Evening Star Newspaper, July 9, 1922, Page 54

HE sheriff of Vigo county, Ind., and the leading wportsmas . and barber of Canton, Ohio. had an appointment with each other in Canton. in the back room of the best hotel bar. Their business Bad to do with the free-for-all pace. the feature of the big Thursday pro- xram of the Canton meetin their engugement was for 8 o'clock this Wednesday cveming. At ten minutes before 8 Sherift Billy O'Brien rolled down the stairway from the lobby ahd into the corridor leading to the bar. Passing the door of the barber shep. he glanced in. Becawse even a barber knows that molasses catches more flies than vine- mar, there sat a preity bla maricurisi. in a gray dres: white anren. She was idle, and noth- ing was more natural than that, whea Sheriff O'Brien paused to ‘feast his fat Irish eves. she should look up to Trish there is a grin.. O'Brien gainned, a friendly politician's grin, and the girl. nothing loath. smiled back. a frank Irish smile. That was all there was to it. O'Brien looked at. his watch and strelied” on toward the bar. The girl turned a tired ear to the stunid gossip of the =hép. At 8 o'clock the sheriff was leaning on the bar, talking casuaily. with' the bartender. Therc was as little sug- gestion of the sheriff about O'Brien a® of the race track. “There.” sald the bartender. “is Mr. Bdwards.” and he beckoned to a natty. overdressed. young fellow en- tering through the swinging doors. *x o % DWARDS and the sheriff adjourned to the back rocm. Edwards opened the conversation.” “I'm awfully glad 1o 'get acquainted with you. Mr O'Brien.” he said. “l—uh—wanted to talk over the free-for-all with you if ¥ou don’t mind™" in 1t tomorrow™ asked “i“Are you the sheriff. “Yes. I am. I'm very much In it. in fact.” he replied. “Here's the situli- tion: The president of one of the danks here owns @ horse I'm hand- 1mg. called White Winter. AN his friends and all my friends are going ¥o be out there tomorrow betting on us to win. The whole town will be backing u - “Oh, 1 see. That will be fine.” said O'Brien. he whole crowd will be rooting for vou. Nothing like having the crowd on vour side.” “Yes. it helps.” Edwards resumed _his attempt to make Rimself clear without being brutally frank. “Now. while we "ire waiting for Brown—did 1.1ell ¥ou I had asked Allen Brown to stop in® No? There he comes now. He has a horse in this race.” “This fellow O'Brien acts like & terrible boob.” BEdwards sald to Brown in an undertone as they shook hands. “Mr. O'Brien, this is Mr. Brown. I'm sure you've heard of him. Mr. Brown has been driving up and down the grand circult for years. Mr. Brown. Mr. O'Brien is from Indiarm.” “How does the race tomorrow look to yo'" asked Brown of Sheril edding Bells, “Think that's right?’ quericd 'the sheriff.. “Sare.” - _“But 1 thought You were to win.ihis race.” “I am. Last three heats” wards pointed out impatiently. | _“Oh, yes, thats right. Five heats. That's purty slick, fsn't it?” “What's th’ mattuh? -Wan't yo' hoss stand up that len asked Brown in a slow. smiling drawl. “Might Stand up, but 1 can't say he'll pace that long!" replied O'Briea, laughing. “You put Brown down fer the secomd. The third, fourth and fifth heats to Edwards. That right?” - * % ¥ %X "HE other two nodded. O'Brien, a8 Edwards rose to go. remembered | semetaing, and spoke up with a great show of caution. _ “Wait a minute.” he said. “What about this Tolin? Wil he stand hitched? How do we know he's all right?” “rn Fd- guarantee fo' him." - replied | Brown. ve known Sam Tolin fo' fifteen yeahs. He's all right.” “We can't be too sure about these things.” sald O'Brien. “Let me 3ee that paper, Mr. -Edwards. 1'd like to go over it. Thanks.” O'Brien stuff- .ed the paper in a pockei, and the party broke up. Edwards excused fhimself on the plea of other busi- ness. “What is hoss?” asked Brown of the she 3 they stood up to tcave. “A bunch of bones,” answered O'Brien. "I call him Wedding Belis. He's by Claymors and the mare Bow Bells. He can do betier than eight on a mile track for about one heat.” he added, jovially. “Yo. dor't seem very comgflimentary to yo' own hoss.” sald Brown. “You haven't seen him,” O'Brien re- torted, laughing. “He wears & mijl- lion dollars’ worth of (rappings. Spreaders, hobbles, quarter boots, a stick on his neck, a sponge on his nose, and blinders. He's got every- thing. Racing him is more fun than sheriffing in hot weather. 1 can al- ways gel one mile out of trim. Some- times two. Onmce in a while three, but not often.” “Mr. Sherift. Brown rejoined, “you're layin® it om teo thick. 