太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the man who could not lose >

第6节

the man who could not lose-第6节

小说: the man who could not lose 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



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 playing and at what odds; racing touts
and runners for other book…makers and individual speculators leaped
into the mob that surrounded him; and then; squirming their way
out; ran shrieking down the line。 In ten minutes; through the bets
of Carter and those that backed his luck; the odds against Red Wing
were forced down from fifteen to one to even money。 His approach
was hailed by the book…makers either 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 in that fact
consolation; and chaffed the losers。 Some curtly refused even the
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 as they
reached for a thousand…dollar bill。

And; when in time; each shook his head and grumbled: 〃That's all I
want;〃 or looked the other way; the mob around Carter jeered。

〃He's fought 'em to a stand…still!〃 they shouted jubilantly。 In
their eyes a man who alone was able and willing to wipe the name of
a horse off the blackboards was a hero。

To the horror of Dolly; instead of watching the horses 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
thousand…dollar bills like cigarettes。 He's turned the ring into a
wheat Pit!〃

When he reached the box a sun…burned man in a sombrero blocked his
way。

〃I'm the owner of Red Wing;〃 he explained; 〃bred him and trained
him myself。 I know he'll be lucky if he gets the place。 You're
backing 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 me? I'll give you as
good odds as they will in that ring。 You don't want your clothes
torn off you and your money taken from you。〃

〃They haven't taken such a lot of it yet;〃 said Carter。

When Red Wing won; the crowd beneath the box; the men in the box;
and the people standing around it; most of whom had followed
Carter's plunge; cheered and fell over him; to shake hands and
pound him on the back。 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 mustache 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。 Carter
shook himself free。

〃What's the idea?〃 he demanded。

〃I'm Pinkerton;〃 said the big man genially。 〃You need a body…
guard。 If you've got an empty seat in your car; I'll drive home
with you。 From Cavanaugh they borrowed a book…maker's hand…bag and
stuffed it with thousand…dollar bills。 When they stepped into the
car the crowd still surrounded them。

〃He's taking it home in a trunk!〃 they yelled。

That night the 〃sporting extras〃 of the afternoon papers gave
prominence to the luck at the races of Champneys Carter。 From
Cavanaugh and the book…makers; 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 bet; and that afternoon; on the last
race alone; he had won sixty to seventy thousand dollars。 With the
text; they 〃ran〃 pictures of Carter at the track; of Dolly in her
box; and of Mrs。 Ingram in a tiara and ball…dress。

Mother…in…law WILL be pleased cried Carter。 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…covered jackets and horses with
sweating 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! 〃replied 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 he 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

BY

CHAMPNEYS CARTER

SECOND EDITION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND

In Heaven's name! 〃 roared Carter。 〃What does this mean?〃

〃It means;〃 cried Dolly tremulously; 〃I'm backing my dream。 I've
always believed in your book。 Now; I'm backing it。 Our lawyers sent
me to an advertising agent。 His name is Spink; and he is awfully
clever。 I asked him if he could advertise a book so as to make it
sell。 He said with my money and his ideas he could sell last year's
telephone book to people who did not own a telephone; and who had
never learned to read。 He is proud of his ideas。 One of them was
buying out the first edition。 Your publishers told him your book
was 'waste paper;' and that he could have every copy in stock for
the cost of the plates。 So he bought the whole edition。 That's how
it was sold out in one day。 Then we ordered a second edition of one
hundred thousand; and they're printing it now。

〃The presses have been working all night to meet the demand!〃

〃But;〃 cried Carter; 〃 there isn't any demand! 〃

〃There will be;〃 said Dolly; 〃when five million people read our
advertisements。〃

She dragged him to the window and pointed triumphantly into the
street。

〃See that!〃 she said。 〃Mr。 Spink sent them here for me to inspect。〃

Drawn up in a line that stretched from Fifth Avenue to Broadway
were an army of sandwich men。 On the boards they carried were the
words: 〃Read 'The Dead Heat。' Second Edition。 One Hundred
Thousand!〃 On the fence in front of the building going up across
the street; in letters a foot high; Carter again read the name of
his novel。 In letters in size more modest; but in colors more
defiant; it glared at him from ash…cans and barrels。

〃How much does this cost?〃 he gasped。

〃It cost every dollar you had in 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 spending fifty thousand
dollars; that's only half of what you won on Red Wing。 I'm only
waiting for you to make me out a check before I tell Spink to start
spending it。〃

In a dazed state Carter drew a check for fifty thousand dollars and
meekly handed it to his wife。 They carried it themselves to the
office of Mr。 Spink。 On their way; on every side they saw evidences
of his handiwork。 On walls; on scaffolding; on bill…boards were
advertisements of 〃The Dead Heat。〃 Over Madison Square a huge kite
as large as a Zeppelin air…ship painted the name of the book
against the sky; on 〃dodgers〃 it floated in the air; on handbills
it stared up from the gutters。

Mr。 Spink was a nervous young man with a bald head and eye…
glasses。 He grasped the check as a general might welcome fifty
thousand fresh troops。

〃Reinforcements!〃 he cried。 〃Now; watch me。 Now I can do things
that are big; national; Napoleonic。 We can't get those books bound
inside of a week; but meanwhile orders will be pouring in; people
will be growing crazy for it。 Every man; woman; and child in
Greater New York will want a copy。 I've sent out fifty boys dressed
as jockeys on horseback to ride neck and neck up and down every
avenue。 'The Dead Heat' is printed on the saddle…cloth。 Half of
them have been arrested already。 It's a little idea of my own。〃

〃But;〃 protested Carter; 〃it's not a racing story; it's a detective
story!〃

〃The devil it is!〃 gasped Spink。 〃But what's the difference! 〃 he
exclaimed。 〃 They've got to buy it anyway。 They'd buy it if it was
a cook…book。 And; I say;〃 he cried delightedly; 〃that's great press
work you're doing for the book at the races! The papers are full of
you this morning; and every man who reads about your luck at the
track will see your name as the author of 'The Dead Heat;' and will
rush to buy the book。 He'll think 'The Dead Heat' is a guide to the
turf!〃

When Carter reached the track he found his notoriety had preceded
him。 Ambitious did no run until the fourth race; and until then; as
he sat in his box; an eager crowd surged below。 He had never known
such popularity。 The crowd had read the newspapers; and such
head…lines as 〃He Cannot Lose!〃 〃Young Carter Wins 70;000!〃 〃Boy
Plunger Wins Again!〃 〃Carter Makes Big Killing!〃 〃The Ring Hit
Hard!〃 〃The Man Who Cannot Lose!〃 〃Carter Beats Book…makers!〃 had
whetted their curiosity and filled many with absolute faith in his
luck。 Men he had not seen 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的