Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, August 31, 1902, Page 19

F Author of “The Outcast, horoughbre(s. By W. A. FRASER ‘Mooswa,” and Other Stories. right, 1902, by McClure, Phillips & Co.) Porter, reading a book on the ndl heard the crunch of wheels as a buggy, slow-moving, turned into the drive. Bhe raised her eyes leisurely, the matter of the story still in her mind, but with & quick 'ery of “John!" she sprang to her feet, the volume, left to itself, rustling from her lap to the floor. The mother eyes saw that something was wrong and the mother heart feit that some evil had come to Allls. Mrs. Porter had gone white in instant. Over her hung heavy at all times the dread of some terrible accidedt coming to Allls through the horses. “Did you eall, witfe?’ Porter asked, as he came to the door. Then he sprang quickly across the veranda at sight of his wife's 1n his arms, down the drive. God!™ “No, no,”” he answered. “‘they're just com. ing back—here, sit down again, I'll see and he raced down the steps, pulled up, “What's the matter, girl?" he began. “The young gintleman’s got a bit shook up, sir—nothin' bad lotke,” Mike broke in, bastily. The diplomatic rider, “not bad,” was added for Mrs. Porter's bemefit; his quick eye having seen her white-face. “It's Allls, John; oh, my ued. “We'll help the young gintleman in, an’' I'd bést go for the docther, I'm think- Even as he was speaking they helped Mor- timer from the rig. He had mot uttered a solnd; his teeth were set hard agalnst the agony that was in his side and the queer dizziness that was over him left little be- yond a consclousness that he was being looked after, and that if he could oniy keep going for a little, just use his legs a trifie, ho would presently be allowed to sleep. Yes, that was what he wanted, he was so drowsy. As he went up the steps between two men & haggard face peered at him over the rail. It was familiar; he felt some recognition jas due, for it was « lady’s face. He tried smile. Then he was on a bed, and—and— sleep at last. When the three men, with the silence of dlsaster over them, passed strugglingly into the house Mrs, Porter threw herselt on Allls’ neck and a passion of tears flooded down and damped the girl's shoulder. “God be thanked, God be thanked!" gasped the troubled woman, and one hand that was over the girl's shoulder patted her with erratic rapidity. Then she interrupted herself. “What am I saying?—it's wicked, nd Mr. Mortimer llke that. But I can’t b help fit—I can’t belp it. Oh, Allls, my - heart was in my mouth: I feel that some f day you will come home like this. - At that instant Gaynor dashed by the leaped into the buggy and oalled, as he drove off: “I'll have the docther in a Jiffy —th' young man's all right!” He w talking as the whirr of swift-rushing ~smothered out his voice, and the dust rose like a steam cloud, almost blotting him from the landscape. “Oh, girl! I thought you'd been killed. ‘Here, it down, mother—you're all worked up,” and Allls put & cool hand on her mother's hot forehead. But the shock to her feelings had loosed the good woman's vocabulary. At all times smouldered in her heart a hatred of racing, even of the horees. “It's the anger of God,” Mrs. Porter de- nounced, vehemently. *“This gambling and racing {8 contrary to His law. Never a night passes, Allls, that I do not pray to God that he may open your father's eyes to the sin. of racing. No good can come of 1t—no good has ever come of {t—nothing Dllt disaster and trouble; in a day the sub- nce of & year I8 w There can’t b‘ prosperity living in sin.’ “‘Hush, mother,” crooned Allis, softly. This outburst from Mrs. Porter startled the girl; It was so passionate, so vehement. When they had talked of racing in the home \ife the mother had nearly always pre. served a reprpachful silence; her attitude was understood and respected. “I must speak, girl,” she sald again; sinful life is crushing me. Do you ink 1 feel no shame when I sit in meeting nd hear our good minister denounce bling and recing? T can feel his eyes snd I cannot ralse my volce In protest, for do I not countenance it. My people were sll church peopl tinued, almost apologetically, know just how you feel, but we can't’ de- father. He does not look upon it as & iu, as garrylng any dishonor; he may be heated, but he cheats no man. It can't sinful it there ls no evil Intent. And listen, mother, no matter what anybody may say, even the minister, We must both atick to fL e chooses to race horses all his M “Ab, sweetheart!” John Porter cried out in & pleased volce, as he came to them— “looking after mother; that's right. Cynthia has helped me fix up Mortimer. He'll be all Tight as soon as Mike gets back with Rath- bone. 1 think we'd better have a cup of tea—these