Some mocked and jeered, some who on his tip had
risked their every dollar, hailed him hopefully. On every side
policemen, fearful of coming trouble, hemmed him in. Carter was
bored extremely, heartily sorry he had on the night before given
way to what he now saw as a perverse impulse. But he still was
confident, still undismayed.
To all eyes, except those of Dolly, he was of all those at the
track the least concerned. To her he turned and, in a low tone,
spoke swiftly. "I am so sorry," he begged. "But, indeed, indeed, I
can't lose. You must have faith in me."
"In you, yes," returned Dolly in a whisper, "but in your dreams,
no!"
The horses were passing on their way to the post. Carter brought
his face close to hers.
"I'm going to break my promise," he said, "and make one more bet,
this one with you. I bet you a kiss that I'm right."
Dolly, holding back her tears, smiled mournfully. "Make it a
hundred," she said.
Half of the forty thousand at the track had backed Delhi, the other
half, following Carter's luck and his confidence in proclaiming his
convictions, had backed Beldame. Many hundred had gone so far as to
bet that the three horses he had named would finish as he had
foretold. But, in spite of Carter's tip, Delhi still was the
favorite, and when the thousands saw the Keene polka-dots leap to
the front, and by two lengths stay there, for the quarter, the
half, and for the three- quarters, the air was shattered with
jubilant, triumphant yells.
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