Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-20

'Tll take my slip now" he said to
the dealer as he won.
"Oh, you don't need to show 1t to
me-" Shorty said as they walked to
the weigher. II been keepin' track
You're somethin' like thirty-six hun
dred to the good. How near am IT.
''Thirty-six sixty" Smoke replied.
Don't crowd your luck" Shorty
pleaded with Smoke the next night
in the cabin as he evidenced prepara-
tions to return to the Elkhorn. You
played mighty long string Of lunches,
but you played 1t out II you 90 back
you'll sure drop all your winnin's."
But tell you 1t isn't lunches.
Shorty. It's statistics. It's system.
1t can't lose"
System the devil. They amt no
such a thing as system. You got to
show me-"
81 did show you. Come ON with me
now. and I'll show you again"
When they entered the Elkhorn all
eyes centered on Smoke, and those
about the table made way for him as
he took up his old place at the keepers
end. His play was quite unlike that
Of the previous night. In the course
of an hour and half he made only
four bets, but each bet was for $25,
and each bet won. He cashed In
$500, 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
mans q fool that'd crowd his luck
harder"
"ShOrty, u man would be blithering
lunatic II he didn't keep OF backing
winning system like mine."
Smoke, you're a sure bright boy.
You know more'n minute than !
could know in forty thOusan' years.
But I've been around some an seen q
few, an l tell you straight an conf.
Dental an all assurin' u system tc
beat a bankin' game amt possible"
But I'm showing you this one. It's
a pipe"
mo, you're not, Smoke. It's q pipe
dream. I'm asleep. Bimeby I'll wake
up an build the fire an start break
fast"
The third night Of play rs Smoke
laid his first bet the gamekeeper shov'
ed SIS back to him.
ITEMS oil you can play" he said
"The limits come down"
"Gettin' picayune," Shorty sneered.
mo one has to pla, at this table
that don't want to-" the keeper retort-
ed. "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, ehi" Shorty
challenged as the keeper paid over
$3.50.
Night by night Smoke continued to
win. His method Of play varied. E1-
pert after expert in the jam about the
table scribbled down his bets and num-
bers In vain attempts to work out his
system. They complained Of their In
ability to get clew to start with and
swore that it was pure luck. though
the most colossal streak Of 1t they had
ever seen.
It was Smokes varied play that OBJ
fuscated them. Sometimes, consulting
his notebook or engaging in long cal
eulations, an hour elapsed without his
Stalking n chip. At other times he
would win three limit bets and clean
ND a thousand dollars and odd In five
or ten minutes.
At still other times his tactics would
be to scatter single chips prodigally
and amazingly over the table. This
would continue for from ten to thirty
minutes of play. when abruptly. as the
bail whirled through the last few OF
its circles, he would play the limit on
column. color and number and win all
three. Once, to complete confusion In
the minds of those that strove to d.
vine his secret, he lost forty straight
bets, each at the limit. But each
night, play no matter how diversely,
Shorty carried home $500 for him.
ut amt no system Shorty eYound-
ed at one of their bed going discus
sions. 81 follow you an follow you,
but they amt no figgerin' 1t 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 sys-
tenn"
System the devil! I've talked with
every gambler In town, an the last
one is agreed they amt no such thing
as system"
"Yet I'm showing them one all the
time"