The evening world. Newspaper, February 10, 1915, Page 15

CAPT /Tottering Under the Load! sth, By Robert Minor GAMBLE i Wy, York Adventures of « Soldier of Fortune Carries $3,000,000 Around With Him —E * CHAPTER X. yes 2’ a) ‘rend Bilater wheeled briskly anf kept ‘stem while the pursuer scrambled to & Stetaa@etitt for an instant, snarling, 4 then went on again, head down. »* "R¥isy came to the second corner and the performance accurately, Bow. they were heading for the ~~ qpectators again. bea The Spanish Brute laughed. e% “Got.& strain of deer in him, too, ceaptain!” he stated. “He's got more strains than that ‘all good,” captain mused. “Swell, look @ that turn! Ain't that <> --3t was, as a matter of fact. Bileter coming near to them, had headed ag 2vo8f te'fiee down the lane past the barn go6end then had turned and raced past = Woking backward, while the ss 2 turned and resumed the chase, ing savagely now, and & good a yards behind. ‘Mat bis temper had risen was ob- % views: queer, awful growls came back w@hemm Rim as he followed Blister, yet they seemed to worry that strange ani- go gpad bot at all. *” Ove or twice he looked back as they Zedeaphed the far end of the feld again, hugging close to the stone wall; then, convinced that all was wel “out another notch or two a ell, is this @Wiltiam Ryan “This is both,” said the captain. “I dunno just what Blister's doing, but he does.’ + “I'll eatch him when he comes by again and”—— the Snake began. “You'll take your life in your hands when youdo it,” Capt, Velvet in- formed him ominously, “There's no rules to this dog fight!” Silence set! upon the watchers. #t Up at the far end of the field, for the ©“S¢hird time, Blister was loping onward beside the wall and the bull ling hard to overtake him, inty. Tho distance between them, apparent- ty, was being set by the leader. “They turned; they approached the starting point again, and passed it, end raced on, ‘As they tore past for the fifth time, ‘apt. Velvet removed his cigar and = yawned contentedly, The Snake looked angrily at him. Is this going on all day?” he tru anked. ?Hard telling, Jimmy,” sald the ins to dog fight!" the Spanish will be, BU," murmured the n. id now the sixth complete round been accomplished and the sev- (begun, and Mr. Pollard noted with.a mighty effort, and that he himself was growing distinctly weary of standing and watching the ab- eurdity. witty Bee ‘here, cnptain,” he ventured, %Mwevean't start much of a fight he! iil they come together, and J ‘enn't catch that cowardly cur. aera ‘Velvet merely glanced at ain't cowardly, Robby,” he “and they'll come together junt quick as Blister gets the wind all mpoi out o' that pet of Jimmy's. ‘ter's just getting him in shape to said tho captain, as he ese Rolnted. me cyeAt last the race was over. They "had, stopped some twenty feet away, the bulldog was standing limp fairly exhausted, with tongue pls | chest heaving hard. tain'’s animal, on the other seemed fresh and amused. Two fseconds he studied his pursuer—and then he, seemed to have shot into the ag it by magic! And now he had me down again, squarely on top of cquisition and with his in the unfortunate erful paws were on the hing downward, while P upward—and while it De neither scientific nor edify- ine, it pleased and interested Captain ve Hands on knees, he leaned 0 d as the terrific tugging pro- d and strange howls began to Yrom somewhere within the turned delighted eyes on Mr. cried: doing, Robby?" “I pee”— the guiding mind began TRoatecty. s going to tear him plumb ‘and I'll bet he brings me the through!" shouted er gee & dog do dust that before ene ee weppsered: however, that Mr. ‘svijvens’s find wes built of tougher sonatud@®? than the amazing Biister sus- pected. Risady pulling for ‘ while it might have lifted ity of bulldog out of the ‘spots, had not started a sin; an inetant, copqueror paused “breath, growled and went at it ce this» time cometning dueste.kappen, for the bul tag loose. hold, of course, his would take the rp to ‘a throat it end, “er we a ‘“Blist two, when