1 for one am gonna keep an eye on you to- morrow.” . “You'll see a lot of speed for one heat,” the sherift reiorted. laughing again. They parted company, Brown leaving O'Brien with the check to .pay. When O'Brien left the bar after set- tiing for the refreshments, Brown had disappeared. but as the sheri¥ reached the door of the barber shop he saw Edwards within, appavently quarrel- ng with the girl at the cash register. She was the same Irish gi'l he had seen at the manicure table. and the flushed face and the emphatic man- ner in which she was shaking her curly head were as typical of her face as the smile she had bestowed on the sheriff. O'Brien turned in a- the door and walked slowly toward the mani- cure table. “Nails in bad shape. Thought I'd O'Brien when they were seated and | got ‘em fixed up while I'm handy to Edwards had officiously wigwagged a | the barber shop here. waiter. “I'll declare I don't knqw.” O’'Brien answered inpocently. “Thi Dbusiness to me.-and I'm & long: ways | ning along and home.” istah Edwa'ds and | hlave talked things ovuh.” said Brown. “The out- from Jook is fo' foah hosses in th' free- fo'-all pace. Edwa'ds and his White Winter. me and my Romeo, vou. Mistuh O'Brien. with yo" o “Wedding Bel supplied the sheriff. “Wedding Bells.,” Brown repeated. “and Sam Tolin with a big hoss he calls - Expressman. - Tolin says he don’'t wint i hahd race tomorrow be- cause he goes to Columbus next week fo’ two tough ones in five days. Fo' my paht, I'm not anxious to push my hoss eithuh. We thought If we could talk things ovuh in a nice way we might make it easier all round— interposed Edwards, “we well put this on a business- Nothin' crooked. y'under- stand. You don’t want to pull your horse’s head off. but there’s no use drivin’ him to ddith when we can \do better for ourselves by talkin' * things over.” * x o * 'BRIEN wagged his head” saga- ciously, and brown nodded assent as Edwards added: “And why not lat anybody that wants to get a little money down on the race the way It will do the most good™" This line of reasoning secmed to earry a convincing appeal to Sheriff Billy O'Brien. Edwards and Brown, ap- praising O'Brien. figured he must be swallow!nz their program whole, and congratulated themselves on their émoothness. Edwards was nervous, but Brown was all quiet sophistica- on. Brown winked very gravely at _FEdwards as O'Brien aske ‘Well, hat shall we do about it™ “It doesn’t matter much how we do 1t,” Edwards declared. “I had one thing in mind, though. The crowd is going to make my horse favorite and shorten the odds ‘way down.. We can’t win much money at short odds.” -“*That's easy.” Brown replied. “You ‘h6éla back the fust two heats. Then we can have long odds on ouah own fosses the fust two heats and long odds on yo' hoss the last three.” “Now wait a minute. gentlemen.’ O'Brien” said. “Let's get this thing atraight. 1 don’'t mind sayin' Tm a Kind of 'a bood at this business. 1 #otta know what it's all about.” Lem- me have a piece of paper, somebody. L.wanta write these things down.” _Brown produced the best available. “Thanks,” said O'Brien. “I'l Just put it down. so I'll remember everything. What is this, a bill of lading?" . t's no good.” Brown answered. “Tolin and 1 shipped dack heah to- géther from “Syracuse. It's no good at all "I see.”. O'Brien examined both sides | question. Then added: of the paper. “Got both your names p it. Now. then. the frst mn! There goés my pencil point. is new{8poke: “Nope. guess not. Girl busy,” he asked, looking at her questioningly. She shook her head as Edwards I'll bé run- she can give you * % ok service.” O'BRIEN offered one plump paw to the girl. “You're Irish,” he chal- lenged, as she took his hand and dipped it into a pannikin of warm water. “You're another.” she laughed. “That makes two of us,” he replied. Knew you were Irish, for | saw you 1ad and mad. Awful mad, 1 judge.” “Why so curious?” she countered. “Say, are you the sheriff thai's in the big race tomorrow 2" “I'm one sheriff that is, and I reok- on there's no other,” answered O'Brien. She busied herself with his nails for a time. and mneither spoke until he decided to try further questions. “I' don’t suppoze Mr. Edwards hap- pens to own this shop?” “Lots of people do suppose %o, but I don't.” she snapped. O'Brien thought a long time be- fore he offered another, suggestion. “A business man’ who goes in for racing isn't likely to own anything very long.” he said finally, watching the giri closely from under his bushy eyebrows. “I'll say he's not,” she flushed. “That'’s why he gets into tight places, pulls all sorts of stuff, and loses his {riends.” pursued the sheriff. “That's why his best friend» get mad at him.” The girl sat back in her chair, paused in her work. and guzed at him( He smiled. a friendly, mean- ingless smile. “You're a wise guy. you are,” she rald deliberately. “An awtully wise suy ‘Well. 1 don't mind saylng among us Irish that | wasn't born yest aay.” He says you were born late thi» morning.” and the girl laughed out- right. “Edwards?" asked the sheriff. join- ing in her laughter. She nodded. “Isn’t much use of our sparringi around like this. is there?' he asked other. “I'm guessing that our friend Edwards i€ up to his neck in this race tomorrow, probably has bor- rowed money on this shop, hocked his diamond, and “pulled ‘all his friends | in with nim.” _ She fushed, but said nothing. “That's why we were mad & while * the sheriff stated positively.' Listen,” she said shortiy. you know they are playing you for a sucker? That they hiuve picked heat? s you as the softest thing that ever hit this town?" ¥ “No?" O’Brien asked » surprised Neo, oh, no™ * % xx “,-Eu.. let me tell you something. 