horses are trying on the o, aren't they, Mttle woman?' and he nestled head against his side. “How did Allis? Did Mortimer slip into “It was all over that rascally boy, Shandy. Diablo was just paying him back for his ill- treatment and 1 went in to rescue him and Mortimer risked his life to save mine.” “‘He fought the black like a hero, father. But, father, you must never think bad of Laussnne again—if he hadn't come and fougnt the black Mr. Mortimer would have been too lat: dreadtul, dreadful,’” moaned the Allll shot a{quick look at her father, and anged the subject and commenced talk- l-. about Alan—gondering where he was, and other irrelovant matters. Then there was fresh di Mike rattled up, ‘Was of u great size, bustied in to where Mortimer lay. Three sraashed ribs and a broken arm wi rier, W an hour. ‘m afrald one of the tekling the fellow be all right, however Bealthy ag & peach, Good nursing Is the Mdea, and he'll get that here, of course. He doesn « Want much medi our enemies—Ha, ha!" and be laughed rily, as It it were all & good joke on the tered man. ‘Thim doethers Is wl‘-bluud divils, Mike's commen they'd been throwin' dice on the other gintlema) . too, thought Aol 5o tunny. ! blanched face and reached out to catch her| But she stopped him, pointing Just as Mike | i ““Miss Allis’s not hurt at all,”" he contin- 80t such & good merve that I bardly discovered this unplessant fact. He'll that we keep it was a borce " t'umbs! It St if ould Sawbones had been ‘Mortimer behaved well, di asked Porter. “‘Behaved well, is it? He divil; punched thim two b they took water an’ backed Miss Allls, thinks I, here city chumps; he made me t | he talked about Lauzanne's his hocks, I had to hide grain bag. But If you'd s It was single sticks he was sand dollars fer a kock out. Mike's fancitul deseriptio | bringing a smile to Mrs. P face, “You can't, there. sor; an' yer I've seen a herrin’ 2-ye: I remimber w & Lexington. It was at Sai t'umbs! he just made hacks in solght—spread-eagled wouldn't give a two dollar come out an' cleaned up like the great horse that h “And you think Mortimer | something like that, eh, M ““Well, fer a man that kn horses than I know av ti trut” | Irishman’s admiration. tering danger; that an off fearlessly entered the stall s integral force, and with romantic intensity in stall scene. originated no polished rhe been uncon you devile! he must save the girl. in the ears of Allls, and she knew it not. wood for a few day ter in fal had pushed forward a ches & sertaln squars.oa ths N Mortimer had been smashed up, but his immen: etting and the attendant R | CHAPTER: Crane Heard of the acpif his visits to Brookfield later, and of course must whin first I see him come to the that fork, bastin’ the black, racter analyzation, something of the same influence. | needed some such manifestation of Morti counted by his vitality, toward recovery was mu&l. idn't he, Mike?" was Iike a live ig stallions till out. My word! able wit’ ‘s wan av thim fred. An’ whin knees, m'aning me head in & een him handle you'd thought it, wit' & t'ou- “One can't always tell how a coat will shape, can they, Mike?' spoke Porter; for almost 'orter’s troubled o Wi next the trut’ gutted weed av an now, he was ratoga, an’ bot' s av iverything his fleld. Ye ter him, an' he the Troy stake, e was."” has turned out 1 ows no more av he strology av stars he’s a hot wan, an’ that's the God's Mortimer's gallant aét had roused the He would have done as much himself, but that would have been expected of a horseman, constantly encoun- ce man, a man to be pitied in his ignorance, should have with the fight- was quite a different matter. highly devel- She had this had come the tragic box- This drama of the stable had torie; the gen erally pedantic Mortimer's daclamation had tional in the extreme. he had rendered with explosive flerceness, oblivious of everything but that The words still rang 0 the echo of ‘her own cry when in peril, There must have been a foreshadowing in her soul of the man's reliability, though “‘Mortimer Even without the doctor's orders, it was patent that Mortimer must remain at Ring- It was as it Philip Crane, playing with all his intense subtlety, had met hi the grim arbiter of man's ways sman to occupy Ga rd for most decisively se physique had ‘wonderful recuperative powers. The bon fever were dis progress lent on one of couple of days needs hurry to | Ringwood to see his employe. It hap- pened that Rev. Dolman graced the Porter home with his presence the that Orane was there. but the individuality of merged into a crusade by the zealous clergyman. viewed this trend with no tion of feeling. to Providence, ‘“Undoubtedly, undoubtedly!