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FIVE THOUSAND AN HOUR
How Johnny Gamble Won the Heiress
BY
GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
Author of
THE MAKING OF BOBBY BURNIT, THE EARLY BIRD, GET-RICH-QUICK WALLINGFORD
ILLUSTRATIONS BY HENRY RALEIGH
CONTENTS
I WHICH INTRODUCES JOHNNY GAMBLE AND HIS LAST HUNDRED DOLLARS
II IN WHICH STRANGERS BECOME OLD FRIENDS
III IN WHICH JOHNNY GAMBLE MIXES BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
IV IN WHICH GRESHAM FINDS JOHNNY'S OLD PARTNER ACCOMMODATING
V IN WHICH JOHNNY DISPLAYS TALENT AS A TRUE PROMOTER
VI IN WHICH CONSTANCE DECIDES ON A FAIR GAME
VII IN WHICH JOHNNY DREAMS OF A MAGNIFICENT TWENTY-STORY HOTEL
VIII IN WHICH CONSTANCE SHOWS FURTHER INTEREST IN JOHNNY'S
AFFAIRS
IX IN WHICH JOHNNY MEETS A DEFENDER OF THE OLD ARISTOCRACY
X IN WHICH JOHNNY IS SINGULARLY THRILLED BY A LITTLE
CONVERSATION OVER THE TELEPHONE
XI IN WHICH JOHNNY EXECUTES SOME EXCEEDINGLY RAPID BUSINESS
DEALS
XII IN WHICH JOHNNY EVEN DOES BUSINESS AT THE BABIES' FUND FAIR
XIII IN WHICH JOHNNY BUYS A PRESENT AND HATCHES A SCHEME
XIV IN WHICH JOHNNY TRIES TO MIX BUSINESS WITH SKAT
XV IN WHICH WINNIE CHAPERONS THE ENTIRE PARTY TO CONEY ISLAND
XVI IN WHICH JOHNNY PLANS A REHEARSAL BETWEEN OLD FRIENDS
XVII IN WHICH THE STRAW SAILOR HAT OF JOHNNY PLAYS AN
EMBARRASSING ROLE
XVIII IN WHICH THE ENTIRE WOBBLES FAMILY FOR ONCE GETS TOGETHER
XIX IN WHICH THE COLONEL, MESSRS. COURTNEY, WASHER AND OTHERS
SIT IN A LITTLE GAME
XX IN WHICH JOHNNY ASKS HIMSELF WHAT IS A MILLION DOLLARS,
ANYWAY
XXI IN WHICH CONSTANCE AVAILS HERSELF OF WOMAN'S PRIVILEGE TO
CHANGE HER MIND
XXII IN WHICH PAUL GRESHAM PROPOSES A VERY PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT
XXIII IN WHICH THE BRIGHT EYES OF CONSTANCE "RAIN INFLUENCE"
XXIV IN WHICH JOHNNY DEMANDS SPOT CASH AT ONCE
XXV IN WHICH JOHNNY KEEPS ON DOING BUSINESS TILL THE CLOCK
STRIKES FOUR
FIVE THOUSAND AN HOUR
CHAPTER I
WHICH INTRODUCES JOHNNY GAMBLE AND HIS LAST HUNDRED DOLLARS
About the time the winner of the Baltimore Handicap flashed under the
wire, Johnny Gamble started to tear up a bundle of nice pink tickets on
Lady S. Just then Ashley Loring came by swiftly in the direction of the
betting shed. Loring stopped and wheeled when he caught sight of him as
did most men who knew him.
"Hello, Johnny! I didn't know you had run over. How are you picking
them to-day?" he asked.
"With a dream book," answered Gamble, smiling; "but I ate lobster last
night."
"I didn't know that you cared for the ponies."
"I don't; and it's mutual. Thought I'd take one more whirl, though,
before the Maryland governor also closes the tracks for ever. How are
you doing?"
"I'm working on a new system," stated the tall young man with elation.
"With this scheme, all you have to do is to bet on the right horse.
What did you have in the handicap?"
"The off bay over there," replied Gamble, indicating a team attached to
a sprinkling wagon, away on the farther side of the course. "Have one
of her calling cards, Loring," and he proffered one of the ex-tickets.
"Lady S?" translated Loring. "I cut her acquaintance three bets ago."
And, turning just then toward the grandstand, he smiled up into one of
the boxes and lifted his hat.
Glancing in that direction, Gamble was shocked to find himself looking
squarely into the dark eyes of a strikingly beautiful young woman who
stood with her hands resting upon the rail.
"What do you know about Collaton?" he asked; and, in spite of himself,
he looked again. The young lady this time was laughing with a group of
likable young idlers, all of whom Gamble knew; and, since the startling
stranger was occupied, he could indulge in a slightly more open
inspection.
"I saw Collaton on the track to-day and he was making some big bets,"
replied Loring with a frown. "He's not broke, Johnny. He's merely been
letting you hold the bag."
"Well, help me let go. Loring, I must dissolve that partnership."
The young lawyer shook his head.