1 know what I'm talking as she shifted from one hand to the g, o)) right. “THE " SUN I i i il | “When in Rome, and the Romans are doing you, don't take any Roman’s word-for anything.” he said. “But I'm Irish,® she countered, smiling. Then she returned to the attack: “You big bogtrotter, you'd better take my advice.” “What advice™ he asked good- naturedly. I hadn't heard any.” “I mean my tip.” she said. * h. well. they cam try anything he laughed. “I'm not saying they won't get me. But if they're £oing 10 get me they're going to get me. and that is all there is to it “I'm = good one.” she mused aloud after a pause. Tipping you off to this thing when I've lent Kdwards a lot of money and taken a mortgage on his shop. I'd ought to be work- ing for him. and I would. but he's too——" She paused. “Crooked?" asked the sheriff. She nodded. “But he's a nice fellow except for that,” she said. “What do you say.”-O'Brien asked suddenly, “to teaching the lad = lesson " “I dom't care whether he learns anything. I'm going to teach him to quit pestering me for money, and I'm going to sell or give away this fool shop and get out of it.” said the girl. At this point Edwards came nerv- ously into the shop. He glanced at the pair over the manicure table with some misgivings, but O'Brien’s naive manner and open-faced grin disarmed suspicion. : The sheriff rose to adjust his coai sieeves. picked up his hat. and pre- pared to leave. “And what” he asked. leaning toward her as he paid his check. hat did you =ay your Irish name is? “Bess Donahue. but I didn't say it.” she whispered. still with an eye on Edwards, smillng an apprehensive smile as she handed him his change. * ok x x N afternoon at the Canton races is is an afternoon crowded full of a number of things. . The - grandstand was packed. and the rails were lined about ten deep from the head of the stretch around the first turn. When the races were on and people rushed from the midway. the cattle barna and the infield for a peek at the track, the fences fairly bulged and sagged. Everywhere was country-fair tur- moil. Noise ran riot. “Freestone peaches. they're eighteen for a dime," truggled bravely for mastery against ‘Which shell. = gentiemen®" and “Cracker Jack. Crackerjack.” “Hot, Red Hot." vied with the ballyhoo ar- tist in front of the black-top tent. And the wails of toy balloons and little children shrilled their finter- mingled ways to the Ligh. cloudless sky. Probably the most excited spot in the whole hysterical piace was the stall of Eddie Edwards. at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. half an hour before the siort of the 2.12 pace. Eddie was worked up. He had made the rounds since noon. and had held hort, furtive conferénces in turn with Brown, Tolin and Sheriff O'Brien, to reassure himself that everything Each of the horsemeh had assured him that things were all set for a brilliant victory. by Edwards with White Winter. But Eddie was nervous and overwrought. His repu- {ringer.” tation as a horseman, the foremost horseman of that -part of Ohio, was at stake, and neither Eddie nor any other sporting barber In his position could have helped being very nervous. There was no particular flurry around the quarters of either Tolin or Brown, for with them' this race was just another race among & ‘whole ummer's races. O'Brien’s stable was undisturbed, although the sheriff was on the job to see that Wedding Bells was duly prepared for battle. Old Sourmash Bill, whose voice did almost as much to soothe horseflesh 4 pencil. Mr. Edwards? You write it|about. They've framed you, and now |as did his hands and olntments, was down.” wards, who took it and produced & pencil stub. 7 * “Fitst heat, said Edwards, writing, “erBrien wins.” “Think that's right?” asked O'Brien. Yo' hoss can.pate In twelve o' s can’t he?” countered Brown. “Well, then. you win fust time out.” d ,“Tour horse is not known here- abou! him,” Edwards explained. ond heat? Mr. Brown wins.,” Y _and odds will be good on|biting off her words. “The ‘sec- | wise you can't take & tip for your {his sen; He shoved the paper at Ed-|they're going to double-cross you.” “Surely not. [ couldn't