™ same evening inst racing, led John Porter little trepid It was Mrs. Porter who precipitated mat- ters, by plously attributing Allis's escape Mr. Dol man said, putting the points of his fingers together in front of.his lean chest. paused a moment, and Porter groaned in- wardly; he knew that attitude. gers were raplers, stilettos; owner would thrust, with proving that they were all indeed a very Perhaps John Porter would have bad let. He ‘The fin- presently their cutting phrase, resented this angrily, had he mot felt that that the reverend narrow in his conclusions. Dolman broke the “But we shouldn’t tempt worshipping false images. mals is commendable—' he emphasized this sight concession—'‘but WAyS appeal to me as instruments of the evil one.” “It wasn't the horse's fault, at all, Mr. “but just a de- It was the boy, Shandy's Dolman,” Allls interposed, praved human's. fault.” “I wasn't thinking of one horse,” tinued the minists horses in general. , alrily; “I think Mr. Dolman is righ ventured, hesitatingly Allls sald; punishment wi . Dolman’ look. noble animal, and tha that racing is contrary intentions, qul it has on moral “Are all men immoral who race, Mr. Dol- Jobn Porter asked. His question position. Por- r always llked things simplified; racing was either wrong in principle or right. Dolman found bim rather & difficult man to irritating way of brush. and forcing the man?" torced Dolman to define hi tackle. He had this ing a8l speaker to get back to first principles. ‘The reverend gentleman proceeded cauti- generalizatl ously. that—to make the rule al perhaps.” Mrs. Porter sigher audibly. The minister g almost lams weaken ker husband a loophole to “I bardly think racing quite Is generally supposed to that Porter was being pil- . He received & reproachtul look from Mrs. Porter for his pains “I have never seen any good come of it retorted Dolman. “A Christian man m feel that he is encouraging sambling it he countenances racing. for they coutend that inquisitor was really honest in his beliefs, albeit intolerably temporary silence, Providence by Love of ani- race horses " Mrs. Por. “It's fiying In face of Providence for a gig to go nget those race horses. “Bad-tempered men ..... them vicious, “and I belleve that the vis if there was any.’ face took on an austere It was an insult to the Divine powers (o assert that they had taken the part of a ut he turned the point to his It's quite wrong to abuse the one reason why I Creator's art from the evil ef to t T should hardly care to go o far as & very strong man might escape contamination, bsolute escape. be, without betting racing is impossibls Everything (n life 18 pretty mueh of a “there Aren‘t any sure things. The ships that go 10 sea, the farmer's crops—everything Is more or less & maitur of chance. If & man g0es straight he has & fairly easy time with his corscience, no matter what he's at, but 1f he doesn't, well, he'd better go hungry.” “A great many very honorable men are in the box yonder wit' Diablo he woulda't & | racing teday,” added Crane; “men who have built up large fortunes through homest deal- gemble, 'orter drawled, lazlly; felt “‘Back, con- 1 meant race fon of ably—giving bad as it interposed | protested Dolma: either unchristian or dishonorable.” | men nlh'ed to give horses druge ™ “They can't be Christians If the counte- | pealed to Mr. Porter. nance gambling,” asserted the minister| “No; the racing law is very strict on that | doggedly. dolnt.” | It occurred to Mortimer that whenever the “But evidently it is dome” contended discussion took broader lines, Dolman drew Dolman it back Into the narrow cell of his own con- | *I thi victlons. Porter. Porter scratched his head perplexedly.| The turn of the conversation made Crane They had been discussing the moral Influ- | feel very uneasy. | racing; this seemed more llke| “Do you think, Mr. Porter,” he asked, | “that there was anything of that sort over commented | Lauzanne? Do you think Langdon would?" | re He ap- there's very little use of it," sald | theology. “It 18 certainly unchristian,” | Mrs. Porter, severely. —he hesitated. “I haven't seen much Christian spirit in| *Mr. Langdon ha# a tolerable idea of | any business,” sald Porter, quietly; “they | what 1 think,” answered Porter. “I | all seem more a matter of written agree- shouldn't trust that man too much if I | ments. In fact thére's more done on honor | were you. He's got cunning enough, in racing than In any of the business| though, to run straight with a man like | gambles. A man that’s crooked In racing 18 | yourself, who has & horse or two in his | stable, and doesn't go in for betting vory | heavily.” “I know very little about him,” protest- ed Crane; “and, as you say, he will prob- ably act quite straightforward with me, at | te sure to come to grief in the long run,” Crane shifted in his chair