Li a a tee geen gh A wie tore on, sid to a standstill _,, moet fancied their whole capital to be in some danger— “There!” Capt. Velvet cried once more, and leaped to bis fest, beam- one moment, was turnii ag his tail for Capt. Velve. ‘One dog,” that individual sald “has quit!” Mr. Pollard began it’s your dog, ” chuckled Capt, Velvet as bs eace:| tered toward the awaying olightly, William Ryan, cam. ne yd he his chief. (ry) ur ha hn our whole roll you bet?” “That was our whole " Robert Pollard confessed, and is, tare was the stare of a somnambulist. “Then how much money have we now?" the Spanish Brute gasped. The guiding intelligence slid trem- page (emt ues his trousers pocket anced downward at what they produced. ceil Lariam “We've got ninety cents now, % said Mr. Pollard as from a srest dis Sadly the thin, gray line of clinked back to Mr. Pollard’s poduen The Snake, turning back from a last, long ‘e after his departed pet, hurled se dollars’ worth of dog Galee ase a pertectty good leader fence and fi with plain animosity. sp Ean “Didn't you save an thi way?” he demanded, © “°F “| ‘Did there—seem to be any need ~ bes Pete at gasped. ybe not, but playin, thing with him is different rem peasy Ing it with anybody el: Snake with warmth. ‘ou ought to have had sense enough to save out at The leader of the band turned a ‘age, reddening countenance on @ got sense enough left to that old fool and I'll do it!” he ‘ntated viciously, “Could anybody under the blue sky ever suspect that was going Oar Se Maks foe . yy,” the e je mitted, sourly ad. “Then, believe me when I tell you that I'm not done with him yet! 7 get that roll of hi nd I'll swindle him out of it with his eyes open, T'll trim that crafty old scoun- one ren that”— tee 8 “He's looking at you,” ish Brute mattered. With a fearful wrench the master mind caused his vibrating anatomy to relax. He glanced at the good captain with that simple count nance in full view, dismay fled awif: ly from Robert Pollar perturbed brain and warm confidence crept back to her place. He had been right in the very first place in his estimate of the elderly adventurer; he was right now. Guile- less as a child in many ways, Captain Velvet was protected from disaster only by a cloak of plain, incompre- hensible luck—and that could snatched away! There was something positively childlike about the captain's over- whelming pleasure just now. He patted his triumphant Blister ana chuckled a: yed them and said: “You ain't sore, Robby?” “Not at all.” The guiding mind was amiable. “You look as if your headache had come back, Bill?” the Captain sug- a3) Spanish Brute. if “You better go find your dog, Jim,’ Capt. Velvet added with a crude guf- taw. don’t want him!” snapped James Evans. bei , it only goes to show that you never want to bet on what seems to be," their benefactor philosophized, “Judgment’s the thing you want to bet on—judgment just got me five hundred and fifty dollars that I didn’t even know was around the place, and I've seen times when it got me & whole lot more. “Why, there was a feller years ago in Foo Chow that had to bet on some- thing every ten minutes or bust. He got to pestering me one night, and finally he wanted to bet me 50 to 1 that one of the junks anchored off shore’d sink before morning. Nice, new boat, too, and tight as a drum; and yet he had a bag o’ gold coin to aay si be at the pottom before dawn. Well, sir, I took him up, and long about midnight darned if he didn’t row out to her with a big brace and eho ing to bore her bottom full o° ole He beamed at Mr. Pollard. “And she sank?" that gentleman asked politely. “No, she didn't Robby, bacause I waiting for him with a club—and when came long before dawn, she was floating as nice and tidy as ever. That's where the judgment came in, and I won. What else is there around here that I can bet on?” the captain demanded jovially. He rubbed his nands and grinned his innocent boyish pleasure; and in- spiration came stealthily to Mr. Pol- lard, It was a small trick and be- neath bi yet the Snake's loaded dice