belleve any- thing like that,” he protested. “You're too smart,” snorted. your guardian.” “Now, now, let's go .aaead. the sheriff, soothingly. nice little friends.” “You know teo much,’ she said, “You're s0 own good.” singing as he rubbed down Wedding Bells. This horse Wedding Bells, a tall, fragile bay, stood grudgingly ae- the almost!quiescent as Sourmash swabbed and “Somebody oughta act as|gwiped him. O'Brien, having bréught the horse back from a final' workout ) said { mile, was leaning against the stall “lets be|icor, watching the darky's skilled massaging. {Sourmash,” sald the sheriff. : “Yessuh,” replied the darky, ceasing “How long you been in this game?” “Hmph." Old- Sourmaeh reflected. “Hmph. Evuh sence Gawge Wilkes wuz a pup. Ah'd say. Goin" on twenty- cight yeah. Yessuh, twenty-elght veah, next spring.” ears for you--than weeks as the sheriff’s comment. “Listen, | went some advice. I've been in politics as long as yeu've been ime around horses. It somcbody comes to me i politics and cants to {rame with me (o play his game, 1 know he's afraid of me or wants to do me a favor. Does It work that way in this game?" “Ah say she do," and Sourmash broke into another chuckle. *’'Cept- in' they nevun want (o do yall a favuh. she wuhks th'. same way ‘zactly.” * x xo% -OW, if 1 can't figure why bhe'd want to dé me a favor. I'm safe figuring he's afraid of me. In politics, my best bet is to let_him think I'm framed 1o a fragele -with him. and keep him thinking that up to. a cer- tain point. la that.the.way Us done in the harnes: L “Sho’ is. boas. AN say some folks do pick up th’ fine points ‘thout losin’ no time.” The sheriff declded to take a stroll toward the betting rings. He found the bookies and pool sellers. in the rings under the grandstand. some- what up in the air. regarding the free-for-all pace. They had very lit- tle line on the four pacers entered, for no two of the starters had met Betting started slowly, and there was no chofce in the pools. The sellers, therefore, offered $100 pools. rating the four horses evenly. ‘Silver Bill Reilly, presiding. explained the situl tion in his own WAY. sentiemen, you've made us no of- fers.” he called to the crowd from his vantage point on a soapbox. “Well have to offer you a slate of our own. We have four good horses in this free-for-all pace: some mebbe better, some mebbe worse. We don't know which is which. Will:you take them et 375 apiece? Eddie Edwards has White Winter, and you. know Eddie; Sam Tolin starts with Expressman. a Messenger geldin’.-and Allen Brown has come up_from Alabam' with a pacin’ fool named Romeo, by.Shake- speare. Oh, yes, Sheriff Billy O'Brien of Vigo county, Ind., is in with Wed- ding Bells, which he says ain't.a The crowd laughed. ."Now, what do you. say? them at. $25 apiece who's -who and then, gentlemen, You ean have until we find out what's what.” : B Silver Bill's oratory touched things off. Before the race started, local play on White Winter had made .him the favorite, and he was being bought in the pools at $50, with Expressman and Romeo at $20 each, and We Bells at only 310 in the $100 pools. The books were fairly well played, and their odds reflected the sentiment shown in the pool selling. ..A friend of Tolin bought Wedding Bells to win the first heat, in some dozen pools, and a friend of Brown put up some money for him the same way- Ed- wards decided it would not be wise to bet on shother horde right there in liis own-‘town, where he was carded to win with White Winter. - Sherift O'Brien had two friemds® ‘getting money down on the race for ‘him. *x x ¥ THE sherift, hip survey ended, turn- ed back along the midway before going to his stable, as lonesoms as any politician is away from home. A county fair is like home brew—fit only for the ¢onsumption of the home folks. The sheriff smiled to himaelf &8 the comparison occurred to. him. «“There's that grin again.” A girl's volce- addressed him; and the sheriff picked himsel manfully out of his lonesome musing to find he was con- tronted by the smiling Irish girl who owned the Edwards -barber shop. “It's a real one¢ now,” and O'Brien, #lad to see one soul he knew, broke imto an ear-to-ear smile. . “I'm glad to see you. "Out to root for the win- ter.’ . “That Jepénds ofi the winner.” she replied. ~“Some winners I wouldn’t root for very miuch. But'I wanted to seé you, and didn’t know where (o 100k.” 2 : “Woman, you do my heart-good." = ° .uNevér mind ybur heart. - I'm try- to do your pocketbook some $004,” she said. ‘Don’t det bn DAY= STAR, “WASHINGTON, D first heat, on your own horse. 