and Dolman coughed deprecatingly. “For my part, continued Porter, “I've never found it necessary to do anything I'm ashamed of In racing.’” | His wite saw an opening. “But, John, “Yes' continued Porter, half wearily, as dear, you were treated most shamefully last | though he wished to finish the distastetul year—a dishonest boy hauled your horse—" | discussion, “there are black sheep In rae- “Pulled, mother,” Interposed Allis; \ ing as there are in everything else. My “pulled father's hofse, you mean." | own opinion 1s that the most of the talk “Perhaps; though I fall to see where the | we hear about crooked racing is simply difference can be, If the horse ran the other | talk. At least nine of tem races are hon- ‘way, and your father los estly run—the best horse wins. I would Porter smiled indulgently. “The boy was | rather cut off my right hand than steal a punished, Helen,” he sald. “Dishonesty is race, and yet last summer it was sald that mnot tolerated on the race course.” | T had pulled Lucretia “Yes, but something is always bappening,” | “I never heard of that, John," cried Mrs. THE OMAHA DAILY BEZ{ SUNDAY, AUZUST 81, 1902. enough to tempt his appetite. In the mean- | time, Miss Allls, if 1 were you I should | keep away trom him." Then presently, with good nights and parting words of warning about Diablo, the Kuests were gone, and Mortimer, having | declined Porter's proffered help, was some- wl t awkwardly—having but ome good | hand—preparing to retire in Alan's room. His mind worked somewhat faster than his fingers; several new problems had been given to it to labor over within the com- | pass of a single moon. That horse racing | should ever become a disturbing interest in his lite had seemed very improbable; now it was like a gale In his soul-it swayed him. He was storm-tossed in the disturbing element—he could come to no satisfactory conclusion. On the one hand, the thoroughbred horses were to be ad- mired, they were brave and true creatures of love. Also Porter was an honest man, the one thing he dmired above all else. And Mise Allis! Somehow or other his eyes flew up to & picture that rested on a mantelplece in the room. He took it down, looking furtively over his shoulder as he did so, and, taking it close under the lamp that was on the table, sat and gazed stead- fastly into the girlish face. Even In the photograph, the big, won- drous eyes seemed to say, “What of wrong, mosphere; so and honest, that wrong falled of contami- nation. 8till it was unconvincing to Mortimer. The horses might be good, the man honest and the girl pure and sweet, but the life thoroughly straighttorward she continued in lament. “It's contrary to | Porter in astonishment. the law of the church, John. It ms just | ““No, you didn't,” drily answered her hus- ke a visitation of Divine wrath the way |ban things happen. And you're so sanguine Allis smiled; she had settled that part of John; last year you were going to win a big [it with her father at the time. race with Diablo, when he threw his leg- “If you'll excuse me,"” began Crane, rising. “Threw a splint, mother,” prompted Allis. | “I think Mr. Mortimer is getting tired. I “I thought your father sald it was his leg | belleve I'll jog back to Brookfield.” had something the matter with it,” argued | Reluctantly the Reverend Dolman rose, Mrs. Portes too. He felt, somehow, that the atmos. “The splint was on his leg, mother dear.” |phere of racing had smothered his expostu- “Well, I'm not familiar with race phrases, | lation—that he had made little headway. I must say, though I should be, goodness |The intense honesty that was John Porter's shielded him about almost as perfectly as a higher form of beliet might have done. But with almost a worldly cunning It occurred to the clergyman that he could turn the drawn battle into a victory for the church; and as they stood for a minuto in the gentle bustle of leave-taking, he al “they burned the poor beast’s leg with hot irons—"" The minister held up his hands in horror. It didn’t give him as much pain as the doctor gave Mr. Mortimer in setting his arm,” declared Alll But it was racing Injured the hors interposed Dolman. ‘But. your horse has got a ringbone, Mr. Dolma: sald AllL nd a spavin, too— I've been looking at him. Tha because you Arive him too fast on hard road: his feet are contracted from n shoelng. It's just cruel the way that poor horse has been neglected. Race horses are much better taken care of.” Allis' sudden onslaught switched Mr. Dolman from the aggressive to the . de- fensive with celerity. “I confess I know very little about horses,”” he was forced to apologize; them, ‘with something of asperity, “the spiritual welfare of my congregation takes up my entire tim This rebuke caused a momentary silence and Dolman, turning to Mortimer, said: ‘I hope you don't approve of racing, sir. Mortimer didn’t, but a look from Allis’ eyes inexplicably emough caused him to hedge very considerably in his reply. ‘The ever-continuing fight that I carry on agalnst the various forms of gamblng must necessarily take on at times almost a personal e was addressing Mr. Por ‘but in reality it is not quite so.. I think I understand your posi- tion, Mr. Porter, and—and—what shall I say?