The Lady Gambles Page #2

I want to call Chicago.

Elmwood 06321.

And operator,

reverse the charges, please.

Mrs. David Boothe.

No, no, I'll hold on.

Hello? Hello, Ruth.

How are you, darling?

Oh, fine, thanks.

What? But, Ruth, we've

only been here two days.

What? I can't under... What's

wrong, darling? Why are you crying?

Yes, you are.

I can hear you.

Oh, no. No, of course not.

It had nothing to do with you.

You know David has to do

that series on the dam.

Well, just a few more days.

Oh, Ruth, that's absurd.

But I just told you that...

Well, do you want

to come all the way out here?

Ruth, Ruth, I've got to hang

up. Somebody's at the door.

Goodbye, darling...

Yes. Yes, yes, goodbye.

Line's busy.

Well, looks like you picked

up a little sunburn today.

Well, it's quite

a place, that dam.

Wait till you

see it tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

Sure. You're coming out

with me, aren't you?

I've lined up some camera angles

that'll take your breath away.

Dining room, please.

Does it make

any sense, actually?

They must have files

packed with shots.

Oh, thank you.

I'll call again.

Still busy.

Wait till you see what I'm

getting down at the casino.

Candid shots

you won't find anywhere.

You do as you like.

Only I thought...

Well, we don't have to decide

right this minute, do we?

Why don't we see

how we feel in the morning?

Mrs. Boothe?

Now?

That would seem to be

the general idea.

I'm sorry to spoil your fun,

Mrs. Boothe, but poker is out.

Strictly out.

Really? Why?

Well, when you lose at that table,

you're not losing to the house.

Those boys

pick up the chips.

But I'm not losing.

Don't tell me

you're ahead.

Uh-huh.

About $200.

In stud poker?

With those boys?

Oh, they were very

patient with me.

They said I caught on

to the game real quick.

So it seems.

And of course,

I had a big advantage.

They were playing

for real money and I wasn't.

Huh?

Especially

when it came to bluffing.

Sometimes I can't figure out

who's kidding who around here.

No, really, I...

Now, you just do

what papa tells you.

Pick up your chips and stick to the

house games like you did yesterday.

Okay.

And people kept following me

from one table to the next.

I didn't count it, but I'm sure

I gave Barky over 1,000 in chips.

If you keep that up, you're going

to get your picture in the paper.

I'll tell you a secret,

David. It's pretty exciting.

What is?

Your picture in the paper?

No, silly. Gambling.

Hey, Jonnie.

Mmm?

Stop leading.

I'm not leading.

You are, too.

Anyway, it's a good thing we're getting

out of here before you get spoiled.

Oh? When are we leaving?

Tomorrow afternoon sometime.

Tomorrow?

Yeah.

I'll write up all my notes tonight, and

then clean up the rest of the details

at the dam in the morning.

Why don't we drive into town

after dinner and look around?

We've never really

seen it at night.

Oh, it's just the same at

night as it is in the daytime.

Everything's wide open.

Gambling casinos, wedding chapels,

pawn shops, lawyers' offices.

There's no difference, Joan.

No difference at all.

But you owe yourself an evening

off. You haven't had one...

I've gotta work. But there

are 100 things you can do.

The floor show,

movie in town...

All by myself?

...the casino.

You want me to really get my

picture in the paper, don't you?

Hello.

Well, put your husband

to bed already?

Uh-huh. I'd like to take

a few more pictures.

Could you arrange

for some chips?

I could.

Come on, have a drink.

No, thanks.

I'd appreciate it.

Why don't we go out and sit

on the patio and talk it over?

Well, you've spent hours

at the tables already.

Yes, I suppose I have.

Still, you want

more pictures, huh?

Well, if you don't want to

give me the house chips,

it's perfectly simple

to say so.

Let's see that camera

of yours a minute.

Oh, that's funny.

It certainly is.

Here you are panting

to take pictures

and you haven't

got your camera.

Why?

Well, I must have...

When I changed...

Because the truth is you don't

want pictures of gambling.

You want gambling.

Be honest about it.

But that's ridiculous!

Did you ever meet the kind

of a woman that likes to dance

and won't pay the piper?

Meaning me?

I'd say either use your own money

or stay away from the tables.

Well, of all the...

I'll do as I please.

I still say it would be

better on the patio.

After all,

you can control me.

But that wheel's liable

to get out of hand.

May I help you?

I'm Mrs. Boothe. We left an

envelope with you in your safe.

Certainly, Mrs. Boothe.

Boothe 416?

Yes, that's right.

Would you sign

right here, please?

Oh, I'm not taking

the whole envelope.

I just want

$50 out of it.

I see. Well, just sign one

of these vouchers for 50 then.

Thank you.

Oh, Ms. Boothe!

Squeeze in here by me.

I've been waiting for you.

Thank you.

Well, how shall we play

'em tonight, right or wrong?

Chips, please.

The table's been

pretty cold tonight.

I want to play

against the house.

It's all right with me.

Yes, sir. 7:
00 a. m.

Good night, sir.

Yes, Mrs. Boothe?

Can I... I'd like to have

my envelope again, please.

Well, he crapped

the line away.

Better double up

after a crap.

Yes, of course.

...likes another crap

after that big 12.

Comin' up.

He threw a six.

Well, come in, come in.

Don't you ever go to sleep?

Do you know what time it is?

Say, a little rest

wouldn't do you any harm.

I've seen you looking better.

I need $100

till tomorrow.

It was nice and restful

out on the patio.

My husband will write you out a check

in the morning, unless I could...

What? Win it back

in half an hour? Mmm-mmm.

How much did you drop?

Hmm?

$600.

Mmm. Not so good.

And it wasn't

even mine or David's.

It was expense money from

the paper for this trip.

Hmm, well, not so bad.

Think how much worse you'd

feel if it'd been your own.

Please, Mr. Corrigan, would

you let me have the money?

Why don't you wait

till morning?

You'll be fresher

and you'll have a...

No, I can't, I can't.

Why?

Afraid of what David will say?

He'll understand, won't he?

I don't even

understand myself.

I sat there

watching it happen,

swearing I would stop when I

lost the chips in front of me.

Then, back to the desk for more

money and back to the table,

back to the desk,

over and over.

It was... It was like

seeing myself on a...

On a screen or in a dream.

Like... Like watching a different

person who couldn't see me or hear me.

How could David

understand that?

I understand it.

I've seen it happen before.

Go to bed, Mrs. Boothe.

If you have to have bad dreams,

have them there. They do less damage.

You won't let me

have the money?

What for? Why throw away another 100?

50, then. Let me have 50.

I'll pay you back, I promise.

Oh, no, you won't.

Take the word of an expert.

I will, Mr. Corrigan.

Please.

Go to bed, Mrs. Boothe.

25, then. You've got to give me a chance!

Stop making me feel like a

heel. I won't lend you a dime!

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