The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-09-13

~ Miss Harding's gray hack ranged up
alongside Of the sober cob. and that
young lady bid him bright good NOR.
row. i've something to show you that'll
please you. ! think" and the worthy
mans face grew even redder than before
with secret citation a. he pointed with his
whip towards the line of horses walking
to and fro near them.
Janet's quick eyes travelled scrutiniz.
ingly over the group, and then she ex.
claimed; ~ see! That bay horse walking
behind old Dancing Master Is new ar.
rival. What horse is II, BarnesY'
tits the first favorite for the Two
Thousand Miss Janet, that's what II ISL
said the old man proudly, In tone which
suggested beat that II you can."
Janet Harding colored rosy red. and
eagerly exclaimed: do you really mean
1t Is Culloden. Lord Francis Erldon's
horse?"
II do, said Mr.. Barnes sententiously
"But don't understand! You are not
his trainer, BarnesY' inquired Miss Hard
ing, with puzzled air.
mot before this week, Miss Janet
But you see his lordship had bit Of q
tiff with his own trainer, somehow,
though can't tell you the rights Of it
all. because don't know them myself,
exactly; but the long and short Of 1t is,
that his lordship wrote me letter, and
an uncommon fattering letter too, Miss
Janet, asking me to take charge of his colt
and train him for his engagement in the
Two Thousand and though five weeks
Is little enough time to have given me
for to wind him up as would like, I'll
do my living best by the colt, and that's
all I can Gay. AYE, but he's a clever
shaped one, Miss Janet! Though his
tember's not to my fixing, perhaps. But
you shall see him gallop."
The uncomfortable stab Of pain which
any thought connected with Francis
Erldon so invariably brought to Janet's
heart, died away in the breathless inter.
est with which she watched the horse on
which rumor said Francis Erldon's last
hope depended-and for once rumor did
not err.
When Lord Francis had parted from
Janet Harding on the terrace at Erldon
that bright autumn day, now six months
ago, he had gone out into the world
well nigh ruined man, wrecked by every
sort of rock a mans life may split on.
Harassing debts and difficulties sur.
rounded him on all sides, and how to ex-
tricate himself he knew not. More than
one complaisant heiress threw herself at
his head, less noble minded than Janet
Harding, but far more willing to buy
his title and his handsome face at any
price, but he would none of them.
Strange to say, the thought that once
had seemed SO easy solvence Of all his
troubles, /. e., Ito marry an heiress,"
now appeared positively loathsome to
him. and since the day on which he had
clasped Janet's hand in farewell, no other
woman in the world could boast of hav
ing won even an admiring look from him,
or a single word of aught save the
merest courtesy.
But chance of rescue came from an
unexpected quarter. A cousin of his
had died suddenly, one who had been
his "chum" at school, his companion in
many racing venture later on, and
who, having nothing else to leave as a
legacy behind him, bequeathed the best
of bad lot of 2-year-olds to his well
beloved friend and cousin, Lord Francis
Erldon. This colt had only just sue
ceeded in getting "place" in the Cham
payne stakes at Doncaster, but improved
rapidly winning the Middle Park plate
with such consummate ease from field
of good horses in the month following,
that he settled down firmly as first favor
tie for the 1.-Two Thousand" throughout
the long dead season of the year.