—personally feel that the wickedness of racing doesn't appeal to you as a great contamination; you withstand it, but—you will forgive me saying so—thousands bave not the same strength of characte Porter made a deprecating gesture, but Dolman proceeded. ““What I was going to #dy is that you possibly realize this your- self. You have acted so wisely, with what 1 would call Christian forethought, in plac- ing your son Alan in a different walk of life, and"—he turned with a grave bow in Crane’s direction—"snd in good hands, too.” “‘His mother wished It,” 1, simply. “Yes, John was very good about Alan's future,” the mother comcurred, ‘but, hus- band, you quite agreed that it was much better for Alan to be in the bank than possibly drifting Into assoclation with— well, such dishonorable men as this Mr. his friends. He is so much Porter oughbreds I believe a man would have to be of very low order If their noble natures did not appeal to him. I think that cour- age, and honesty, and gentleness—they all seem to have it—must always have a good 2 'with youdy influence. Why, sir,” he continued, with | men such as Mr. Crane would have about & touch of excitement, “I think a man & him. ‘would be ashamed to feel that he was mak- ing himself lower than the horses he had to do with. Allls looked grateful. Even Porter turned half about in his chalr and ghzed with a touch of wonderment at the battered young man who had substituted common sense for sophistical reasonin The reverend gentle: not the horses at all, The Rev. Dolman smiled meekly, but it was in triumph. He had called attention to an act which spoke far louder than Mr. Porter's dlsclaiming words. Portéer was not at all decelved by the minister; iu fact he rather admired the other's clevernees In beating bhim on the post. He e & lMttle laugh as he ‘said: “I should not have succeeded very well in a bank. I am more at home with the horses than I am with figures, but I ex- pect I would have gone fairly stralght and hope the boy will do the same. I fancy one' of the great troubles about banking 18 to keep the men honest—the temptation of handling so. much money being great. ‘They seem to have more chances to stea than men on the race course.” As usual, Porter seemed to be speaking out of his thoughts and without mallce— no one took offense. It. was simply @ straightforward answer to Dolman's charge Porter had simply summed up the whole business In & very small nutshell—that there was temptation everywhere and that honest men and thieves were to be fouhd on race courses, in bavks, in every busi- Dess, but that, like horses, & fair share of m were honest. “Speaking materially of rece horses, quite outside of the moral aspect,” sald Crane as he was taking his leave, “you'll| have to be mighty careful of that Diablo, ', when Mies Allls is about. He stems a vindictive brute.’” John, “you'll have to sell him right away; I'll be frightened to death while he's about the place. “I shall never be a bit afrald of Bim,* remonstrated Allis. Shandy, who made all -| the mischief, has been diesharged.” “Disblo has ‘aiways been more trouble than he's wortn,” Porter. “I thought he was got & g0od horse, but he isn't, wnd If he has taken to cating peopl Il give him away day. 1 woul #ell him &s & good borse and nobody'd 4 man eater.' I buy bhim whea you make up your mind, Mr. Porter,” exclaimed Cra what eagerly. “I bave nobody Mrs. Porter gave a little warning cough. In his zealousness Mr. Dolman might anger then his logic would avail her husband are like the horses” com- mented Porter; “‘some bad and some good. They average about the same as they do in anything else, mostly good, I think. Of cour: when you get a bad one he stands and everybody sees him. “And sometimes horses—and men, too, T suppose—get & bad name when they don't Qeserve | added Allis. “Everybody Lauzanne 18 bad, but I know he's not. “That was a case of this dreadful dis- honesty, sald Mrs. Pori hastily. She turned in an expl to Cran You know, Mr. summer & rascally man sold my husband a erooked horse—~Now, John, what sre you laughing at?" for her husband was sbaking in his chair, “1 was wondering what a crooked horse would look Ike,” he answered, and there sobs 1o his volce. ‘Why, John, when you brought him home you sald he was crooked.” As usual Allis