"No way to do it so long as the books remain lost. Unless one of you
buys outright the practically defunct Gamble-Collaton Irrigation
Company and assumes all its liabilities, you will remain responsible,
since Collaton possesses no visible property. I'm sure that he stung
you, Johnny."
"Stung me! I'm swelled up yet."
"It's your own fault. You trusted him too much."
"He trusted me. I sold land."
"Of course he trusted you. Everybody does. Meantime he was out West
incurring obligations. You should have gone into bankruptcy and settled
at twenty cents on the dollar when you had a chance, as I advised you."
"Couldn't. I look in the glass when I shave. Anyhow, it's all paid now."
"How do you know, with the books lost? You started in with an equal
amount of money. When that was gone Collaton announced himself
broke--and let you foot the bills. If he only raked off half of what he
spent he got back his own and a tidy fortune besides. Your only chance
is to have that enormous land deal turn out a winner."
"It's worse than Lady S. Tore up my ticket long ago."
"Quite a plunge on a long shot, with a welsher like Collator! making
the book," commented Loring. "He stripped you clean."
"I have my appetite," insisted Gamble with a grin. His cheeks were
ruddy and his skin as flawless as a babe's, and his eyes--exceptionally
large--were as clear as they were direct.
"An appetite like yours only makes it worse to be broke," laughed
Loring.
"There's a plenty of money in New York if I want any," responded
Gamble. "I don't need money, anyhow, Ashley. I have my mother
fixed--and there's nobody else. Besides, I'm not broke. I have a
hundred. Do you know a good horse?"
"Nautchautauk," advised Loring, and they both turned in the direction
of the betting shed. "The price will probably be short; but I look on
it as an investment."
"You can't invest a hundred dollars," argued Gamble.
"You don't mean to say that a hundred's all you have in the world!"
returned Loring. "I thought you'd saved a good deal more than that out
of the wreck."
"I did; but my brother was broke," replied Gamble carelessly, and
stopped in front of a blackboard. The price on Nautchautauk was one and
a half to two. "I don't want a bet," he remarked, shaking his head at
the board; "I need an accident. I wonder if that goat Angora has horns
and a beard?"
"People try fifty-to-one shots just before they cut their throats,"
warned Loring.
"Hide my safety-razor then. Angora carries my hundred. I'll feed a
sawbuck apiece to ten books."
Loring lost sight of him for a few moments, but found him outside, by
and by, in conversation with "Colonel" Bouncer, a heavily-jowled man
with grizzled hair and very friendly eyes which, however, could look
quite cold enough on occasion. The colonel was staring up at the box
occupied by the young lady to whom Loring had bowed.
"Bless my soul, I'm getting near-sighted!" he was saying as Loring
joined them. "Isn't that Paul Gresham up there with Miss Joy?"
"Is that her name?" asked Gamble eagerly. "Well, I believe it."
The colonel turned from him impatiently.
"You know Gresham, don't you, Loring? Is that he up there in that box?"
"That is Saint Paul all right," answered Loring with a smile, as he
glanced up at the prim and precise Gresham, who had now succeeded in
fencing Miss Joy in a corner, away from the other young men.
"Thanks," said the colonel, and walked away abstractedly, his eyes
still turning in the direction of the box, although he did not even
start to go up into the grandstand.
"The colonel is still bargain-hunting," observed Loring with a laugh.
"His shoe-manufacturing business has increased to the point that he
must have more space--and he must have it at once. The only available
ground is Gresham's adjoining property, which Gresham long ago gave up
trying to sell him. The colonel is crazy to buy it now, but he's afraid
to let Gresham know he must have it, for fear Saint Paul will run up
the price on him. In consequence, he trails the man round like a
love-sick boy after an actress. When he finds Gresham he only looks at
him--and goes away. That's only half of the laugh, however. Gresham
wants to sell as badly as the colonel wants to buy, but he doesn't know
where to find a fancy market. Queer case, isn't it?"
"Yes," replied Gamble. "Who's Miss Joy?"
"For heaven's sake, Johnny, don't say you're hit too--even at long
distance!"
"Hit!" repeated Gamble--"I'm flattened out. I'm no lady-fusser, Ashley,
but I'm going to buy a new necktie."
"You don't even know she's rich, do you?" asked Loring, looking at him
with a curious smile.
"Of course I do!" asserted Johnny. "I saw her eyes. Who is she?"
"That's Miss Constance Joy--an orphan worth an exact million dollars;
although I believe there is some sort of a string to it," Loring told
him. "She lives with her aunt, who is Mrs. Pattie Boyden, and she's so
pretty that even women forgive her. Anything else you want to know?"
"Yes. Why do I want to bite Paul Gresham?"
"Hush!" admonished Loring. "He is the remnant of one of our very best
imported families, and he needs the money. He sells a piece of father's
property every year, and he haunts Miss Joy like a pestilence. I think
he's mixed up in her million some way or other. Aunt Pattie approves of
him very much; she is strong for family."
"I'll bite him yet," decided Gamble. "Say, Loring, how am I going to
make a stringless million?"
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be your lawyer," declared Loring. "Excuse
me, Johnny; there's a client of mine."