteen thoucaiivl dollars." , . . j _. „„ "Could vou put that in wriuing J said Caiter. Wbcn the publisher -\\as leaving, he said: _ "I soo your success m literature is equalled by your success at the races. Cculd you tell me what will win the SubuibanP" .- "I will send you a wire m tno morum"-," said Carter. „ They had arranged to dine with some friend's and later to, visit a musical comedy. Carter had changed 'us clothes, and while- ho was waiting for Dolly to dioss, was reclining in a huge aimchair. Iho lioat of the clay—tho excitement and the wear on his nerves canned bis head to sink back, his eyes to-close and his limbs to relax. When, by I'er entrance, Dollv woke him, he jumped up in some confusion.

•11111, "U jiniil«.v. "i- ." -•••.■ -• " "You've been asleep, she mocked. "Worse!" said Carter.- "I've been dreaming! .Shall'l tell you who is going to win tiie Suburban ?" "Champnoys!" cried Dolly in alarm. "My dear Dolly." protested her husbaiuV' "I promised to stop betting. J l did not promise to stop sleeping." "Well," sighed Dolly with relief, "as long as it- stops at that. Delhi will win!" she added. "Delhi will not," said Carter. "This is how they will finish." He scribbled three names on a piece of paper whicu Dolly read. . "But that," she said, "is what you told the gentleman at the bank." Carter stared at her blankly, and -■

ionic embarrassment. ~ "You see!" cried Dolly, "what you think when you're awake, you dream when vou're asleep. And you had a run of luck that never happened and could never .happen again." Carter received her explanation with reluctance. "I"wonder," he said. On arriving at -the theatre they found their host had reserved a stagebox, and ,as there were but four in their party, and, as,'/when they .entered, the house lights were up, their arrival drew upon them the attention both of those- in the audience and oh the stage. - The theatre was crowded to its" capacity, and in every, part were people who "were habitual -race-goer!;, as well as many racing men who had como to town for the Suburban. -By these, as well .as by many others who for three days had seen innumerable pictures (if- him, Carter "-was instantly recognised.'- '■ To -the audience and to -the performers the man who always won was of: far greater interest than what for the three hundredth night-,was going forward-,oiv-the stage. And when the loading woman, Blanche Winter, asked the comedian which he would ■rather'.be r'-'tho Mau-iwho' Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, or the Man* who. Can Not Lose?' She gained- from the audience an easy laughy and from the chorus an excited giggle. .':_ ' When at the .end' of "the. act, Carter

*>ent into the lobby to smoke he was

so" quickly siurounded that ho souglit iofugo on Eroad«aj. From theic, the ciowd -tiU following him, he was dnven back into his box. Meanwhile,, the inteiest shown iii him had not been lost

upon the press agent of the theatie, and He at once telephoned to.tho newspaper effiecs that Plungei Caitcr, the Bookmaker Breaker, was at that theatre, and that if the newspapers wanted a chance to interview him on the probable outco'iie of the classic handicap to be'run on the morrow, he, the press a fa t?nt, would uusolfishlj assist them In aiibntr to these huriv calls, icpoiters of tho ten o'clock club assembled in tho Hon fai what latei followed ii<ii due to then presence and to tho cfFoits of the pi ess agent, only that gentlcr>an en toll. It was m the second act that ]\i is. Blanche Winter sang her topical song. In it she advised the audifucn when anxious to settle any question cf poi*opal 01 national t,> "Put 't up to tho Man in tho Mo <v " Tins inf,ht she intioduepd i vise in whuh she told oi her to \ hfli hoiso on tho ipoiioiv '\.j;iid ft in li'c Subuibai, and, in the (.'.oil's, cxpiocsed hei drtnsnunatioii to 't up fo the Man in tlio Mom " '

1 'stantH 'f. f"u IV b-icic of the house a lotv eallo'i ' W'i> d"n't -\ou put it :p to the Man in L l ' ' B■>-:-" Miss \Ymtci laughed—lHo cl d'oncc laughed, all e>es weie tinned towaid Carter. As thotigh the idea pleased them, fiom d'flcrcnt paitE oi the house, people applauded heartilj'. In embariassment, Carter shoved back his chair and pulled tho curtain of the box between him and tho audience. But he was not so easily,.to escape. Leaving the.oichostra to continue nuhoeded with the prelude to the next vveiso, Miss "Winter walked "It. ly and deliberately toward hiitf, cri'ij- .■> '■el'i"! ouslj. In builesquo sV h" 1 I nut hoi arms.

