"'I has bet on him,' he says, 'to ma fullest reso'ses.'
"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_!'
"'Come,' says the chicken, 'n' I walks in. She's standin' with the table between her 'n' a swell-lookin' guy.
"'Mr. Chandler,' she says. 'Let me introduce you to my brother.'
"'How do you do?' says the swell guy. 'You have a charming sister.'
"'You don't look much alike,' says the swell guy.