straightened matters out: “It was the man who was crooked.. Mother continued. “Yes," proceeded the good woman, Langden, I remember now, treated my bus- band most shamefully over this horse. Ctape winced. He would have preferred thumbscrews just then. obn Is honest himself,” went on Mrs, Porter, “and he belleves other men; sdd this horse had some drug given him to make bim look mice, 8o that my busband would buy Bim." . itgelf was distasteful. Reason might, it was allled to gambling. Mortimer rose with a sigh; the whole thing wearied him. Why should he distre his mind over the matter? As he put the photograph back on the mantel, he held it for an instant, then suddenly, with a ner- vous awkward pn-m, brought it to his lips and kissed eyes that seemed to command mbuu. ‘The movement twisted his broken-ribbed side, and an agony of pain came to him in quick retribution. It was though the involuntary kiss had lurched him forward into a futurity of misery. The spasm loosed beads of perspiration, which stood cold on his forehead. Swift taken from the stimulant of his thoughts, his nerves, overtaxed by the evening, jangled discord- antly, and he crept Into bed feeling an un- utterable depression, as though the room was filled with evil, threatening spirits, as one CHAPTER X. In colncldence, the two men, Mortimer and Crane, had similar thoughts the day fter Mr. Dolman's discussion; and, rather remarkably, thelr deductions were alike, baving the same subject of mental retro- spect, Allis Porter. It was evident that outside of her fam- fly .little Interested her hut hor: tainly. not a very lofty aspiration. When the conversation had dealt with broad prin- ciples, men and their shortcomings, the previous she had centralized it in Lauzanne, pleturing bim as symbolical of g00d acts and evil repute. Patently it was dificelt to become Interested in such a young woman; sctually she monopolized thelr thoughts. Inconsistently the fair of- fender felt no recoll of this somewhat dis- tressing situation; her mind busied itself chiefly over the reclamation of Lauzanne. By inheritance all the qualities of & good horse had come to him, except a submissive temper. Allls worked on the theory that his disposition had been set awry by Inju- diclous handling; that unlimited patience would csuse him to forget all that. He could gallop, else he had not won the raca in which he beat the Dutchman. That he Lad needed a stimulant that day was be- cause he had been red, and would not try with bis wits about him. From the time of coming back to Ring- wood Allis had ridden him in all his ex- ercise gallops and had asked Mike person- ally to supervise his stable education. It bad taken all her great patience, all her. youthful enthusiasm and faith, for the chestnut had motions beyond all belief. At first, missing the abuse, he almost seemed to thirst for it; tried the gentlc girl in every way—sulked and loafed, and took little streaks of trylng to eut the course, and make false breaks, as though golng to run with a full vigor— 1aid hold of the horses with his teeth when opportunity offered. These antics did not break the girl's falth; she rode him with the gentle hand a woman knows, and a horse soon learns to appreclate; and gave bim to understand that he was to have fair treatment. Porter viewed this continuous perform- Ance with silent scepticism. He did not abuse horses himeelf, neither did he put up with foo much nonsense from them. To bim they were like children, needing a lot of tolerant kindness, but, to be greatly improved by a sound spanking. Once, when he suggested something of this sort to Allls, saying that Lauzanne was a spolled child, she admitted that he was, but that thoughtless cruelty and not indulgence bad done the harm, therefore klnflnul was the cure. The first sign of regeneration was the implicjt faith that Lauzanne began to place in his young mistress. At first when she Put up & hand to pet him be would jerk his head away In afright; now he snuggled her shoulder or nibbled at her glove In full spirit of camraderic. Then one day, 18 a gallop, came & Stronger manifestation ~—a brief minute of exhilaration with after hours of thankfulness and beyond that, alas for the uncertaiaty of a spolled temper, an added period of wallowing in the slough of Despond. It was on & crisp, sparkling morning and with Shandy—it was before bis downfall— on Lucretia, another stable lad, Ned Car- t4r, oo Game Boy and Allis on Lausanue, the three swun® off for a working gallop of & mile or more. Lausanne was in an the other two raced on in front. What was his light-weighted rider up to, any- way?! Why did she aiways leave It to him td do just as ho liked? Was she really decejving him—did she wish him to le back there behind the others