he poolroom. The third race is still open, 'n' I gets ten bucks
straight 'n' two to show on Tea Kettle. Then I goes over where ole man
Johnson's settin'.

"'Whar does you go so quick like?' he says.

"'I'm after some coin,' I says, tryin' to ketch my breath. 'I've took
a shot at the Tea Kettle hoss.'

"'I has bet on him,' he says, 'to ma fullest reso'ses.'

"'How much you got on?' I says.

"'Foh dollahs,' says ole man Johnson.

"Just then the telegraph begins to click.

"'They're off at New Orle-e-e-ns!' sings the operator. 'King Ja-a-ames
first! Eldorado-o-o second! Anvil-l-l third!'

"The telegraph keeps a stutterin' 'n' a stutterin'.

"'Eldorado-o-o at the quarter a length! Anvil-l-l second a length!
King Ja-a-ames third!' sings the operator.

"I looks at ole man Johnson. He looks at me.

"'Eldorado-o-o at the half by three lengths! Anvil-l-l second by two
lengths! King Ja-a-ames third!' sings the operator.

"I looks at ole man Johnson. He don't look at me. He looks up at the
ceilin' 'n' his lips is goin' like he's prayin'. Me? I'm wipin' the
sweat off my face.

"'Eldorado-o-o in the stretch a half a length!' sings the operator.
'Anvil-l-l second a nose! Te-e-a Kettle third and coming fast!'

"If I gets a shock from that telegraph wire I don't jump any higher.

"'Howdy, howdy! _He's boilin now_,' yells ole man Johnson loud enough
to bust your ear.

"Then that cussed telegraph stops right off.

"'Wire trouble at New Orleans,' says the operator.

"I sure hopes I never spends no more half-hours like I does then
waitin' fur the New Awlins message. I thinks every minute ole man
Johnson's goin' to croak if it don't come soon. In about ten years the
telegraph begins to work again.

"'The result at New Orle-e-ens!' sings the operator. 'Te-e-ea Kettle
wins by five lengths! Eldo--'

"But ole man Johnson lets out such a whoop I don't hear who finishes
second 'n' third.

"I hustles up to the chicken's room when I'm back to the hotel. The
transom's open when I gets to the door 'n' I hears a guy talkin'.

"'Don't misunderstand me,' he's savin'. 'You know perfectly the
money's nothing to me, but why should I cut my own throat? If you'll
go West instead of East, everything I have is yours!'

"'I don't misunderstand you,' says the chicken's voice. 'I have you
sized up to a dot. I've met hundreds like _you_!'

"I knocks on the door.

"'Come,' says the chicken, 'n' I walks in.