1 made Edwards tell me their scheme last night. They have fixed it to beat you out of that first heat. A Mr. Tolin—is that the name’—is to sur- prise you at the finish ahd win it. They'll say it was a mistake, and theyll kill you if you go out after the first heat to win one of the others and upset their plan! The girl was breathless from ex- citement and a rapid recitation of the story. O'Brien stood mute while she raced through ft. “Don’t take any chances and try to upset them and their game, please,” she begged in conclusion. - The sheriff, round-eyed. heard her through. #And let them get away with their crockedness?’ he asked. “That would be better than letting them get away with a perfectly good sherift.” vhe replied, smiling. “Of course, you've got your mort- gage.” said O'Brien. “And you can’t loge anything. but “You're a dirty drish loafer.” ex- claimed the girl. suddenly tense with anger. “And 'it zerves mie right for trying to be nice to any shaftyman.” She turned on her heel and ‘walked quickly away through the crowd leaving poor Sheriff O'Brien. Witle at m loss to understand her. He stood. befuddled, ® full minute be- fore it dawned on him. < “Fathend,” he reviled himselt. “The only girl that ever looked at.me and I didn’t see her looking. Damn! She only wants me to lose, so I'll not get Into danger. Lord, Leord!™ .. He looked at his watch, and: in sudden alarm for fear he was, late for the race, started for his stable on the double quick. % Eddie Edwards, nervous and im- patient, was the first out for the first heat. His horse, White Winter, was snow white “with a black nose, ‘and Eddie was all dolled up in a white suit anl white cap. Moreover. he had & white bike and white harness. He was greeted with loud and prolonged applause by all the home folks, the men cheering because many of them had money down on White Winter, and the women joining in because of tocal pride and admiration for.the natty, white outfit. “Looks like Christmas,” said O'Brien jovially to Brown as they passed, o- ing out to the track. “You could guess he’s a bahbuh, couldn't yo'?" replied Brown. . * 2 x % / ROWN'S Romeo was a black horse that seemed full of fire, pace and general devilment. Standing. still. Romeo looked like a solemn old hearse horse, but in motion he might have been snorting a fire engine to & fire. The crowd gasped with admiration as dding | Romeo ‘tore through the stretch to | warm up. ‘When, a second later, Tolin swuig down with Expressman, he tébbed Brown of half his glory. Fifty per cent of ‘the crowd that had ad- mired Romeo turned to worship Ex- pressman, a handsome big sorrel with n blaze face. This son of Messenger was as good-looking as & red-headed ‘gmbler with a gold tooth. “The crowd turned from these three handsome pacérs to wonder -at the trappings ‘of Wedding Bells, coming briskly down the track under Billy O'Brien’s guidance. It was piain that the sheriff had not exaggerated in his @eacription of the horse to Brown. Wedding Bells wore all the regula- tion harn nd several other pieces, including 'a Stick on his right side, funning from the bridle back to the saddle. He wore hopples, of course; toe weights on his front feet, a sponge on the bridge of his nose and spreaders on his front lexs to keep his knees from knocking. The marvel of it was that with all the trappings the horse seemed:to have a good turn of speed., He flashed through the stretch’ds snappily as any of them. The ‘firs{ heat worked out exactly according to plan, but through fo fault of Sam Tolin, of whom O'Brien had béen warnéd by the girl, O'Brien led ‘the first time round, and kept Wedding Bells in front the second time, to win In 2.13%. Tolin. with Ex- s écond, coming up on 3 was tryinga “sheak,” but O'Brien, looking ovef his right shoulder, saw Express- man © The sheriff barked at arply. - - o . Few people seemed to notice that, as the horées approached the wire, Wed- 3618 swung sharply over to the right and headed toward the outsige of the track. If the field had Ddeen closely bunched thiz might have caused disaster. A3 it was, RothAing happened except that O'Brien headed oft Tolin and completely upset that worthy’s little double-cross. After coming back to the judges' stand to salute, and ignoring some foul ian- guage from Tolin, O'Brien climbed the steps into the loft where the judgen were comparing notes. “Well,” asked the | finish judge, ien replied. “Not & thing. 1 just wanted to that my horse is blind on the left xide.” “Bless my soul,” exclaimed judge in mock astonishment. “Yes,” continued O'Brien, smiling | with the group, “he’s blind on the left side. That's why he pulls to the right all the time. 