always?! He fell to wondering what she would do if he were to take hold of the bit and spread his big muscles in one rushing gallop and | €0 past the dthers and get home to the | teedbox first. He rattled the snaffle in his | mouth with mervous indecision—he had a notion to try it “Steady, my boy!" said Allls, as slippéd the reins back through her fingers 1l they stretched tight. A dozen times she | haq sought In vain to make him think she | in the crisp air this morning threw him off his guard. Why should he be forced to lag behind? He stretched the arch of his neck straight till the bit held hard in h's mouth; the ears pitched forward in eager point; the great frame under the girl quiv- ered and sank closer to earth; the roar of his beating hoofs came up to her ears muffled by the drive of the wind that was now a gale as the chestnut raced into It with the speed of an express. How her heart sang! Here was speed and with suth stride—strong and straight and true! Low she crouched and her call to Lauzapne was but a joyous whisper. Her small hands were framed in steel; strength to steady the big chestnut as he swung round the course glued to the rall. On Lauzanne sped and to the rhythm of his big heaving quarters the girl's soul sang a song of delight. At last, at last! was com- ing reward; her reward. And then, just when everything had been achieved, when the great gallop had brought them half up the stretch, something came to Lauzanne—perhaps the memory of the whipping finjshes. At any rate he curled up like a dog, threw his ears back—Allls could feel the sudden stiff prop of the fore- legs as he set himself against the rush ot speed and in a dozen strides he was Lau- zanne again—Lauzanne the Despised. An so it had gone on for weeks, Allls working out her theory up to the time of the trouble over Diablo. There was something in the girl's quiet determination that was masterful; perhaps that why she had always had her own way at home. Now this mastery was spreading out wonderfully. Lauzanne and Mike and her father and Crane and Morti- mer, all in different degrees of subjection, but, as fate knew, all subject. Mrs. Porter's lament, the night of Dol man's crusade, had given Crane a keynote for his line of action. It was the day followling her scoring of the tolerant husbund that Crdne revisited Ringwood, full of his new idea. He had an impulse to buy back Lau- zanne. For almost the first time in his lite he experienced twinges of remorse; this was because of Allls. Porter's affairs were in & bad way and he would probably accept eagerly an offer from Crane to lighten his load. Individually he cared lit- tle for Porter's financlal tribulations, but it was a good opportunity to prepare tho way for stronger pressing of his sult with the girl. With his usual fine discrimindgtion he spoke to Mrs. Porter first, intimating, never o slightly, that her words had won his entire sympathy, that if her husband would sell any of the horses he would buy them. There was a strong atmosphere of sin- cerity about Crane at all times; what he did he did with the full vigor of a man believing In its truth. One might almost have suspected that he deceived himself— that he had no conception of the unright- eousness of his acts. At any rate, he im- posed most successfully upon the mother of Allls. Quite egotistically she attributed to herself the trend of his friendship. In racing phrase Cranq was out for a killing and playing his cards with consummate skill. i With the master of Ringwood he went very straight to the point. This was pos- sible, Porter could not hesitate to dis- cuss his financial condition with his banker.’ Crane offered to buy Lucretia—this, with him, was purely a speculation—but Porter would not part with the little mare. Then the banker spoke of Lauzanne, saying thal he felt somewhat gullty since learning the previous evening that the horse had been, doped. Porter falled to see where anything to do with it. But the latter in sisted that he had unwittingly helped Langdon by speaking of Lauzanne as a good horse. He had known nothing of the matter beyond that his trainer had sured him the horse would win; in fact, he had backed him. Porter laughed at the idea that responsi- bility could attach to Cran As to the chestnut, he was not worth a tenth of the three thoueand he had cost—that was well known; and If Crane, or any other man, sought to buy him at that price it would savor too much of charity.. At any rate, Lauzanne belonged to Allls and Crane would have to bargain with he Then there was Diablo, Crane sald; his DPresence was a menace to Ml Crane had ter replied, “and he's & bad betting propos tion—he's too uncertain. You don't want such a horse as that—nobody does. I'll keep him & bit longer and put him in a handicap or two, where the purse will be worth running for a: T won't have to back Bim; he'll get in with a featherweight and some day may into his gallop, though he's a rank bad one. Crane did not press the point; he under- stood Porter’ motives throughout. ter of Ringwood was an un- very set in his ways, ad- bering closely to his plans and opinions. 