ROBERT BARR Ultimate Collection: 20 Novels & 65+ Detective Stories. Robert Barr

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СКАЧАТЬ I want myself. Good-night."

      "Good-night to you, rather," said Bert, as Mellish helped him on with his overcoat. "You've won the pile: robbing a poor man of his hard- earned gains!"

      "Oh, the poor man does not need the money as badly as I do. Besides,

       I'm going to give you a chance to win it all back again and more."

      When Ragstock had left, Pony still sat by the table absent-mindedly shuffling the cards.

      "If I were you," said Mellish, laying his hand on his shoulder, "I would put that pile in the bank and quit."

      "The faro bank?" asked Pony, looking up with a smile.

      "No, I'd quit the business altogether if I were you. I'm going to myself."

      "Oh, we all know that. You've been going to quit for the last twenty years. Well, I'm going to quit, too, but not just yet. That's what they all say, of course, but I mean it."

      In the early and crisp winter air Pony Rowell walked to the Metropolitan Hotel and to bed. At 3 that afternoon the man he had an appointment with, called to see him.

      "You wanted to see me about an Insurance policy," the visitor began. An agent is always ready to talk of business. "Now, were you thinking of an endowment scheme or have you looked into our new bond system of insurance? The twenty-pay-life style of thing seems to be very popular."

      "I want to ask you a few questions," said Pony. "If I were to insure my life in your company and were to commit suicide would that invalidate the policy?"

      "Not after two years. After two years, in our company, the policy is incontestable."

      "Two years? That won't do for me. Can't you make it one year?"

      "I'll tell you what I will do," said the agent, lowering his voice, "I can ante-date the policy, so that the two years will end just when you like, say a year from now."

      "Very well. If you can legally fix it so that the two years come to an end about this date next year I will insure in your company for $100,000."

      The agent opened his eyes when the amount was mentioned.

      "I don't want endowments or bonds, but the cheapest form of life insurance you have, and——"

      "Straight life is what you want."

      "Straight life it is, then, and I will pay you for the two years or say, to make it sure, for two years and a half down, when you bring me the papers."

      Thus it was that with part of the money he had won, Pony Rowell insured his life for $100,000, and with another part he paid his board and lodging for a year ahead at the Metropolitan Hotel.

      The remainder he kept to speculate on.

      During the year that followed he steadily refused to play with Bert Ragstock, and once or twice they nearly had a quarrel about it—that is as near as Pony could come to having a row with anybody, for quarrelling was not in his line. If he had lived in a less civilized part of the community Pony might have shot, but as it was quarrels never came to anything, therefore he did not indulge in any.

      "A year from the date of our last game? What nonsense it is waiting all that time. You play with others, why not with me? Think of the chances we are losing," complained Bert.

      "We will have a game then that will make up for all the waiting," answered Rowell.

      At last the anniversary came and when the hour struck that ushered it in Pony Rowell and Bert Ragstock sat facing each other, prepared to resume business on the old stand.

      "Ah," said Bert, rubbing his hands, "it feels good to get opposite you once more. Pony, you're a crank. We might have had a hundred games like this during the past year, if there wasn't so much superstition about you."

      "Not quite like this. This is to be the last game I play, win or lose. I tell you that now, so that there won't be any talk of revenge if I win."

      "You don't mean it! I've heard talk like that before."

      "All right. I've warned you. Now I propose that this be a game of pure luck. We get a new pack of cards, shuffle them, cut, then you pull one card and I another. Ace high. The highest takes the pot. Best two out of three. Do you agree?"

      "Of course. How much is the pile to be?"

      "One hundred thousand dollars."

      "Oh, you're dreaming."

      "Isn't it enough?"

      "Thunder! You never saw $100,000."

      "You will get the money if I lose."

      "Say, Pony, that's coming it a little strong. One hundred thousand dollars! Heavens and earth! How many business men in this whole city would expect their bare word to be taken for $100,000?"

      "I'm not a business man. I'm a gambler."

      "True, true. Is the money in sight?"

      "No; but you'll be paid. Your money is not in sight. I trust you. Can't you trust me?

      "It isn't quite the same thing, Pony. I'll trust you for three times the money you have in sight, but when you talk about $100,000 you are talking of a lot of cash."

      "If I can convince Mellish here that you will get your money, will you play?"

      "You can convince me just as easily as you can Mellish. What's the use of dragging him in?"

      "I could convince you in a minute, but you might still refuse to play. Now I'm bound to play this game and I can't take any risks. If my word and Mellish's isn't good enough for you, why, say so."

      "All right," cried Bert. "If you can convince Mellish that you will pay if you lose I'll play you."

      Rowell and Mellish retired into an inner room and after a few minutes reappeared again.

      Mellish's face was red when he went in. He was now a trifle pale.

      "I don't like this, Bert," Mellish said, "and I think this game had better stop right here."

      "Then you are not convinced that I am sure of my money?"

      "Yes, I am, but——"

      "That's enough for me. Get out your new pack."

      "You've given your word, Mellish," said Pony, seeing the keeper of the house was about to speak. "Don't say any more."

      "For such a sum two out of three is too sudden. Make it five out of nine," put in Bert.

      "I'm willing."

      The new pack of cards was brought and the wrappings torn off.

      "You shuffle first; I'll cut," said Rowell. His lips seemed parched and he moistened them now and then, which was unusual for so cool a gambler. Mellish fidgeted around with lowered brow. Bert shuffled the cards as nonchalantly as if he had merely a $5 bill on the result. When each had taken a card, Bert СКАЧАТЬ