The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-12
PART III.

= pitch of excitement all the after
noon. and as the time for the handicap
arrived she was conscious of a nervous
tremor running through her in spite
of herself. Only few moments before
the race was called note was handed
her by messenger, saying: do not
leave after the races until l see you. 1
have found your wheel and will give IL
20 you myself. provided win the ham
dicap race. In that event. Will hold
YOU to your promise; If do not, viii
saw nothing about it. Remember that
YOU promised TO be my mascot. Mel
son."
1t was impossible for her to conceal
her delight at the recovery OF her lost
Wheel. "Oh, 1 have good news" she
,aid, in reply to the inquiring glances OF
aer friends. "Mr. Scott has found my
,icycle and will give it to me after the
aces. 1t is almost too good to be-
Seve."
Hastily borrowing pencil, she wrote
IN reply: "A thousand thanks for my
wheel. If / am a mascot you are
wizard-you shall win the race. Jose
phine."
The girls in the box exchanged
cIances. ''He is a fine-loolking man,
said the girl in the buff topcoat, criti-
cally surveying Scott through her field
glasses. ~ heard the other day tha' he
is going to Australia with that racing
team that goes out soon. Do you know
about il, Josephine, but of course you
do, when you are up in everything about
cycling?"
s'I have a cousin out in Australia"
said the girl in the red roses, land he
likes il awfully. have an invitation to
go out there and visit him. but dor t
know about it. How do you think you
would like such trip, Josephine p
Josephine was spared the reply that
did not rise readily to her lips. The
bell rang. The track was clear. save for
the men who were lined up in the long.
ladder-like line that stretched from
the tape to a point four hundred yards
in advance, and for the men who care
fully held the wheels with tense mus
cles, waiting for the sharp crack OF
pistol that should announce the critical
instant for the start 1t was the lrst
heat of the handicap, and Scott was on
t:se scratch, while before him ynrie-
r.ted line of men showed him WIN: he
must -rrsG and pass, IL he would qualf
fy in tSe final.
"You seem to be nervous, Scott,
said his trainer. This will never do
Brace up--you're better than any other
man on the ladder. Lay low till tht
last mile and then ride your best. The
only man you need fear is Baird, anc
oe isn't in the best condition to-day
All you have to do Is to hang to the
bunch in the lead and look out for the
man who is getting ready to sprint or
the home stretch"
There was long. broken line oi
color OH the track where the racing
volors of the men were stretched out
for the contest. The excitement oi
the grand stand was stilled for the sig
nal. The man on scratch threw up his
head and gave one swift glance in the
direction of the boxes and then low
cred it over his wheel with such an all
as an ancient gladiator might have
awaited the rush of his foe in the arena
In the boxes one girl was oblivious ts
the subdued buzz of voices about her
land saw only one man of all the group
There was final instant of silence
then the timers in the stand nodded
several officials on the track stepped
TO one side, the starter raised his arm
and q second later pistol rang on
sharply on the autumn stiffness. Th
men were off like flash--their wheel
rocking for a moment with the uncer
tain vibration of the start, and then
race for a prize and more than priz
was on. A roar of applause from tn
ICrand stand and the boxes, the ban'
broke into popular march, The Lad
der wavered and then broke befor
IJosephine's eyes--she saw nothini
clearly until the line of racers passe
directly in front of the judges stand
and she saw by the relative position o
the men that the real struggle had no
vet commenced, although she did no
feel certain whether the riders had bee
once or twice around. The men wcr
strung out in a straight line and wer
running easily, watching one anothe
closely and on their guard for the flint
mile. 1t was an interesting but not
together exciting heat, although al III
end of the fourth mile the cheers OF tli
multitudes in favor of Baird, the clevt
local favorite, created decided sfi
Men and women stood up in their sea-
and called to him.
"Bllly" came in all right, and SO al
hree other men, but Josephine kne
,nly that Nelson Scott was one, and
aad qualified for the final.
"Why is handicap run IN heats, an
why are they called heats?" asked u
girl with the red roses.
sOh. because it's according to II
rules" replied Josephine. absently'
The girl i'm the red roses and the 81
in the buff topcoat looked at one a
other, and then the first put up her pr
ernmme and whispered TO the secon
after which both looked wise and ask'