"'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!'