wer wolutely infallible in the hands of killed manipulator. “You can't bet on anything with me, unless you lend me what you've just won,” Mr. Pollard said. “That was all the loose change I had.” “Jim and Bit ‘began the tain. “He had ours.” The Spanish Brute was laconic. ‘That was it.” “So if you care to let me try again on that basis,” the guid! mind con- tinued, “we'll roll dice @ while Vel- vet, decision. “The only feller that ever really came alive tried it withers nat i inch. @ sort be got two hosses. muttered the stunned bi es, cs "Then lend me that five bun- dre “I'll tell you, Robby,” the simple soul broke in earnestly, “I'd do tein a minute, but I've got a sorter super- stitution, too, about money that touches that money. ‘You see, that’s all money I've collected, one way and another, and I've never seen a cont of it out. I kinder gc* the idea that if it ever started awa: it'd never but sald the cap- whole place belongs to “All ‘right, then, damn ‘it! #afa@ Mr. Pollard, in a sudden flare of “I'll bet the place!” Next thing is, what on?” mused their benefactor, and permitted his keen eye to rove the landscape in search of opportunity. “You know, this is all fun for me—this little ex- citement after the quiet life I've heen leading for a year.. This—aba!” His thick forefinger pointed straight ahead. “There's our racetrack We'll have e!” thundered Capt. Velvet. Spanish . Brute. “Why not, Bill?” asked the captain, taken aback, “Because you've got something Planted in that stable—you've got something fixed with one of those Pollard’s scowl halted him, to be sure, yet not before a look of pain to Captain Velvet's eye. It was with pity, too, rather than anger et he gazed at William Ryan as he sald: “I dunno what call you had to say that, Bill, but I don't take it at all kindly. I never see those hosses be- fore yesterday and I ain't seen ‘em since. And—by ginger! don't like that kind of talk at all!” cried the captain, with growing vigor. “If you feel that way about it I'll do just this: you go look over those hosses and pick the one that looks hest. "tl take the one you don’t wa and back him ten to one to win’ is that rtin’ or ain't it?” His cheek bad flushed darkly ain, Mr, Pollard thrilled, z you—really mean that?” he asked, a “Did you ever he me crawl?” de- manded the captain. ‘The guiding mind laughed lightly. “It's absurd as the dog-fight, of course, but—we'll get a little fun out of it,” he said. un along to the stables, all of you. I'll join you there, I'm going to t @ moment to see if there's any mail. He grinned at them away slowly. Glancing hey were on ¢! sb and he qui miling animatedly t ig with their capital, of course, had been something of a shock, but it was really unimportant. ‘The good captain was keyed up to betting now and had found what he desired to back. The rest of It was merely detail work. Bo that the elderly gardener, look- ing up from a flower bed a minute or two later, found the new owner re- garding him benigniy as he asked ks ve been here for a good while, haven't you?" ‘ “Twenty years or more, sir,” sald the gardener. “And the—er—racing stable?” sald Mr. Pollard. ‘That has been here all those ” wi gardener removed his hat and mepgped his honest brown. “Henry P. was here whon I came— & fine horse in them days, too, sir. He was in his prime when I came here twenty years He's all done now. Lisette, she's considerable younger, “How old ia she?” “Lazette can't be much more'n fif- years "sald the a. 1 there ain't an: had no trouble passing Henry P., even in his prime, eb?” fair roader, Caution was getting into his very bones. To the naked eyes the differ- ences between Lisette and her assoo! ate seemed plain; ~ he had felt the need of confirmation. Now he had received it. If Capt. Velvet chose to back Henry \P. they would have a race; if he -had. changed his mind they would have some other innogent game. Whistling, therefore, Mr. Pollard made his way back to the stables and joined his friends. ‘The Snake and William Ryan seemed to have worked capably in his