"You'll need those," she said tonelessly. "You always seem to be out of matches or something."
"Thanks," I said. It took the place of goodby.
I listened to her heels click down the steps until they were only an echo in my mind. Then I roused myself and went downstairs into the clean bright strength of the new day.
The first influx of marks was starting to pour into the lot when I reached my stand. Gabby was behind his counter and we looked at each other and then he looked away. Bill Duff was on his bally, waiting, and he exchanged a blank glance with me and that was that.
Down at the far end I saw the young new breed dick marching toward me like a soldier on a sacred mission. I made a slow pass with the walnut shells, right over left and switched shells.
"And here they go again, gentlemen!" I called. "Three little medicine bottles with Dr. Thaxton's famous remedy pill that is guaranteed to cure your girl's blues. Step aside, folks. Let the man see the rabbit."
After all, it didn't really matter, did it?