Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-31
CHAPTER x.
The Warp In Fortunes Wh..I


compel me to play longer. I've got n
pick twice as many winners; tbots
ALL"
"Why don't you buck somebodv
else's table2" the keeper demandes
wrathfully.
Because | like this one" Smoka
glanced over at the roaring stove only
a few feet away. Besides, there ara
no drafts here, and it is warm and
comfortable"
On the ninth night, when Shorty had
carried the dust home, he bad a 6t
~ quit, Smoke; | quit" be began
"I know when | got enough. aint
dreamin'. I'm wide awake. A system
can't be, but you got one Just the
same. There's nothin' in the rule o.
three. The almanac's clean out The
worlds gone smash. There's notbIn'
regular an uniform no more. The
multiplication tables gone loco. Two
is eight, nine is eleven, and two times
two is eight hundred an forty .six-an'
a half. Anything is everything, an
nothin's all, an twice all Is cold
cream, milk shakes an calico horses.
you've got a system. Figgers beat
the 6ggerin'. What amt is, an what
isn't has to be. The sun rises In the
west, the moons pay streak, the stars
in canned corn beef, scurvy's the bless.
In Of God, him that dies kicks again
rocks floats, waters gas, ! amt me.
you're somebody else, an mebbe were
twins if we amt hashed brown pola.
toes fried In verdlgris. Wake me uD,
somebody! oh, wake me up"
The next morning a visitor came to
the cabin. Smoke knew him-HaUey
Moran, the owner of all the games IA
the Tivon, There was a note Of appeal
In his deep. gruff voice as be plunged
into his business.
ITS like this, Smoke" he began
You've got US all guessing, I'm rep
resenting nine other game owners and
myself from all the saloons in tow
We don't understand. We know Il
no system ever worked against rot
lette. All the mathematic sharps In II
colleges have told us gamblers Z
same thing. They say that roulette !
self is the system, the one and on.
system, and therefore that no system
can beat it, for that would mean arith
metic has gone bughouse."
well, you've seen me play" Smoke
answered deiantly, "and, II you think
it's only string Of luck on my part
why worryT"
THAT'S the trouble. We can't hep
worrying. It's a system you've gotand
all the time we know It can't be. I've
watched you five nights now, and all
can make out is that you favor certain
numbers and keep on winning.
Nov, the ten Of us game owners
have got together, and we want 70
make friendly proposition. Wen
put roulette table in a back room OF
the Elkhorn, pool the bank against
you and have you buck us. 1t VIII 90
all quiet and private-just you ana
Shorty and US. What do you sayT
II think it's the other way around
Smoke answered. "Its up to you 70
come and see me. I'll be playing ID
the barroom OF the Elkhorn tonight
You can watch me there just as wen
That night when Smoke took up nS
customary place at the table the Reep-
er shut down the gone. "rhe games
closed" he said. BOSS orders
But the assembled game owners
were not TO be baked. In few min
utes they arranged pool, each putting
in a thousand, and took over the taule
Come on and buck u.s." Harvey MO-
ran challenged as the keeper sent t0'
ball on its flrst whirl around.
"Glye me the twenty-five llinl''
Smoke suggested.
"Sure; 90 to it."
Smoke Immediately placed twenty
dve chips on '00' and won.
Moran wiped the sweat from ns
forehead. Go on" he said; I'VE sO'
ten thousand In this bank"
At the end OF an hour and 4 hA'
the ten thousand was Smokes.
Got enough?" Smoke asked.
The game owners looked at one an.
other. They were awed. They 'u'
fatted proteges Of the laws Of ehance
were undone
ave quit" Moran said. "Aint tn''
right BurkeY'
Big Burke. who owned the games y
the NJ. and G. saloon, nodded Als
impossible has happened be salI
This Smoke here has got system ~
right II we let him go on wen ~
bust All can see. II we're gong "
keep our tables running. is to cut dow
the limit to 81 or 10 cents or 'eas
He won't win much in a night "''
such stakes" -
An looked at Smoke. He shusssd
his shoulders.
In that case, gentlemen, III -
to hire a gang OF men to play :.
your tables. | can pay them $40 !"
four hour shift and pake money
Then wen shut down our upa-
Big Burke replied, unless -
tated and ran his eye over his feio- ~.
to see that they were with hlm-
less you're willing TO talk busias
What will you sell the system '0si