ab- sence. Capt. Velvet greeted bun with calm, good nature and an amused: “They tell me to take this Henry P. beat you, Robby hoss a Mr. Pollard shru and patted the mari aa is our beast then. I'm satis- shoulders joing to ~'*. ber yourself, Rob- the good Captain, 1” the Snake broke in rudely, “I don't say that dog fight wasn’t on the level, but I never saw @ dog act like that before. Let's have the rules of this horse-racing business settled now, before we get any dee Is it going to be a race or do they sta -d in front of the grand stand there and bite each other to a le _race—twice ‘ound this track,’ id Capt. Velvet, e hoss coming in first to be con- red the winner.” ‘And all bets are off if the race takes more'n a week,” added the Spi ish Brute, as he concluded an ins} tion of Henry P. “And so fu the other details go, A concluded the Cap- tain. ‘The Snake smiled with an uncanny brightne: “In other words,” he said, “we just get our horses into the best possible shape between now and”—— ck this afternoon,” sup- Velvet, “That'll be a good “And we'll start ‘em off at 4 o'clock and run straight through the mile and ‘anything go “4 “Anything the Cap- tain repeated. a of 12 now. Let's have some lunch. turned unconcernedly from Henry P. and strolled out Into the sunshine with Blister at his side. He sniffed the sweet air, too, and broke into one of big remarkable song! the memories it brought seeme carry him far from Bymere Haven and all that concerned it—for he swaggered on out of sight without turning. Mr. Pollard, watching him go, ‘We'll eat first,” said the Snake. “Then you keep him with you, and I'll take a@ little ride in the car— alone.” “Where?” “To the nearest good drug-store, Robby.” “Bomething for Lizette?” P..” correct. “['didn't ride a year for nothing. I know about eight good Preacriptions to hand a horse when he's ready to race, but the one Henry 1 I'm going to feed reparation that will turn his legs to marble and put him #0 sound asleep that you could fire a cannon under him without having him twitch—and it doesn't show much, either.” The sinful Bnake permitted himself chuckle. @ shame to dope a poor old horse like that,” he murmured, “Maybe it is,” returned Mr. Pollard, and the sudden tense lines about his ith rather startled the dapper 1 we're going to do away with the ~ ¥ e I get the bets Axed on this ry’s going to Joue it, if I have to laseo him and tle him to the fence!” “And afterward we blow, Robby?” the Spanish Brute asked with some anxiety. ‘ “After I've treated him to @ clean- up that he'll remember to his dying day—perhaps, if he has nothing left to get!” said the master-mind savagely. At the splendid: old house, when atrolled in, amiling chatting, xcellent captain had per mitted his appetite to best his man. ners, He was lunching and hummi at the same time—the while them with twinkling eyes all full of innocent pleasure at the afternoon's prospect. He was quite plastic once more, and Mr. Pollard himself lunched happily enough. In this frame of mind, de- taining him while the Snake departed on his wicked mission would be simple. The guiding intelligence, then, per- mitted William Ryan and the Snak to do the talking, and devoted hinself to devising no less than seven different and perfect schemes to forestall and * shatter any impulse on Capt. Velvet's Part to go automobiling that early afternoon, His planning was entirely wasted. Luncheon over, the good captain strolled to the veranda and contem- plated the landscape for a little, ae iy Pollard. “L do,” @aid the captain, “There's nothing like @ soda cracker when you want just @ bita%cs ie gulding,Antelligence stared at him from the diy “I believe I'll go down and find that crossroads store and buy a bag,” Capt. Velvet muttered, “Well, the car”"— James Evans be- “L don't want the ci factor said irritably. und in that thing. I’ failed to invite him, Blist the Spanish Brute up approvingly and jogged afte: an thus they moved down the long drive and out of sight. “Where's this confounded store?” so,” naid the Snak ‘Doi about that, Robby, My