'S why 1 wear a stick on his right side, to keep him from swinging his head around to | see what he can see with his good eye. 1 thought 1 oughta tell you gentlemen about it." -“Is there anything else you want to tell. us about your harmess rack?” asked the finish judge, laughing with the other judges and timers at his own quip. “I think not, sir,” said O'Brien. He climbed down the steps, crossed the track and started for his stable. As he passed through the gate at the head of the stretch he caught up with ‘Edwards and Brown., who were engaged in close conversation. “What's the matter?” Edwards de- manded. Not a thing.,” said the sheriff. “Everything's accordin’ to scheduls.” i the “What you talkin' to the judgés about™ Edwards insisted. “Wh, nothin’ much. 1 just teld them my ho=se is blind on his left side.” “Tell ‘em vo' hoes is li'dle to curl next time out?" asked “They already guessed that,” O'Brien replied. *x ok % NOTHING was said of Tolin's at- tempted trick. O'Brien chose to let them think he was not wise, and they, studying his innocent fat f: decided he was not. The three sep- arated without more words. A littie while after Edwards and Brown en- tered their respective stables it might have been noticed that two | other individuals left-these stadles and headed for the betting rings under the grandstand. From that time until the start of the second heat there was a substantial but un- obtrusive play on Brown's fire-eating hearse horse to win the second heat. Wedding Bells was again at the pole, by virtue of winning the first time, and Expressman was next to him. with Romeo In third position. Brown. although confident in his own mind that his Romeo could whip the fleld, edged Off to a good start, leading Wedding Bells away by three-quar- ters of a length. O'Brien seemed sat- isfied, for he nodded to the starting judge before the word came. Romeo stayed outside, but as t reached the first turn White Winter pulled in behind again, plowing along in the dust directly behind Wedding Bells at the rait. In this order they whirl- ed down the back stretch and headed into the far turn. Brown, alttough not worried, kept looking over his Ieft shoulder and wigging his head at O'Brien, trying to give him the zignal to take back and give him the pole. This O'Brien seemed afraid to do, and Wedding Bellb went traipsing flong at Romeo’s withers. They went past the grandstand the firat time fairly well bunched. Rounding into the back atretch the second time, ‘Brown spoke over Pis shoulder to the sheriff. ' g *Take back there, can’t yuh?’ -O'Brien heard him. So did an im- portant-looking little’ man lying in the-dusty grass-inside the fence. The latter could not hear O'Brien’s reply: “We can't make this too rotten. - Go on and drive.” But Brown refused to: let out & notech until he reached the home atretch. Tearing past the seven- elghts post, te began driving, and O’Brien stayed close Dbehind “with Wedding Bells. As they passed the distance flag. Brown breathed a sigh lof reliéf and mentally cast up hie 'winnings on the hest. Edwards, for his part, was busy with hand, whip, and voice to impress the crowd with his earnestness to win.. Write Wia- ter foamed toward the wire, bolling | By Jonathan Brooks Everybody ‘was very much In ear mést when the horses appeared for thy third heat of the free-for-all pace | over wich dbelated speed. Ha could not [ Bdwards was nervous and up in tht do better than fourth. _Then somethiag happened. The fool [and the: Woddiag Belis swerved to the right [Browa ware dstermined to show jubt befors reaching the wire.{O'Brien and carry out the White Win again air, dut intent on winning the heal fter the race. Tolin ani Brown, suldenly sroused, swung his|'®r program. The julges were -posi. weight on the right rein and feried (Ve that all four pacers wers gping Romeo. oR Piz strife end out ot |t® Dadte to win or know the reasos narm's way. Mo threw the horse inte|WRY- TM starting judge was ben| e bad break, and Romeo went un@er the wire op the run. O'Brien, after o short, sharp tubsie on the lines, righted Weading Bells and kept the|Sil, horss on he pace. Wedding Bels mn.o:-‘,. :‘mu on stading the feld away the frs) time down, no matter how they wers lined up, to pravent, if possidle, any Det get-away. schemes. But the black mustache and more concentrated was 2 nose ahead of Expressman.|essence o which fa tuen wan & node in front of | wagle ,.L' i s ] White Winter. Tre time gras 2.19%, better than the fAirst hedt. IR As the four drew bavk to the judges’ *x x % shouted the starting judge A3 the four pacers wheeled un- uGO stand to sslute, Brown was curs- |dec the wirs. O'Brien had Wedding ing O'Brien, and the sheriff was all{Balis fapping aleng at a fairly Food apology. Apparently not liking the |gait and Tolin andl Brown were elokt prospect of facing Brown and Ed-|gup. But Bdwards rushed White Win. wards, he started for the stairs lead-|ter Gown on the dutside this time at mash. Brown and Edwards, thorough- oughly angry and smelling a mouse, sald until all three were in the loft. 5 blind on the left side.” answered “Does he make just one jump to the right in every heat?” ‘There wAs & note of sarcasm in hir voice. , Betore