Five Thousand an Hour: How Johnny Gamble Won the Heiress Read online

  Produced by Charles Franks and the Online DistributedProofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.

  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 thewire, Johnny Gamble started to tear up a bundle of nice pink tickets onLady S. Just then Ashley Loring came by swiftly in the direction of thebetting shed. Loring stopped and wheeled when he caught sight of him asdid most men who knew him.

  "Hello, Johnny! I didn't know you had run over. How are you pickingthem to-day?" he asked.

  "With a dream book," answered Gamble, smiling; "but I ate lobster lastnight."

  "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 areyou 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 toa sprinkling wagon, away on the farther side of the course. "Have oneof 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 ofthe boxes and lifted his hat.

  Glancing in that direction, Gamble was shocked to find himself lookingsquarely into the dark eyes of a strikingly beautiful young woman whostood 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 oflikable young idlers, all of whom Gamble knew; and, since the startlingstranger was occupied, he could indulge in a slightly more openinspection.

  "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 beenletting 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 youbuys outright the practically defunct Gamble-Collaton IrrigationCompany and assumes all its liabilities, you will remain responsible,since Collaton possesses no visible property. I'm sure that he stungyou, 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 Westincurring obligations. You should have gone into bankruptcy and settledat 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 equalamount of money. When that was gone Collaton announced himselfbroke--and let you foot the bills. If he only raked off half of what hespent he got back his own and a tidy fortune besides. Your only chanceis 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! makingthe book," commented Loring. "He stripped you clean."

  "I have my appetite," insisted Gamble with a grin. His cheeks wereruddy and his skin as flawless as a babe's, and his eyes--exceptionallylarge--were as clear as they were direct.

  "An appetite like yours only makes it worse to be broke," laughedLoring.

  "There's a plenty of money in New York if I want any," respondedGamble. "I don't need money, anyhow, Ashley. I have my motherfixed--and there's nobody else. Besides, I'm not broke. I have ahundred. Do you know a good horse?"

  "Nautchautauk," advised Loring, and they both turned in the directionof the betting shed. "The price will probably be short; but I look onit 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 outof the wreck."

  "I did; but my brother was broke," replied Gamble carelessly, andstopped in front of a blackboard. The price on Nautchautauk was one anda half to two. "I don't want a bet," he remarked, shaking his head atthe board; "I need an accident. I wonder if that goat Angora has hornsand 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 asawbuck apiece to ten books."

  Loring lost sight of him for a few moments, but found him outside, byand by, in conversation with "Colonel" Bouncer, a heavily-jowled manwith grizzled hair and very friendly eyes which, however, could lookquite cold enough on occasion. The colonel was staring up at the boxoccupied by the young lady to whom Loring had bowed.

  "Bless my soul, I'm getting near-sighted!" he was saying as Loringjoined 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 heglanced up at the prim and precise Gresham, who had now succeeded infencing Miss Joy in a corner, away from the other young men.

  "Thanks," said the colonel, and walked away abstractedly, his eyesstill turning in the direction of the box, although he did not evenstart 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 hemust have more space--and he must have it at once. The only availableground is Gresham's adjoining property, which Gresham long ago gave uptrying to sell him. The colonel is crazy to buy it now, but he's afraidto let Gresham know he must have it, for fear Saint Paul will run upthe price on him. In consequence, he trails the man round like alove-sick boy after an actress. When he finds Gresham he only looks athim--and goes away. That's only half of the laugh, however. Greshamwants to sell as badly as the colonel wants to buy, but he doesn't knowwhere 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 longdistance!"

  "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 himwith 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 toldhim. "She lives with her aunt, who is Mrs. Pattie Boyden, and she's sopretty 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 bestimported families, and he needs the money. He sells a piece of father'sproperty every year, and he haunts Miss Joy like a pestilence. I thinkhe's mixed up in her million some way or other. Aunt Pattie approves ofhim very much; she is strong for family."

  "I'll bite him yet," decided Gamble. "Say, Loring, how am I going tomake a stringless million?"

  "If I knew that, I wouldn't be your lawyer," declared Loring. "Excuseme, Johnny; there's a client of mine."