Dorchester High School for Boys - Red and Black Yearbook (Dorchester, MA)

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The Book of Chance iq K flfaMcm Mark Arnold, gambler, looked down at his hand, A royal flush, -the best hand he had all night. Opposite him sat a scar-faced Italian known as Luigi. The three other men who had been in the game had left hours ago. Now it was just Luigi and himself. In a low voice Luigi asked, Will you take an I. O. U.? AAWhen the stakes are this high? Not a chance. Luigi stared at the glass of whiskey in front of him and said, Look, Mark, I've got a little book. It's worth plenty, but I can't tell you where I got it. Will you take that? All right, I'll take it. Mark laid down his hand. Luigi scowled and walked out without a word. Mark looked at his hand-a low straight. I-Ie thought to himself, 'AThat Luigi was a fool. Picking up his money, he walked out into the night. Looming out of the dismal, early morning fog, Mark saw his rooming house. Opening the door to his apartment, Mark spun about with a low oath. There on his bed sat the largest gray cat Mark had ever seen. Recovering from surprise, Mark said, Hello there, how did you get in? Opening the door he said, All right now, run along home to your master. Clearing its throat, the cat said, Never mind how I got here. You have the book, and where the book goes, I go. And my master, who by the way is the devil, isn't at home right now, he's on a business trip out in the Orient somewhere. I believe they call it Japan. I don't want to go home because it's rather warm down there at this time of year. Mark sank down on a chair dumbfounded. I-Ie reached over and poured himself a stiff drink, Downing it with a shudder, he turned to the cat and said, I could swear you just talked to me. . I did! Now let's get down to business. That book you have: take good care of it. Your life depends on it. Do exactly what it gays, My name is Meggs: yours is Mark Arnold. How did you know? 'AOh, I get around. Mark, thoroughly frightened now, reached for the little .32 he carried in a shoulder holster, and said, I'm going to get rid of you, right now. The gun coughed twice, and the cat smiling, said, That's a nice silencer you have on your gun, Mr. Arnold. growled to himself and put the gun Mark away. AAWell, if I can't get rid of you, at least get off my bed so I can sleep. And if I don't ? Mark reached out to push him off, then let out a yelp of pain. Cursing, the gunman with drew his badly scratched hand. I-Ie spent the rest of the night on the floor. The next morning, he thought of the book. Searching through his vest pocket, he found the book. It had all the appearances of a cheap address book, except that the pages were yellow with age, and in the upper right hand corner of each was a number. On the Hy page appeared the legend - L'Invented by the Devil himself - Pats. pending. I-Ie put the book back in his pocket and left, The next evening he was seated in his favorite cafe. Looking up, he saw Luigi approaching his table with a worried expression on his ugly face. I'd like to speak with you Mark. Come into the men's room with me. Once inside, the scar-faced gent pulled a re- volver from his pocket and said, L'Oive me the book, Mark. I don't think so: I've grown quite attached to it. Luigi's fist exploded in the gambler's face, In a fit of blind rage Luigi struck Mark again. Seizing the heavy revolver, Mark emptied it into the swaying figure of Luigi. Feeling a growing warmth in his vest pocket, Mark pulled out the little book. On the fly page had appeared the numeral Mark turned to the page indicated. It said, Leave quickly. Taking its advice, he ran out the back door page seventy-one

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Tiger was going to light. Where's Tiger? There goes our money. Rafferty? Who's he? There goes my week's pay. The two shook hands. The referee gave final instructions. The bell rang. Then the battle was on. Muggs rushed out with a look common to all fighters,-to finish the light quickly. Muggs was large and trained for fighting. Fred took a bad beating in the first round, and worse in the second. Muggs drove punch after punch into Fred's mid-section, chin, chest, and head. Fred went down, but he always managed to gain his feet before the referee began counting, So on until the seventh round. The crowd was wild. A'Kill him, Nluggsf' A kayo, Muggs, a kayof' A'Finish him. There goes our money. Throw in a towel. We might as well pay off now. Muggs connected a hard left to Rafferty's jaw. Fred went down: a strange sensation suddenly came over him. He no longer heard the cries and yells of the crowd: he heard a voice, a single voice. It was that of his brother Jack. You've got to get the money. My leg! my leg! you've got to win. Stay down till the count of seven, stay down. One-two-three- Stay down, remember how you watched Tiger, stay down. Six-seven. Rafferty was up. Watch his left, watch his left, cried the voice. Here it comes now, up with your left arm and block it: that's it: now across with your right hand. Before anyone had realized what had fplease turn to page eighty-ninej lui mlm'-tlratl U5 11 We ltnow s or New ENGLAND KNOW U F RAD UNDER -G IRE i between f ood will that 011515 E . C1 o Q ng- There ls 'G bodl the smart YOUUQ men Gil Neiifstyinfl 31, Kennedgirdlany Years Qt experiergceiirglsggs ' ' . ..3. . ' Q -f-' T land. for their Special km iven I X I 1 lhelr demands the right time . - P have g yy , if the fight styles qt wardrobe Planning mal THB mcg I 'ol I us C1 Place ln theuh ve And Pfifenls me lug ll indeed Proud to .C 1 oval of Price' 'meh me if Mx ll ' enthusiastic in that Gppr 4 -ffl N ' geared to the times- O P Ll T , T Us uNDEn.G1zAD SH v, KENNEDY'S 1, , 1 page seventy

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and leaped into his coupe. He left not a minute too soon. Looking back, he saw police cars approaching the cafe in every direction. Un- doubtedly, he would have been caught. Breathing a prayer of thanks to the little book, he headed south for the Mexican border. For then the realization came over him that he would be a hunted man. Nearing the border, he saw a police barricade across the road. The book in his pocket grew warm again. Taking a quick look at the page indicated he smiled, It said, i'Keep going. Speeding the car t oa terrilific velocity he tore into the barrier. The impact was hardly felt. A few bullets whined off the car, but then all was quiet save the throaty roar of the engine. He was safe, safe in Mexico. The law could never catch him here. And neither could that damned gray cat. All these thoughts spun through his head as the miles rolled by under his wheels. With this book he could make a fortune in Mexico. Minutes later, the headlights picked up a huge oak tree. In the short space of time it was seen, he shuddered at the gnarled branches that seemed to reach out to kill him. Then with a low moaning sound it fell directly in front of the car. With a terrific crash the car hit the tree. Mark, sprawled behind the wheel, was un- conscious. Upon waking up, Mark saw with horror that the car was on fire. He tried the doors: they were so warped that escape was impossible. He tried kicking out the windshieldg it wouldn't break. With breathless fear, he watched the fire crawling closer to him. With a low moan he slumped back into the seat. Then he saw Meggs, crouching in the flames, who said, 'AWe'll be seeing my master soon. Then he remembered the book. Seizing it, he looked at the fly page. It said number He turned to the page. On it two words were written: THE END. ga . page SE'U97'2fy-ZLLUO T y .I- Compliments Stollerfs Pharmacy PEACEVALE RD. AT NORFOLK I - 1 Ei- it A AN 1 T WV V S. X , 2