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


Climber hup),' an four of the evenin'
papers tips Settler for a winner, an two
more tips 'er for second place
"I'll be able to fix that all right yet to-
night. I'm on the way now. l shall de-
pend on you, Billy. You'll do your best /
for me, won't you?'
Indeed l will, sir, an I'll ask Settler
to do 'er best too, sir
can right. ] trust you, remember. |
Now YOU won't see me until after the race. |
Mr. Yorke will understand and take care of
you about your cnlors and all that. These
are the only instructions for you to re-
member: Let her 60 for the first quarter,
! then if you are well up among the leaders
hold her in bit until you round into the
stretch, and then push her to win. Do
you understand"
! Eyes, sir"
And now they are away. At the first
turn it is Rainbow. Max O'Ren. David.
Seltzer. with the field punched close be-
hind. Billy drew a poor position for the
start, but he has pushed Settler for the
pole at the turn in an almost miraculous
way. He is lying close over the mares
neck, and is talking to her eagerly: run,
darlin', run. We've got to win. We've
Jest got TO. Dads watchin' us, you know.
Go! Hi! Hi, Go"
The mare seems to understand, for she
almost flies. Past David, past Max O Rel,
past Rainbow, length ahead as the
quarter pole flashes by. Now, little by
little. the mare drops back again. Billy is
following instructions. It's taking big
chances, he thinks in his secret soul, to do
il. 1t wouldn't be his way; but it's what
Mr.. Burnett said.
The terrible pace is beginning to affect
the temporary leaders. Max O'Rell and
Rainbow are being out-footed by the rush
ing David. Now he is ahead. and Rain
bow and Max O. Rel and settler are abreast
close behind But Billy has taken advant-
age of the momentary lead to snatch the
pole, and is close behind the leader. Now
they are near the last turn Rainbow and
Max O. Rel are beginning to pound heavily
and are dropping farther and farther back.
But what black nose is this which has
come up close TO Settlers flank? Billy
gances around. Wonder Of wonders. it is
Mortality rank outsider II looks as
though there was TO be a surprse-party
Inch by inch the new counr is gaining
How Billy longs to get into the home
stretch, so that he can push the mare a
j bit, Mortality Is coming on like a whiri-
wind. David is close ahead. Settler will
be in a pocket in another dozen yards.
{ with too short a distance left to 90 round
on the outside, keep up the pace, and have
] an even show al the finish. II must be
/ now or never, instructions or no instruc-
d tons He loosens up on the mare. calls 10
her, taps her lightly, and feels her respond
as she straightens ont under him.
They gain foot or two, but still Nor
2 tally hangs close at Buly's saddle and
I "a SOL Q
I isn't enough. Something must be done,
quick.
. "Forgive me. OF girl" calculates Billy
p as he raises his whip and, with almost a
. sob that he is obliged TO DO IT, brings the
l lash down sharply on the mares TANKS.
J With a maddcned bound She springs ahead.
her ears are laid back and her nose stretch
ed out almost on line with her neck
Billy swings her out, and they come strain
ing down the stretch, with the mare gain.
Z ing inch by inch Oh the leader; now she j.,
T. on his quarter-the saddle; a few bounds
u and it Is neck aud neck.
Mortality has swung out. and is follow
Ing close behind. third from the pole Tn,
i wire j. terribly near Whoever wins vii
= win by sh ri head.
u suddenly something happens \ nurse
l girl with her escort down close by thu
' and her little charge has toddled out upon
tue track and stands piteously helples,
right III the path OF the flying racers
- Billy sees ii all in an instani-the Mortified
expression on the nurse. girls face, and tn,
70 daZed look OF the little tOddler on the tracl
!, ahead. He can guide Settler around her
= he thinks, but nothing can save the baby
from the rushing field behind
/, What can he do? single false move
" and the race is lost. 1t won be his faul
a if the child is crushed, anyway. and TO vii
= the race means SO much, But, someway
something in the appealing face of tn,
\ baby makes him think of the little sste
- asleep in the tiny English church-yard 5,
II far away over the water, and-he can
4, help it, he must do something. But what
O Like fash he remembers a picture h,
- once saw of a brave hussar who snatched
2 little child from in front OF flying regi
\ ment OF horse. After the Wild Yves
Z show was on the other side. all the lad
o about the stables had practsed for week
d picking up articles from the ground b,
p dropping over the horses sides, and n
If had been the best of them all; but this wa
e so different He knew he would fail: bu
: he must try. With one hard pull on TIN
% reins he drops them, and with a cry :,
II Settler he slips his left foot through tn
, stirrup and draws the slender iron up /,
ar his knee, kicks his other foot clear, an,
throws himself wildly TO the right straigh
l. down over the horses side. There h.
re hangs, by one knee, head down, his arm
/ outstretched, and his little body swingin!
: wildly against the racers side at yer,
,s bound.
n Settler falters in her pace and drop
n back With wild sweep of his arm Bill,
n clasps the little form close and lifts tn
e baby clear OF the ground as the horse
i hurl by. The strain is terrible one, an,
he can only drag himself up a little way
le lis lee is almost broken by the sharp stir
rup. He can only bend himself up as ia
,e as possible, close his eyes, ami hold tight
q He hears the Nild shouts from the crowd
/ as David sweeps by, a winner On the
90 for it seems mile, but in reality only
p ~ ~