Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-08-30

the steamer doctor said ed trained finer'n
e could stand. Z was buried at sea, sir"
"And are you all alone over here, with |
out any friends?'
"Only me mother, if you please, sir |
I'll be 'avin to support her now"
"That's so: you will, responded Bur
nett, with the shade of amusement as
courteously concealed as if he had been
discussing the great game of base ball with
the Chinese minister. "And what is your
particular profession?
81 aven't none, sir, but if you please,
sir, me father always said l was andy with
'osses.n
"You inherit it, presume. I'm sorry
your fathers dead. It's hard to lose faith
ers. He was one of the best men in a
crowd after the pole, MacMasters, l ever
saw" And young Burnett unused so long
over the treasure he had lost that the
younger Billy ventured to break in:
Don't you need another lad around
your stables, sir?'
"Why, l don't know, I'm sure. A boy
can't support his mother unless ne has
something to do, can he?'
"No, sir"
"Where are you now?'
1--WE as a little room down town, sir,
but we 'asnt much money left, an the
chap wot owns 1t e says I'll ave to 'ustle
round an get the rent, or hout we goes"
"Well, well, that is financial crisis,
isn't it?''
81 amt just sure wot that is, sir, but l
knows it's bloody tough"
"They all are, these financial troubles.
MacMasters, you might run down with
this lad and see if what he says is all
straight; and il it is, pay up their rent for
a few weeks, and then take him up to the
stables and tell Mr.. Yorke to give him
something to do. He may make a rider
yet" And the young Mr.. Burnett turned
to his timetable and was flooded with light
and Joy by discovering that the Resort
Filler stopped at Pebble Beach junction
at :0j and got into the city at ) As, Civ
ing him ample time, by having the capable
| MacMasters meet him at the station and
help him struggle into evening dress in his
carriage, to enter Mrs Droysen's drawing
room only few minutes late.
! MacMasters found everything ''all
straight at Billy's home. When it be
came known at the stables that Mr.. Bur
nett himself had engaged the lad, he
| promptly became an object of considera-
BILE envy among the little family of stable
| boys, rubbers-down and eXercsers Mr..
Norke soon discovered, too, that Billy was.
a. he had said, andy with osses.' and
he gave the boy considerably more latitude
than he did the rest OF the underlings,
particularly after the day when the owner
visited the stables and, recognizing his
young importation, had spoken TO him
kindly and whispered to Mr.. Norke that ii
would be a great thing If Billy the young
er should prove TO have inherited certain
talents from his father.
Billy was a grateful little chap and next
to his mother he worshiped his young
master with a devotion which was as sin
cere as it was unknown to the owner OF
Settler.
Next after these came Settler herself
1t was a curious affection which sprang VI
between the promising mare and the lad
and it dated almost from the very moment
that the animal had been assigned to Billy
to care for and exercise.
A splendid mare was Settler. and great
things were expected of her What hour:
Billy spent in fussing over the thorough
bred's toilet and then the glory OF tn,
early morning exercise spin and the warm
ing up before Humber. the jockey, go
around to put in the fine work on the
mares training.
There's things ! knows about tina
mare wot even TIMBER don't" he had re
marked to Mr.. orke one day after he hat
made a little private test of Settlers gai
on the stretch OF the practice track which
lay around out OF sight behind the woods
And Mr.. Norke had only smiled good-na-
turedly.
1t was the day before the great race fol
the La Rue stakes, and all the town, seem
ingly was waiting on the result. Seltze
was big favorite in the betting, witt
David only point less popular, Rainbow
next Max O. Rel next. and big field
with some rUmoTs OF dark horses II
the evening young Burnett CHANGED TO b.
passing a wel-known betting resort. ant
out OF curiosity stepped inside. A book
maker was Just making few of the regu
lation remarks: 80 you fellows are afrai,
of the favorites, are you, and don't dar
pick a thirty-to-one shot? Well, now, II
just pick a winner myself once, to SHOW
you how. pick Settler, gentlemen. VIII
wants the field against her at four to one
. No one? Well I'll make it three to one
thirty to ten, three hundred to one hun
, dred. Come on, come on; I'll bet you any
way and any figure" Just then a youn
man tuHtu quietly luTOuHI lLt tIONl, utl
: a short conversation with the book-makeI
! received a ticket, and edged quietly out o
the place. Burnett looked troubled. II
= had recognized the man as Humber
brother-in-law. This looked odd. Pullin
! his hat down over his face he hurried on
just in time TO see the young man disap
, pearing into another betting-room farthe
= down the street.
Burnett followed him. The former tran
saction was repeated, though the odds wer
( only five to two, and the young man quiet
! ly retired as before, followed by Setter
! interested owner. This time the chase wa
g longer. Far up the street the young ma
> paused in the shadow of building, and a
) instant later was joined by another ma
who was evidently waiting for him. Their
was short colloquy, and the two sepa
: rated.
= Burnett drew back into doorway. Tn
) latest party in the affair passed hurriedly
! Humber remarked the man in tn
: doorway in a whisper to himself "Strang
] how hard it is TO be honest, even on sa
+ AIRY with five figures in it,
S Billy the younger was asleep, curled II
X like little ball in his bed, when he awok
? suddenly to find Burnett bending owe
him.
; Don't be alarmed, my boy said hi
I employer, kindly, as the lad rose up quick
4 ly in a tremor Of apprehension. ''Do yo