The Old Die Rich Part 14

"Not that," I said. "I mean there won't be any more of those cases.

Between knowing that and both of us back acting again, I'm satisfied.

You don't have to believe me. n.o.body does."

He lit up and blew out a pretty plume, fine and slow and straight, which would have televised like a million in the bank. Then he grinned. "You wouldn't want to bet on that, would you?"

"Not with a friend. I do all my sure-thing betting with bookies."

"Then make it a token bet," he said. "One buck that somebody dies of starvation with a big poke within a year."

I took the bet.

I took the dollar a year later.

--H. L. GOLD