e fatted
proteges of the laws of chance, were undone. They were up against one
who had more intimate access to those laws, or who had invoked higher
and undreamed laws.

"We quit," Moran said. "Ain't that right, Burke?"

Big Burke, who owned the games in the M. and G. Saloon, nodded. "The
impossible has happened," he said. "This Smoke here has got a system all
right. If we let him go on we'll all bust. All I can see, if we're goin'
to keep our tables running, is to cut down the limit to a dollar, or to
ten cents, or a cent. He won't win much in a night with such stakes."

All looked at Smoke.

He shrugged his shoulders. "In that case, gentlemen, I'll have to hire a
gang of men to play at all your tables. I can pay them ten dollars for a
four-hour shift and make money."

"Then we'll shut down our tables," Big Burke replied. "Unless--" He
hesitated and ran his eye over his fellows to see that they were with
him. "Unless you're willing to talk business. What will you sell the
system for?"

"Thirty thousand dollars," Smoke answered. "That's a tax of three
thousand apiece."

They debated and nodded.

"And you'll tell us your system?"

"Surely."

"And you'll promise not to play roulette in Dawson ever again?"

"No, sir," Smoke said positively. "I'll promise not to play this system
again."

"My God!" Moran exploded. "You haven't got other systems, have you?"

"Hold on!" Shorty cried. "I want to talk to my pardner. Come over here,
Smoke, on the side."

Smoke followed into a quiet corner of the room, while hundreds of
curious eyes centered on him and Shorty.

"Look here, Smoke," Shorty whispered hoarsely. "Mebbe it ain't a dream.
In which case you're sellin' out almighty cheap. You've sure got the
world by the slack of its pants. They's millions in it. Shake it! Shake
it hard!"

"But if it's a dream?" Smoke queried softly.

"Then, for the sake of the dream an' the love of Mike, stick them
gamblers up good and plenty. What's the good of dreamin' if you can't
dream to the real right, dead sure, eternal finish?"

"Fortunately, this isn't a dream, Shorty."

"Then if you sell out for thirty thousan', I'll never forgive you."

"When I sell out for thirty thousand, you'll fall on my neck an' wake
up to find out that you haven't been dreaming at all. This is no dream,
Shorty. In about two minutes you'll see you have been wide awake all the
time. Let me tell you that when I sell out it's because I've got to sel