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vicinities of '3；' '11；' and '17；' and tossed a spare chip on the 'green。'
〃Hell is sure cluttered with geezers that played systems；〃 he exposited；
as the keeper raked the table。
From idly watching； Smoke became fascinated； following closely
every detail of the game from the whirling of the ball to the making and
the paying of the bets。 He made no plays； however； 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 game…keeper returned Shorty the gold sack he had
deposited as a credential for playing； and with it went a slip of paper on
which was scribbled； 〃Out 。 。 。 350 dollars。〃 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 350 dollars；
which he poured into the coffer of the house。
〃That hunch of yours was another one of those statistics；〃 Smoke
jeered。
〃I had to play it； didn't I； in order to find out？〃 Shorty retorted。 〃I
reckon I was crowdin' some just on account of tryin' to convince you
they's such a thing as hunches。〃
〃Never mind； Shorty；〃 Smoke laughed。 〃I've got a hunch right now〃
Shorty's eyes sparkled as he cried eagerly： 〃What is it？ Kick in an'
play it pronto。〃
〃It's not that kind； Shorty。 Now； what I've got is a hunch that some
day I'll work out a system that will beat the spots off that table。〃
〃System！〃 Shorty groaned； then surveyed his partner with a vast pity。
〃Smoke； listen to your side…kicker an' leave system alone。 Systems is sure
losers。 They ain't no hunches in systems。〃
〃That's why I like them；〃 Smoke answered。 〃A system is statistical。
When you get the right system you can't lose； and that's the difference
between it and a hunch。 You never know when the right hunch is going
wrong。〃
〃But I know a lot of systems that went wrong； an' I never seen a
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system win。〃 Shorty paused and sighed。 〃Look here； Smoke； if you're
gettin' cracked on systems this ain't no place for you； an' it's about time we
hit the trail again。〃
II。
During the several following weeks； the two partners played at cross
purposes。 Smoke was bent on spending his time watching the roulette
game in the Elkhorn； while Shorty was equally bent on travelling trail。
At last Smoke put his foot down when a stampede was proposed for two
hundred miles down the Yukon。
〃Look here； Shorty；〃 he said； 〃I'm not going。 That trip will take ten
days； and before that time I hope to have my system in proper working
order。 I could almost win with it now。 What are you dragging me
around the country this way for anyway？〃
〃Smoke； I got to take care of you；〃 was Shorty's reply。 〃You're
getting nutty。 I'd drag you stampedin' to Jericho or the North Pole if I
could keep you away from that table。〃
〃It's all right； Shorty。 But just remember I've reached full man…
grown； meat…eating size。 The only dragging you'll do； will be dragging
home the dust I'm going to win with that system of mine； and you'll most
likely have to do it with a dog…team。〃
Shorty's response was a groan。
〃And I don't want you to be bucking any games on your own；〃 Smoke
went on。 〃We're going to divide the winnings； and I'll need all our
money to get started。 That system's young yet； and it's liable to trip me
for a few falls before I get it lined up。〃
III。
At last； after long hours and days spent at watching the table； the night
came when Smoke proclaimed he was ready； and Shorty； glum and
pessimistic； with all the seeming of one attending a funeral； accompanied
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Smoke Bellew
his partner to the Elkhorn。 Smoke bought a stack of chips and stationed
himself at the game…keeper's end of the table。 Again and again the ball was
whirled and the other players won or lost； but Smoke did not venture a
chip。 Shorty waxed impatient。
〃Buck in； buck in；〃 he urged。 〃Let's get this funeral over。 What's
the matter？ Got cold feet？〃
Smoke shook his head and waited。 A dozen plays went by； and then；
suddenly； he placed ten one…dollar chips on '26。' The number won； and
the keeper paid Smoke three hundred and fifty dollars。 A dozen plays
went by； twenty plays； and thirty； when Smoke placed ten dollars on '32。'
Again he received three hundred and fifty dollars。
〃It's a hunch。〃 Shorty whispered vociferously in his ear。 〃Ride it！
Ride it！〃
Half an hour went by； during which Smoke was inactive； then he
placed ten dollars on '34' and won。
〃A hunch！〃 Shorty whispered。
〃Nothing of the sort；〃 Smoke whispered back。 〃It's the system。 Isn't
she a dandy？〃
〃You can't tell me；〃 Shorty contended。 〃Hunches comes in mighty
funny ways。 You might think it's a system； but it ain't。 Systems is
impossible。 They can't happen。 It's a sure hunch you're playin'。〃
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 bull's eye three
times； an' you're ahead a thousand。 You can't keep it up。〃
At this moment the ball started whirling； and Smoke dropped ten chips
on '26。' The ball fell into the slot of '26；' and the keeper again paid him
three hundred and fifty dollars。 〃If you're plum crazy an' got the
immortal cinch； bet'm the limit；〃 Shorty said。 〃Put down twenty…five next
time。〃
A quarter of an hour passed； during which Smoke won and lost on
small scattering bets。 Then； with the abruptness that characterized his
big betting； he placed twenty…five dollars on the 'doub