O'Brien -could answe Brown shouldered his way to the @emanded: “What 1 want Does he always jump right theah at th' finish?” “This & steepichase, or what?" ask- *d Eawards. ow, gentlemen, gentlemen,” said the judge, “I think we can get this 1littls matter straifghtened out. Mr. O'Brien, you're not claiming any rights because Brown’s hoss went un- der the wire running, are you?" “¢Why,” said O'Brien, “I told you my horse was blind on the left side. “Yes, I remember you did,” the judge interrupted. “You told me three times, I think. You forced Brown's Ross to break. Now we'll just place Brown and his Romeo——" “Wait & minute, judge,” came a voice from the stairwa: A dusty, dirty littie man wearing a soft hat and an air of impertance joined the group. "What is it? Brown and Edwards eyed the new- comer in won@er, but O'Brien seemed whelly at saie. “Over n the back strétch a minute ago 1 was Inside the rail. 1 heard this feliow"—indicating Brown—"say to this man here"—motioning a thumd at O'BNen—" ‘Tak® back there, can’t YURY That was ail I heard, because they were goin’ 86 fast they were out of reach before he matd anything back. 1 thought I'e better tell yuh” “It 1s a good thAlkg you did,” the Turning to the other : “You hear what this judge of the track saya. Now we'll s¢d wWhether we've kot & hOSs race or o hippodrome goin’ on here.” turned to the horsamen. “"Were vou betting oh your hoss to Wwin that heat” he demanded of Brown, who flushed. “Suhtainly, Suh,” Bréwh replisd. “Wert you?' he asked O'Brien “Not a miekel oA that he t sheriff answered, truthtuily enough. “Then,” sald the judge, turning to face the other judges agmin, “we'll just place O'Britn's hoss frst and shove Brown and his Romso batk to second place. And, gentidMmen,” this to the horsemen, “if 1 mee any more of this hippodroming or anything that looks like it I'll fine you $500 aplece and bar your hossed. Wu'll have & little racing now. That's all” As well argue with & mule a» with a racing ju@ge. He iy immovadle. The thred horstmen took their way Idown the steep little stairway, nond saying & word until they had erossed the track and were near the exit wate. “It you're good a sheriff as you are——" began Brown. “Now, now!” and O'Brien, In dtpre. cating tone, started to @efend himaeif. “What T want 6 know,” defhanded Edwards in a strong Stags whisper. “i{s what tN" devil you're up to. Are | you tryin’ to throw this whole race”™ * % % % AS they turned (hrough the gute toward the barns théy stopped for an instant, and & smail crowd gathered, eager to hear what the trp to the judges’ stand meant. The thres stood, embarrassed, in the center of & little circle of raiidbirds. Thea O'Brien, with an ability to meet omergencies that mav have beea dorn of his political experience, sal “If you gentiemen wish to 1ook over the horse, I'll be giad to show him to you right now. But, you understand, I'm not saying I'll sell him. of mii 80 saying, he pushed his way through the crowd, and the others followed ers-on followed, dut nome of them could enter the stabl s O'Brien, after holGing open the door for the other two horsemen, closed it behind them. Parsons lingering near the door during the mext f mniutes might have heard a deal of low- toned, earnest conversation, with an excited falsetto voice outting fre- quently into the discussion. Just be- fore the door swung open again it setto had calmed down. It belonged to Eddie Edwards, and he seemed & great deal more confident as he left the stall with Brown. Brown had favored making it anybody's race and devil take the hindmost. He wi all through, but Edwards prevailed, arguing thére was too much at stake to change the original program. B sides, odde on White Winter were now very 'tempting. O'Briea main- tained his simple, apologetic afr. Shortly after Brown and Edwards tett, saries were in, the betting rings from the stables of Brown, To- lin ind Edwards. Wedding Bells was at 2 tol to win n and Romeo were at 7 t8 1. White Winter was at 12 to'l on the race. Half hour liter the odds had changed somewhat. Wedding Bells, Express- man and Romeo wers at the sam figures, but White Wintey had slid steadily and slowly down to § to 1. Before the marsbal called the fre for-all pacers out for the third heat everybody knew that somebody was plunging on Edwards' horse. The judges knew that the three drivers kad held a convention in O'Brien’ stable. They knew, 0o, that the odds on Whits Winter had tumbled, while those on the other thrée horses had remained unchanged. trailed after him. Not 2 word Was|.na headed the feld around “Judge,” said the sheriff, addressing | oomrien puiled w . p alight!, the judge of the finish, “that horse|on"soun terms with Expressman and ing up to the judges' loft after con-|a great rate and headed for the pole signing Wedding Bells to