Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-01-25

wall, have my reasons and mean to
Keep them but 1 give you my word O
honor that Jack will, bar accidents, MAKE
as good, II not better, time this year thar
he did last"
"Redlips rides Jack, as usualr' asked
VeZan, anxiously.
"She doesn't do anything of the sort.
Tony. Redllps is for Bessie this year.''
The colonel referred to Digger-Indian
girl whom he had bred up to use as a
Jockey, and who was considered the best
and most expert rider for hundred miles
around.
Vezan bit his lip and frowned, snapped
his fingers and muttered curse.
But" Antoine began, eagerly. 81
thought she was to ride Jack ?''0
mo; Redlips Is going to put the new
mare through, sure;" and Ringeur smiled
complacently and sauntered out of the
bar.
No sooner had he disappeared
than handsome but dissipated
looking man entered and saluted
the company with a careless How air
yep then drank at single swallow over
| three-fOurths Of a tumbler of Bourbon
meat" On the newcomer Antoine
looked with degree of interest that
plainly grew stronger every minute. and
finally he advanced toward him and re-
quested him to imbibe another glass of
whisky, proposition to which hasty
assent was given.
The newcomers name was Charlie
Tauter. By profession he was {" monte
thrower' and card sharper, and also the
lover Of Redlips, before mentioned. A
half hour or so of general conversation
passed, in which all took a share, when
m Ell ,,fl 30
and bade the company good-day.
A moment later, Tanter tossed off the
remainder of his whisky and also lett the
rancho. Awaiting him outside was the
Frenchman. who looked about him suspi-
ciously, and asked,
|" Eth, mon ami Charles, is it that you
laid much on the race?''
Wall, Tony, don't mind telling you;
I've backed Etoile, and hedged some hun
dreds on Jack. jedge that's about the
thingT'
t" You are going to see Ia belle .Sauvage,
is it not so, Charles?;'
=" Yes, l reckon so she'll be down at
the stables, guess"
Antoine was silent for few minutes,
and apparently absorbed i'm knotty prob
lem of great importance, judging from
the many and varied expressions that
came and went on his mobile features.
"YOu wanted to see me about"
"Yes, yes! One second, and you shall
learn what want. You have heard of
re colonePs new mare, Bessie?'
"Yes, and she is q puzzler to me, and
more besides. The kernel seems to be
backing her lively, and he's not man to
lose money if he can help it. I'm afraid
OF the critter myself-she's been kept too
dark; and Ringeur's moves are rather de-
ceptive sometimes. Do you know any
thing about her, Tony?'
What the after conversation between
the two worthless produced will be learned
further on; but as they parted, Antoine
shook Charlie heartily by the hand. and
whispered; "If la belle Salvage win do
this, two thousand shall find its way into
your pockets you understand ?" To
which he responded:
"All right, Tony; anything for a square
pile. Keep still as a COmanche on the
trail, and I'll see what can be done. But
the gals catamount when she gets no.
ton into her head and If her mind is set
on the mares success, it will be bard to
manage. Why, as much as she loves me,
can't get word out Of her about Bessie,
and she'll neither say lay nor don't lay.
The job is worth the money"
Hidden from view among the dense
brush by the creek-side, about three hours
after Tauter and Vezan had parted, stood
two persons, conversing in low but rapid
tones. One was an Indian girl about
seventeen or eighteen years of age. She
was small in stature, but superbly pro-
pOrtiOned, from her well-poised head
down to the slender feet encased in the
daintiest braided motcasins. Her hair
was long. thick and black, her face oval
and her features regular and handsome.
At the present moment her large dark
eyes were afiame with excitement, and
the pOuting crimson lips downdrawn at |
the corners, as In pleading, angry sor-
row. She was clad in soft, gay Cunic OF |
fawnssin, and short leggings, ornamented |
with shells, beads and stained horse-hair, |
and every emotion, every gesture,
showed how 1.-the and supple was her
girlish form. The other was Charlie |
Tauter, who seemed to be angrily expos
tulating with his companion; his argu-
ments and entreaties, however, were too |
thickly interspersed with oaths to bear
repetition. The following portions of his |
conversation you may render as spicy |
as you please:
"But Redlips, my gal, I'll lose pile if
you refuse"
"Oh, Charlie! Redlips would do any,
thing for you but this. Don't ask her to |
betray the man who has been her friend |
ever since she was motherless papoose."
"Who Is your best friend ?" he roughly
demanded.
Winding her bare arms around his neck,
and kissing him passionately, she replied
and l0ve-smile frightened her sad
dened face-''You, my brave Redlips'
only love-"
"Th,n why can't you obey your best
friends command, eh?''
She was silent.
Thrusting her from him with fierce
Tauter exclaimed, 'Redlips,
understand this. now, If you don't do
what I've told you, you need never speak
to me again il you do I'll shoot you."
Fawneye staggered against cotton
tree and sobbed convulsively as she MUIR
INJURED, "Oh, Charlie, Redlips would die |
for you gladly, but she cannot turn trait
or to"
.'Redlips, my little gal, forgive M! J"
cried Charlie, and throwing his arms
about her waist, he toyed caressingly with |
her hair, and kissed her until her head |