town's in the other direction. I can alide out by three o'clock —there was really no chance to meeting him.” ‘hen go ahead and slide,” directed their lei ‘And Jimmy!” “What tl ‘Remember that this ia the time elt ment of chance altogether, and don't get an absent-minded fit, Don't mix kerosene oil in your dose in . of gunpowder, and don't give the stuff to the wrong horse when you get back.” “But"— ‘m not throwing any rocks at your intelligence, Snake,” said Pol- lard, “but too rned many things have happened here already, Go on!" It was very peaceful and opething there on the veranda when he hi gone, The Spanish Brute, after a prolonged search, resurrected @ pipe that Mr, Pollard had banned for pubs lie exhibit filed it and lighted it and, with his heels elegantly prop) on the railing, relieved himself of a few unanswered comments finally fell altogether silent. Robert Pollard was far too deep in thought for conversation. There were & dozen little details to be covered mentally and provided for, He canvassed the whole field of powsibilities—and in the end a gen’ rested upon his well-cut fe: So far an the human under- nding could go—uniess Henry P. @uccul to the infirmities of age before 4 o'clock, there wan really no chance to lose this time. The hour was approac! ing too, It was well:past 3 now, end neither the Snake | Velvet Of iad : Kil Mt Wie L LED med and Sato’ at a Me reg ba F tofyr? Srpte, vane RES aa Yeon Pes inn DeeteP ays es ee startled—and weemed to have hag throt house from the rear, me watiafacti There was unhol; lon in le took the chair and from Evang, “it but If that and fall in man wise cost rf old skate doesn’ ie sleep and put the before the thing starts, nothing but @ motor truck will ever get him around that track.” “Well, is he going to slip?” Mr, Pel- lard a rply. ‘The Snake's mouth, curling in a su- perior smile, straightened to a smile of welcome suddenly. Without undue noise Captain Velvet had strolled the bottom of the veranda steps a was looking placidly at them. In one hand his bag of crackers swung and he was munching contented! “They're not talking but the yacht races hereabouts,” he bevel tated. “When are they?” “Day after to-morrow, Robby. I b'lieve I'll enter this Lavinia we got with the place and eee what she'll She ain't right aloft, by any manner o’ means, but there's ty ¥ Spore canis it 2 Ouse. ‘es, ait, ‘eve He nodded absently and) minched on, “But we're to_race horses this Snernoon?™ Mae. Pollard oeug- goated. Captain Velvet started and looked watch. at hi 5 “Upon my word, I'd forgotten all avout it soar ‘he sald. “Suppose Je tting cold feet on Henry, hey?’ the Spanish Brute inquired with a sneer. “I don't blame you, Uy va crawl myself if I'd offered to bet on that bone rack.” ‘ The tain rose slowly. "Did Tay I'd bet on that horse?” laughed William Ryan, “but —— i) bet on him, Bill.” Capt. Vel- ae was brief. “What you got bet Pollard jeaned forward ear- Mr. going to have a horse race put a little human interest he said. “I've been it over, and I'm willing to bet the farm here, at ten to one. That's what you offered.” “Counting the farm wuth about fifty thousand dollars, bey?” “lm 80,” The good captain sighed resignedly. “1 dunno's I'd be go ready to lose if it was mine, Robby,” he said, “put you know best what you to do with your own place. I ga' it I—sorter owed you & debt, but it back again, I piece of paper an yawned as Mr. Pollard brought n fountain pen and an old en- velope. “Now, jest say: ‘I bet fifty thou- sand dollars at ten to one, with Capt. Velvet, on the mare Lisette in the hoss race this afternoon, giving this farm and everything appertainin’ to it as security, in case I lone.’ Sign your namo to that, stick o! ve it to me, Robby,’ plainly demented old gentle dunno's that's just the le but it'll do.”