S'ie mad" •*■ .11 «-t r.r; •"I- 1_ ird charming picture, a.iu c 1 the i n ct che was well aware In a 10:00 loud enough 10 icacli creiy pait c 1" the honce, she addressed herself to Ca'-tor "Won't ycu'tt.ll Mj; s '' the begged. Carter, blushing unha-ppdj shrugged life' shouldsis 111 apology

wave a - th* hai d Jliss Winter des'gn ited the audience "Then," coaxed, rcpioachfuily, ''Sion't jou teirthem 5 " • '

Again, mstintlv, with ° promptness rnd r,naiPTmt\ that; sotirded susp'ciously as ti cvgh <u, came' from, ushers well lohoirsed, seveial yoices echoed her, poti Eioii. ' 'G-ive lis , all p, chd.iceI*' 1 *' slioutou one. "Don't keep the good tilings to yourself" reproached another. "I want to get rich, too," wailed a Carter prayed they would chokei But the audience, so "far from resenting the interruptions, encouraged them, and Garter's obvious discomfort rdded to its amusement. It proceeded to assail him with applause, with appeals, with com mauds to "speak up." The .handicapping, became general—insistent. The audience would not be. 1 denied. Carter turned to Dolly. In the recesses of the box she was enjoying his predicament. His friends also were laughing at him. Indignant x>t th.e'r '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 ex-

cited interest. In the! rear of the j house, the press agont, after one staitled look, doubled up m an eosl.isx <il ]oj. "Wi've I.iiiflcd Jnin '" he gasped. "We've landed him' lie's going to fall tor it'" Dolly frantically clasped her husband by the coat-tad , '•Champ," she implored, "what are you clomg.iL" ' i j , »Quite Calmlj.,quite confidently, Car- ( ter icose, Leaning foiward with a iiod arid a-smile, he presented - the programme to tli© beautiful Miss "Winter.' That lady all but'snatched at it. The spot-light was full in her «sj es. Turning her back that she might the more easily read, she stood tor a! moment, her pretty figure trembling with eagerness, her pretty ejes bent'upon the prolamine. 1 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 ifi" he shouted. ' In a frightened voice that in the sudden hush hold none of its usual confiience, Miss-Winter read slowly .The favorite cannot last the distance, will lead for the mile and give way to Beldame. Proper takes the place In si. Mason will show. Beldame will win by a length." ' ; ' ,' ~ , Before she had ceased reading, a dozen men had 1 stniggled to their feet, and a hundred voices weie roanng at her. "Read that again >' thej choiussad. Once more Miss Winter read the passage, but, 'befoie she had finished, halt ot those m the front rowwere scrambling irom the stalls and racing up the aisles. Already the reporters were ahead of them and in tlie I neighborhood not one telephone booth was empty. Within five minutes in those hotels along the White Way, where sporting men aic wont to meet, betting commissioners and handbook men were suddenly assaulted bj breathless gentlemen, some m evening dTess, some without collars, and some wuhout hats, but all with money to bet against' the favorite. And, an hour later, men, bent under stacks ol newspaper "extias," were vomited horn t'i» subway stations into tlie hcait of Broadway, and m raucous tones were shrieking. "Winner of the Submban sixteen houis betoie tint laco was urn. That ni<dit, to eveiy big newspaper office horn Maine to California n-as flashed the news that Plungei Gainer, ir o Broadw ay Theatre, had announced that the favonte foi the Saouiban would be beaten, and, til order had named the hoises that would Inst ! finish

