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

pickin' you for a winner, that I can
pick some few numbers myself"
"Are you playing a system" Smoke
asked at the end Of ten minutes, when
his partner had dropped 800.
From idly watching Smoke became
fascinated, following closely every de-
tail of the game from the whirling OF
the ball to the making and the paying
Of the bets. He made no plays, how
ever, merely cOntenting himself with
looking on. Yet so interested was he
that Shorty. announcing that he had
had enough, with difficulty drew
Smoke away from the table.
The gamekeeper returned Shorty the
gold sack he had deposited as a Gre
Dental for playing and with 1t went d
slip Of paper on which was scribbled
"Out-$35O." Shorty carried the sack
and the paper across the room and
handed them to the weigher, who sat
behind a large pair Of gold scales. Out
of Shorty's sack he weighed $3.50,
which he poured into the Golfer of the
house.
THAT hunch of yours was another
one of those statistics" Smoke jeered.
II had to play It, didn't I. in order
to find out? Shorty retorted.
"Never mind, Shorty" Smoke laugh
ed. "I've got a hunch right now
Shorty's eyes sparkled as he cried
eagerly: what is it? Kick in an play
It pronto."
ats not that kind, Shorty. Now,
what I've got is hunch that some
day I'll work out system that Will
beat the spots of that table"
"Systemv' Shorty groaned. then sur
yeyed his partner with vast pity.
Smoke, listen to your side kicker I'M
leave system alone. Systems is sure
losers. They amt no lunches In sys-
TENS"
"Thats why I like them," Smoke an
swered. "a system is statistical.
When you get the right system you
can't lose, and that's the difference be-
tween it and a hunch. You never
know when the right hunch is going
wrong"
"But I know q lot Of systems that
went wrong, an never seen system
win" Shorty paused and sighed.
"Look here, Smoke, If you're gettin'
cracked on systems this amt no place
for you, an it's about time we hit the
hail again"
At last, after long hours and days
spent at watching the table. the night
came when Smoke proclaimed that he
was ready, and Shorty. glum and pes
simistic, accompanied his partner to
the Elkhorn. Smoke bought n stack
Of chips and stationed himself at the
gamekeeper's end Of the table. Again
and again the ball was whirled and
the other players won or lost, but
Smoke did not venture chip. Shorty
waIed impatient.
Buck in, buck inp' he urged. Lets
get this funeral over! Got cold feet"
Smoke shook his head and waited.
A dozen plays went by, and then sud
denly he placed ten one-dollar chips ON
I26." The number won, and the Keep
er paid Smoke $3.50. A dozen plays
went by, twenty plays and thirty,
when Smoke placed $40 on "32." Again
be received $780,
"Its a hunch," Shorty whispered vo-
ciferously In his ear. "Ride 1t; ride
IT."
Half an hour went by, during which
Smoke was inactive; then he placed
BIO on "34' and won.
"a hunchw Shorty whispered.
Nothing of the Sort" Smoke whis-
pered back. "It's the system. Isn't
abe dandy?"
Smoke now altered his play. He bet
more frequently, with single chips
scattered here and there, and he lost
more often than he won.
"Quit It," Shorty advised. cash In.
You've rung the bullseye three times,
IN you're ahead thousand. You
.an't keep 1t up"
At this moment the ball started
Hhirling, and Smoke dropped ten chips
IN "26." The ball fell into the slot or
26," and the keeper again paid him
1850.
"If you're plumb crazy an got the
immortal cinch bet 'em the limit
Shorty said. Put down twenty
next time"
A quarter Of an hour passed, during
which Smoke won and lost on small
rattering bets. Then, with the abrupt
Tess that characterized his big bet
ling, he placed s25 on "0O," and the
keeper paid him 1915.
"Wake me up, Smoke; I'm dream
n," Shorty moaned.
Smoke smiled, consulted his note
book and became absorbed In calcula-
don. He continually drew the noss-
book from his pocket and from time to
ime jotted down figures.