* He picked out another of his crack- ers and crunched it as Mr. Pollard F scribbled, amiling, He read the document carefully, too, trac neat lines with his horny forefi ang thee be looked up and & id: “Now papers, yy?" “En?” you got about owning Capt. Velvet puraned “I gotter have them for poeury to put along with this, You waatbr, “The papers peeps i kr ts : i : il : if if i i if He ft = ‘ F E rn that satlatectory, “Portect!: smiled the master- mind. “Let's go do it,” sald Capt. Velvet, CHAPTER XI.- With Chance Eliminated. fates, HE man-servant’s lips were snowy white, and the hands that held the bulky paper bag trembled violently. X “But—God diess my soul, sir!” he chattered. “I’ “It's all rigbt, Phil,” sald the cap- tain kindly. “You've got more'n half & inilijon dollars o’ mine under your rm there, and I'm a poor man and I you' been to Kat. him! That's the ret “On the tiek, it mo reegeb he thing I eS a téme, at least, at me Kt It'a ten All right,” dodd te ering saree 001 dimoulty. bridle of his sorry forth—and with Honry P. there ¢lination to can’t afford to take any risks with it. tae! You just keep it careful till F tell you to give It back to me, and nothing’! happen. _"But—how long before you'll want it back again?” asked Philip. “What? Oh, land! Not m or fifteen minutes at the ‘a teh talde.” kept as cl faithfal “pay, Rooby, “Ie what right?” “Tri an old guy like that— that ain't a!l there is bis mind,” the Spanish Brute said earnest!: neon follers run into terrible hard luck after a stunt like this.” Ryan. ‘elvet'’s going ond childhood—anybody put real money on that Heary P.— and he's getting woree fast and sho ase Tis evest T don't bother this fe chance to plan how to get the rest of his money, Snake!” “Yes?” “Can ride stilt” “T can.” eny' Ls ebuckled Mr. lard os he burried after the peer. tain, ‘The soldier of fortune was examin- ing bia mount when they reached the stables. Hi with some difficulty. too, for the lucky animal ged } ego d at tal backer In yore ing, Mr. lard studied the pair and felt his sinful heart grow Warmer and more assured—as a matter of fact Bill seemed. to be right. Capt. Velvet's keen mentality was least on @ temporary vacation smoked and looked over Henry. with eye it saw nothing at all of the equin failings. Now he wae saying: “You get me his saddle, Philip.” him up e little?” m just going to saddle him Fn see how he walks, Robby,” Capt. Vel- vet said dublously. “He ain't up to much for looks just now—not nea! much as I thought, but I guess he'll have to do.” “I gueas he will, unless you want to quit re we start,” sald the Snake, ee n't, Jimmy,” sighed the cap- tain, “Stick the saddie on his back, Phil, and treat him gentle.” The Gnake led Lisette fro stall. Rather apathetically the mare glanced from one to them; but she moved away with quit nese when th brought it, and even stiff;jointed prancing as he set It on her back. “You picked the lively one, Robby,” the captain sald, “There ian’t much to choose,” sald Mr. Pollard. “1 dunno about tha’ he adven- turer muttered as he looked moodily over his somnolent steed. “This un- nd m her elderly little and talk sense into him, buf—I dunno.” He concluded with a shrug. Mr, Pollard’s own smile grew very kindly, WwW. they're both old animals, of " he naid, thing, is course, “bub on of at william . a not dewn as he follo Philip and was taking iy. “I've ai is that would tal old man'a i him and you can,’ had led Henry P. forth— The far oT “And start Capt. Velvet he turned oonts, Bill His conscience stand. He was sort of et tlt the peed when I fire’'a) end rather “wa away. “Let's get © ously—and urely the thi ever pathetic, was Mr. Ryan, in his artless way, wondered just vet would do when the whether he would pay up as a or seek to find whether he would go. of senility. Capt as he settled comfortal Pri A . tor tna that it bs] ee a me the weather-beaten chairs stand. Out there tn the sunshine Robby f tainly were pl ‘They came to atand, and Jai enraged, cursed for trving to hug the fence. “They look even thev look even to you renting heavy on my conacience, You { Ne very nearly 200 pounds, do you no! “One-ninety-eight. Why?" ‘ “Rocause it in altoxether too much for that poor old horse to carry, and of the running before sald looked around absent “That's curious!”