old Sour-|He tere across in front of the fieid. ‘Waite Winter streaned to the firsl tura ia fromt, aweng in to the pole the eurve, going like = houde afire but stayed Romed. They fiew down the back- stretch and around the far turn in thia tashion, an@ shot Into the stretch | ctosely Bunched. Passing the grand- “and the Arat time, pacing like mad, Jhite Winter, Expressman and Romeo seemed to have Wedding Balls Armly pocketed. Rounding the short, sharp firat turn agdin, O'Brieny pozition Jooked deaperate. He way hemmed in, With the front-running White Winter making the pace. And White Winter, under urging by Ed- wards, was hitting an awful gait Remeo and Expressman were pacing A% §MOOtAly a3 machines. Down the dack stretch they few again and inte the far turn. O'Brien, feeling hir Clay phter was adout dene, hers made his At pley. “Pull sut there!” he yellsd at Ed- ‘warde. "Coming through At the same iastant he took thy whlp to the choppy-going Wedding Belis. The man with the pole horsy is entitied to the rail whenever he can get it. If he can show more foot in the pinch, outsider who hay grabded the pele must pull eut and let him ¢ome up. Edwards glanced quitkly over hiz showider and noted the oncoming Wedding Bella, who: stick was nedr jadding Rim in the back. In & panic, he pulied out Mghtiy,'an@ O'Brien shoved Ris pa- cAr's nhost inte the breach. Right here was the Edwards-Tolin-Brown game upset. They churndd madiy around the last turn d dug into the home Biretch for the last time dafore Tolin and Brown fuily realized that instead of O'Britn they had only empty air in their littie pocker. They immed:- etely gave up the game and set sail for the leaders, awinging outside the twa in freat. At the last sixteenth O'Brien way fairly throwing the tiring Wedding Bells atong and had the horse up even with White Winter. As they straight- ened out tor the wire he yelled agaia at Bdwards: “Give us room now." “Den’t jump. dammit:” replied Ed- wards nervoutly. To de kafe, he pulled out a littls more toward the center of the track, theredy shutting off Romeo and Ex. pressman from coming through. O'Brien steered Wedding Bells over with him and went to the whip. Be- fore Edwards had righted himself and before he could get White Winter strung out to the limit, Wedding Belly itas half a length in front. Bobbing up and down in hia seat like a jump- ing jack, yelling and wildly plying hiz whip, Edwarda went after O'Brien nammer tongs, White Winter tore out gamely enough. dut O'Briex fighting Wedding Bells home and shoved the son of Olaymore under th: wire & winner By seven inches or more. It was & cruel, maddening fin- 1sh. Every Tem. Dick and Harry ia the grounds, except O'Brien and the bookies, had lost moaey. * 2 %3 EDWARn!. with a wrbele town? losses weighing on his crookeu little heart, mought out Tolin and Brown for consolation. Disgusted with the whole affair, they gave hir 1888 than none. “You told ub this fello Dosd,” said Brown savagely. played him fo' & suckuh. We got what was comin’ to us, that's all.” They were standing in 4n open space near & pump, halfway betwee: the barns and the betting ringe O'Brien approached from the direc- tion of the betting rings. his pockel: jbulging with money and his face 1bulgiag in a fat grin. 2 “Here tomes that guy now.” said Edwards with & #neer and a snarl struggling on his face. “You race Decauss it's more fun than watching the jail, you do.” “More fun and, more profitable.” ad- mitted the sheriff, smiling good- humoredly. “Buppose y'all been collectin’ on yo' edd! “I alwaym oollect on delivery with that horse,” O'Brien replied. “Wed- ding Balip, C. 0. D. That's him.” ‘How much dia you win on heats?’ queried Edwafds, sneering. “Not & nickel. I bet on the rac: only, and that before the race started. All this,” and he patted his pockets, “is 10 to 1 money. “What I'd like to know"—and hers fore, Guring nor aince the race, until he @rawled a slow, emphatic Ques. tion—"is how in the hobbled hell you trained that dam hoss to jump that- away right at the wira?" - The sherif? laughed. “I don’t mind telling you, Mr. To:' 1n," he answered. “He does jump, dut I didn’t train him. He used ta be a dancing horse, and T bought Wim out of a stranded circus &t Liberty- ville, Ti'noy. If & horse has talenty along certain lines, you can't letting him use them.” s “Blind on the left side, blind on tha lert side!” exclaimed the hysterical- Bdwards. “You said he was dlind on the left side! By the gods, I'm gonny tell the judges about this. I'll see if they'll stand for any trick circuy herges in this hers race.” He Jammed his hat down on hig head, and in great excitement turned to hwiy to the judges’ stand. “Wait a minute!” called O'Brien, “I'll go with you. Maybe the judgey would like to 8es this ‘bill of iading, (Continued on Sixth Page