The Lady Gambles Page #7

If you're looking for bargains,

go to a department store.

Don't come to a track.

Unless you want to get hurt.

I wish you'd stop

saying that.

That shouldn't bother you

unless it's true.

What are you trying to do,

punish yourself?

I asked you

for some money.

For another long shot?

Nothing doing.

But I have a beauty

in the next race.

No, Joan, you've had it

for this week.

Payday's on Saturday.

Where are you going?

Back to the hotel.

What's the point

hanging around here?

Do you have cab fare?

No, I don't.

Here.

I'll see ya.

It's up to you.

Up 20.

I'm against waiting.

The odds will be good enough, and

Johnny's having trouble holding her back.

One of these days she's gonna bust

loose and win before we're ready.

Then where are we?

Okay. Okay.

What do you think we're

running the time trial for?

If she does what we think...

Hold it, Chuck.

Hiya, Joan.

How's the weather out?

Clear. Will be

a fast track tomorrow.

Good evening, gentlemen.

Nobody's gonna ask you to play,

so you might as well powder.

Isn't my money any good?

Poker and women don't mix,

Ms. Boothe, honey.

While we're on

the subject of mixing,

how about you freshening

up these drinks for us?

Deal me in and I will.

There's a dice game

over at the Eversham.

Why don't you

give it a whirl?

I just did.

"Isn't my money

any good," she says.

I'll eat every cent over

a dime she's got on her.

Come on.

Take this and try to

make it last, will you?

If you come back here,

you'll start something.

That dame's beginning to

get on my nerves, Corrigan.

She's worse than a lush.

I'd rather have

a lush around anytime.

At least a lush will

pass out once in a while.

Deal the cards.

Which reminds me.

I wouldn't like to see her at

that track tomorrow morning.

The trainer can handle

the trial without her.

We don't need

any spectators.

Let me get this straight.

Are you giving me orders?

No.

No, I just figured she can use

the beauty sleep, that's all.

Brother!

Did she do it?

Let's see what Johnny

has to say.

You really had her

traveling, Johnny.

Just breezing, Mrs. Boothe.

Think she can win Saturday?

She can run over

the whole field.

You just give me the word.

I'll let you know. Come

on, we better hurry.

Cool her off, Johnny.

I'll see you later.

What's the good word?

Say, that's good enough.

Saturday, Corrigan?

Sure, why not?

You can let her all the way out

on Saturday. Tell that to Johnny.

I'll van her over to the track today. Yeah.

Okay, this is it.

What are we waiting for?

Let's get started.

We start nothing. Everything's

on ice till Saturday.

Sure, Chuck.

I only thought...

Don't think.

It can make you very sick.

What's so funny?

Shut up!

I told you what to do once.

I'll tell you again.

We make no bets till 20 minutes

before post time, Saturday. None.

And no bets with any of the local books.

And nobody goes to the

track. Nobody. Is that clear?

Yeah.

The odds ought to

come in at 30-1.

If we play it smart,

they'll stay there.

All right,

let's play it smart.

Let's get out of here before

somebody sees us who shouldn't.

Yeah, today's the day.

It's in the bag.

Remember, Charlie, place your bets

as close to post time as you can.

Start slow

and spread 'em thin.

See who that is, will you?

Get me Hollywood,

7670, Los Angeles.

Person-to-person

to John Evans.

Mrs. Boothe?

Yes.

Desk thought this

might be important.

Oh, just a minute.

Looks as if it followed you

halfway across country.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, Jack?

Corrigan.

That's right. Today.

Seventh race, number five.

Happy Girl.

Oh, probably

about 30-1.

Seattle, Washington.

Uh, George Swan, Maine,

Well, keep trying

and call me back.

Looks official.

It is.

Well...

Give it back to me,

Corrigan.

So he's decided he doesn't like

playing husband after all, huh?

That isn't the way

I read it.

Hello, George?

Well, hurry it up, will

you? It's important.

How do you read it?

Where are you going?

Out.

Out where? What difference does it make?

To the beauty parlor

to get a manicure.

Well, stick around. I'll look

over those papers for you.

Hey, there goes

that Boothe dame.

Are you sure?

Sure I'm sure. What do

you think I am? Not sure?

Let's see

what she's gonna do.

Two on number five.

She's down for two C's

on number five.

What number, please? Five.

That's Happy Girl.

That's her own nag.

Hey, that horse don't figure.

She ought to know that.

What number?

Take it easy, bud. You

ain't going no place.

Yeah, but if it did figure,

she ought to know that, too.

What are the odds?

Thirty-to-one.

Thirty-to-one?

You got any money?

Are you kidding?

But I know a couple of guys who have.

Come to think of it,

so do I.

Hey, look at number five.

A drop like that

couldn't be sucker money.

No, it's too fast.

You think

it's worth buying in?

It can't hurt. Come on.

Number five.

What horse is that?

Happy Girl.

Hasn't got a look in.

Well, somebody

must know something.

There was some talk

down at the paddock.

That's the kind of

a long shot I like.

Now crossing the finish line,

it's Happy Girl by a length.

Shelby second

on the outside.

Extravagant, third,

by two lengths,

and Pick 'Em Up

fourth by a head.

Happy Girl, the winner,

closed at 8-5

after an unaccountable

stampede of money

pushed the odds from 30-1

in the morning line...

Operator, I want

to call Chicago.

The city room

of the Morning Herald.

Person-to-person

to David Boothe.

Thank you.

Hello? Yes.

Hello, David?

It's Joan.

Yes, just today.

That's why I called.

It's been following me around and I

couldn't let you think I'd ignored it.

No, not yet, but I will

if that's what you want.

I'll sign them today.

Oh, no, David. No, it's

not what I want, but...

Neither do I, darling.

What?

No. No, you mustn't.

Well, I can't come home,

David. Not yet.

No, it's not

because I don't...

No.

No, I'm still here.

David, I'll call...

Where do you

get your manicures?

Very inferior work, honey.

Take it easy, Chuck.

I'll handle this.

Sure,

you handled this great.

You were supposed to keep

her away from the track, too.

200 bucks on Happy Girl.

To win.

All right. All right.

That's enough.

This could make

a very loud noise.

Go on, fellows.

Walk it off.

We'll settle this later.

Throw some things

into a bag, Joan.

We better take

a little trip.

You haven't said a word

since we left the hotel.

What's there to say?

I don't know

what got into me.

I must have been

out of my mind.

They might have killed you.

Skip it.

It's finished.

Why are we stopping?

This is the end of the line.

So long, Joan.

What do you mean?

I thought we...

What did you think?

I'd really like to know.

Well, I'll tell you

what I think.

You're a lost cause, baby,

and that's one thing a guy

in my business can't afford.

It took a long time

and a couple of hoods

to beat that

into my thick head.

But today was

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