80 Crane went back to Brookfield without ing a horse, saying as he left: “I clalm first privilege when you wish to = He bad talked to Porter in the and Mike, busy nearby, of thelr conversation horses. ““They haven't got money enough in the bank to take the little mare from us yet, have they Mike?" Porter said to Gaynor, full of his pride in Lucretia. ‘“That they haven't sor, ble, heard that part referring to the replied Mike proudly. “But, faith, 1 wish th' gint hadn’'t come a-tryin’ to buy her; it's bad Juck to turn down a big offer fer any horse."” Porter smiled indulgently. This stable superstition did not appeal to him. “It would a broke the bad luck. have let him took the black. “It would have broken his bank, mean, Mike." “Well, he'll break some man’s bank here yet, an’ I'm a tellln’ you that sthraight. They a black cat's full av the divil, but Diablo’s obld Nick himself, though I'm sayin' It was th' b’y Shandy's fault sp'ilin’ Rim. An’ If it wasn't fer M'ss Allis it's & pity you coyldn't & sold him the chestnut. He's & saw horse—he's as heavy in th’' head as & bag of & he'll never do no #00d to nobody. Them's the kind as kape man poor, eatin’ their heads off, an’ wan borse, or maybe two, in the stable earnin’ the oats fer them. It's ch'aper to cut th' t'rcats av such cattle,” “L belleve you're rigl Mike, Porter quietly, as he left the stable, Crane, driving to Brookfleld, turned over 1o bis mind the matter of bis mission. He was satisfied. He bad succeeded ‘n the main objective point It would have been a good move to have acquired Lucretia—to bave un:pud ber sor, to you inquisitive mood, | she | did not wish him to gallop, but something | I | | INDIVIDUALITY ~=— That's the Word! —— 1 | | — MILWAUKES e Posesses a goodness all its own. Unerring ~judgment exercised in selection of materials, backed by Blatz method of brew- , are the main factors respon- sible for Blatz character. BLATZ MALT-VIVINE — oufi’fh':";'igaw — Al Drugw Direot. VAL BLATZ BREWING CO., Mitwa OMAHA HRANCH, 1412 Douglas St. Tel MORE CHEAP. EXCURSIONS VIA 1081, FROM umAHA Ind nalanapoils, *t. Wayne, Ind Toledo, ONio andusgy, Oh {h—Lima, Ohio s (1)—~Columbus, Ohl (1)=Dayton, Ohio ()—springnela, (1)—KRichmond, W)—KoKomo, (1)—Terre Haute, ()—Evansville, Iid, ....... (1)—Ciacinnati, Ohio . 1)—Louisville, Ky. (1)—South Bend, Ind. (1)—Logansport, ind. —8t. Paul, Minn. . dinneapolis, Minn, | (Lake I‘elol\kA) Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Wis @)—Port Huren, Mt (&)—Buffulo p 2 (i)—Duies i sale. Bepienbe and 23d. Return lmit %0 day (®)—Dates of sale: September 1-10th in- clusive. Return limit October 3ist. During remaining days of August, rate will be one fare pius §2. (®)—Dates of sale; July lst to September 30th., Return limit October 18 Wlso. cireuit tours via Dulufh or Thicane and Steamer, e Great Lakes, 'In ad- ditlon (o abave, speclal excursion many other points in Ohlo, Indiana, sota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, et Correspondence solicited und information cheerfully given. Cull at Ilinols Central Ticket Office, No, 1402 Farnam St., or write, Dist. Pass. Agt., Ili. um &Lfi. Ne fl!’”fl{ Lo An (nfallible remedy in cases accom- panied by want of appetite, sour, bloated stomach, sleeplessness, dizsiness, coated tongue, headache, stiffness in limbs, ca- tarrh, night sweats, paing in back' and under shouider. 30 days' % cents, All drugglsts. Solid Comfort Speed Safety Scenery Lackawanna Railroad CHICAGO TO NEW YORK Three Trains Daily ire of your pearest Raliroad Tibel Ao o wrie GEO. A. CULLEN Gen'l Western Pass'r Agent 103 Adams Street, Chicago treatment Kelieves K ldney ANTAL & Bladder troubles at once, (A PSUL MDY Harereen "‘1.. Vacm TIN DAVI TRIAL. s vesrue - Pa e Soolien Bunt seaied. R.P.Emmet, N-40-51 Goed Blk, Denver, Col —— owner to part with her for ready money in sight. ~ The money would soon have dis- appeared; then Porter, with a lot of bad horses on his hands, would certainly have come more firmly into the grasp of Orune, The ofter to buy Lauzanne had been & bit of saving grace—a falut, generous impulse begot of Allls' regenerating influence. Crane had discovered that Porter did ot at all suspeet him of interest {n the fraund— that was & great something. He had also established himself firmly in Mrs. Porter's £00d graces, he could see. It would be in- deed strange if in the end he did not sue- d completely. (To Be Continued.)