Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-10-16
IeG her OUT Co the track. Remember,
Skimpsey," he said, "let her out early and
ri tc ,,

| ride to wln."
| Skimpsey knotted the reins and sat as
proudly in the saddle as any knight enter
| ing the lists. His freckled face was glow.
| ing as red as his hair and his blue ewes
shone with excitement. Then for an in
| slant he remembered the words of the
bookmaker. A thousand dollars! More
than enough to make the coveted five thou
| sandl He need not pull the mare. only
keep her from shooting her bolt at the
right moment. It would be set down tn
misconception of his orders, and that
| would be the end of it. Only for a mo-
ment, however, was he tempted, and then
he scorned the idea. Putting the Maid
Marian into canter, that sinuous. grace
full lope peculiar to thoroughbreds, he soon
| ranged with the other horses at the start
ing post
After several unsuccessful attempts to
get the horses off, the flag fell to a beauti-
full start Maid Marian running easily at
third place. Down past the grand stand
they came, the favorite, big bay, still
leading and Maid Marian third as before.
At the third post the Maid had moved up
to second place, and it was almost time for
her to make her coup. Skimpsey knew
this, but for an instant again Cripps' thou
sand dollars came into his mind. For
few seconds, that seemed hours to poor
Skimpsey, the temptation struggled with
his better nature. In that brief period he
thought of his mother, the green coat, the
silver chain and the beaver hat, and then
suddenly. when he had fought down the
temptation, he found it was too late to
send the Maid ahead according to orders.
For the favorite and another horse were
already two lengths ahead and contesting
almost neck and neck for the victory
Phen Skimpsey's conscience smote him
with awful force, and he settled down into
the saddle to ride-to ride as he never rode
before, as never jockey rode before. He
felt that all his honor, the honor of his
name, which, humble as it was, he had
worked so hard to recover, was at stake.
And SO that little ninety pound hero, who
had conquered his temptation, rode to win
the Seaside stakes of 1S9-. Hoping against
hope he pushed his noble mount on; slow
ly, oh, so very slowly he crept up to the
leaders. They had passed the last furlong
post and were nearing the winning point,
and the Maid had only managed to get her
nose abreast of the favorite's saddle girth.
One more supreme effort of the noble brute
One more endeavor and an unuttered
prayer from the lucky little rider, and they
had passed the judges stand with Maid
Marian ahead by the barest of noses.
A mighty shout went up from the multi
tude, which died, however, instantly For
Maid Marian had fallen few strides from
the post. There was cloud Of dust as
the other horses passed, and when it arose
Maid Marian had struggled to her feet and
galloped off, but Skimpsey-Skimpsey with
his little hand tightly clutching his whip,
and his face as white as death, lay still
and quiet on the dusty track. He had rid
den his last racel
They took him up and bore him to his
cot in the boys quarters. His heart was
still beating, and presently he opened his
blue eyes and looked up at the doctor who
was looking after him.
81 won, didn't I?' he said feebly.
"Yes, yes, my boyl but'-and the doctor
hesitated, dreading to tell him the truth.
"Oh, know" said Skimpsey weakly,
''it's inside of me; Pm dyin." then he
tainted away for a minute from pain.
Opening his eyes again, he breathed the
words:
''Tell Mr.. Hinton to send the money to
mother, to say was sorry couldn't make
5000, how sorry am to leave her. And
tell them," his voice sinking into whis-
per, II didn't pull the mare; came near
it, but won"
A ghost of a smile played about his lips
as he whispered the words. Then the pain
again caused him to faint away.
''Now, Maid" he whispered hoarsely,
when he came to again, ''Now, Maid, nowl
nowl ahp'
From across the track where the grand
stand stood came the sound of distant
roar. The last race was over, and the peo-
pie hurried away from the track in the
trains. in carriages and on foot, all bound
for home. Standing about humble cot
in the rude wooden quarters stood half
dozen men with heads uncovered, rough
fellows most of them, but subdued in the
awful presence of death. For Skimpsey,
too, had left the track and gone Home
Alfred Stoddart in Romance.