■■;: -Up'■ arid' down Broadway, from . rathskellars to roof:, wardens,: ,m ■ cafes and lobster palaces, on "ilia;: corners..; or. ..ne, cro=s; roads, iii clubs, and all-nigbt restaurants. Garter's" tip: was as a: red rag to'■'■■&"■'biili'i" ■■ '■'.'' , • . , j ; ;Was-the boy drunk, -;they demanded, 'or had bis miraculous duck turned ins bead? Otherwise; -why would he so publiclv..utter a prohpesy that on the morrow: ■' -must cer.thinly -smother him " with -■: ridicule.. The .-explanations were' varied ' The men in the.-clubs held tliat he was driven by a desire for notoriety, the moil in the:street that lis was' more clever : than.:they guessed, and had -made the niove to suit his own book, to alter, tie; odds to his own advantage. Others /frowned, mysteriously. With ". superstitions faith in his luck, thev 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!" ■-'".'' ".".' _' . T The "wise" ones'howled m derision. "A : Suburban fixed!" they retorted. "You can fix one jockey, but you can t fix sixteen jockeys! You can't fix Bel"mcnt, you can't, fix Keehe. There s nothing in his picking Beldame, but onlv a crazy in an would pick the horse for" the place, and to 1 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."li 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 friend's gathered around him, not to benefit by his advice, but to protect, him.:- "They'll mob you' ' they warned; "They'll tear the clothes oft' your back: Better make'your, getaway now.'' Colly, with teais m lier 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 Piesident is elected, the people crushed m a turbulent mob. Some mocked and jeeicd, some who on his tip had risked their everv doll.ii, hwled him hopefully. On every side police men", -fearful "of coming .trouble, hemmed lnm in. Caitci was bored extiemeh, hcaitilj* 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, ho was of all those at the tiack the least concerned. To her he-turned', and, in a low tone, spoke swiftly, "I am. so sorry," ho begged. "But, indeed, indeed, I can't lose. You. must have faith in' me." "In you, yes," letumeJ Dolly in a whisper, "but m jour dieams, no 1" The horses weio passing on thejr waj' to the post. Cuter biouidit his face close to heis ' I'm going to bie.ik mj promise," he said, "and make one moie bet, this one with I bet sow a kiss that I'm light." Dolh, holding back hei tears, .smiled mournful] v "Make it .a bundled,',' she said. Half of the foit\ thousand at tho track, had backed Delhi, the other half, following Caitei's luck and his confidence m proclaiming Ins 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, m suite of Carter's tip, Delhi still was favorite, and when v the thousands saw the Keene polka dots leap to .tlw front and by two lengths stay theie for the quarter, and the halt, and for the thiee-quar r ters, the air "was shattcied with jubilant, triumphant jells.. 'And then suddenly, with a, swiftness of a ''"movingpicture, in the very moment of his:victor y, 'Beldame crept" up on the .favorite, drew-alongside, drew ahead, past him,, and left him heaten. It was at the mile. "; ", ' '

The night before a man had risen, n -a theatre and~ said to two thousand people: "The- favonte -nill lead for the mile, and give way to Beldame." Could 'they have believed him, the men who cursed themselves nught now have 'lived upon'their winnings. Those, who had followed his prophecy, faithfully, superstitiously, now "shrieked in. happy iriotous self-congratulation. "At the mile!" they yelled. "He told you, at "the t mile!" They turne'd toward Carand * shoot Panama hats at him. '.'Oh, .you Caiter'" they shrieked lovmg-'-ilt Iras * more than a race the crowd -wte watching liaw, it .was the working out of'a'promise. An&,|when Beldame <stoc'd off Proper|s rush iind Proper fell ,to second, and First, Mason. Vfollowed three lengths-in the~reaa, and in that order they flashed undei;' the wire, yells weie net that a lace had been won but that a propllecj' had been fulfilled , I Of tl'e thousands that cheered Car-

tei ami fell inon him end indeed did tear h's clothes o<f his one of his friends alone was sufficiently unselfish to think of what it might mean to Carter. • "Champ!" roared this, friend, pound-, ing.him on both shoulders. "You old wizard!. I win ten thousand! How much do you win?" Carter cast a swift glance at Dolly. "Oh!"-he said, "I win much more than that." And Dolly, raising her' eye« to his, nodded and smiled <jjjntentedly.