Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-02-04

Reading.

"'Well, Quilter, suppose you know
bv this time I'm ruined man, OF shall
be in a few hours from now, for yon
know that though Radix has won an
other trial, he did it no easier than on
the first occasion, and that's hardly
good enough. I've more than confirmed
all Bridoon told you, so, bar accidents,
the race Is Geranium's. All the same, l
have not abandoned all hope Of our fall
ing on our feet-that is, If you will do
what wish -:
"'Now, look here he continued, with
the boastful air Of half drunken
swashbuckler, I'm not going to stand
still and be reduced to beggary. so just
nav attention to what am about to
say. I've matur,ed plan that, if prop
eriv carried out must succeed in saw,
ing your money and mine. Hank, now
: and let me get through without inter-
ruption.'
"And for the next hour or more he,
was fully employed, laying before me-
truly desperate scheme, whereby
Radix should win the race and save his
hackers their money"
''The evil day arrived at last My first
anxiety was to learn If anything had
happened to Geranium during the last
70 hours; but, no, the betting told me
that; it was fast and furious, the
boollies refusing to lay more than five
to four, and old racing hands shook
their heads and declared it was an ull-
heard-of price with field expected to
reach two dozen starters, and most OF
them q hit above ordinary handicap
| class.
eve turned out of the paddock sharp
to time, Radk being voted the gentle
man of the party Notwithstanding the
furore over Geranium. While the cap
tain was whispering me final instruc-
tions I happened to glance across the
paddock, and there, right before me,
I saw Sir Giles watching, as dog would
a. rat hole, the captain IN way that
seemed to say: Go ON, sir; you may
give your orders, but hold the whip
hand at last, and, by the powers above
you may expect as much merry from
me as the falcon gives her quarry
''The mocking look on TINT mans
face brought mo up sharp, and before
we were half way to the post was as
keen on the job as the captain.
81 won't repeat in detail descrip-,
ton of the race; suffice it to say we
came away at rare bat, Radix ant
Geranium we'll placed; but saw from
the first that the flly's jockey had re-
ceived orders to simply watch me, and
so close did he stick to them that he
aggravated me almost beyond the point
of endurance, keeping as he did with
Geranium's muzzle just on level with
Radix's flank on my whip-hand. And
30 we went, Geranium's hoof-stroke
beating time to RadiX's, If increased
the pace the Ally likewise Improved
hers, and so we progressed in this ding
dong fashion until quarter OF mile
from home, when let Radix out for all
he was worth, as was not in the least
afraid of his staying home, and de-
termined to make bold bid for an
honest victory.
"The excitement Of the Spectators
was terrific, as Radix, pushing his head
we'll into his bride, went to the front
as fast as he could lay foot to the
ground. For some distance I was re-
ioiced to see that Radix more than held
his own, and that Geranium's pilot was
hard at work with his whip, in hot pur-
suit; but the small advantage 1 had
gained was Of only momentary dura-
ton, as the pace began to tell, and the
fIly came up hand over hand, my blood
running cold the while as saw her
nose come up level with my boot, and
then forge on until we were dead level,
head to head, knee to knee, in desperate
career.
"Thus we ran on locked together,
Radix, game as a pebble, answering my
repeated calls on him in the most IN
finching manner, until some 80 yards
from 'the man in the box when saw
for certain we should be beaten, as
Geranium's light weight must tell In
such hard-fought-out finish. Could
have made dead heat of it should
still have held my hand and remained
an honest man, but fate was against me,
md saw Geranium steadily but surely
drawing to the front, amid the fran
tically delirious cheering Of her sup
porters.
"The time for action had arrived.
raised my whip for the first time dur
ing the race, and, with q scarcely per-
reptible hesitation as brought my arm
mp, made my last call on Radix for an
extra effort, and, noble beast that he
was, right grandly did he respond to 1t,
for in the next few strides we were
once more level, neck and neck, and the
enthusiasm of the crowd ran higher
than ever; but the dastardly deed was
done, and as Rndix got his neck in front
some six yards from the judges box,
Geranium stopped dead, shivered from
head to heel as with cold, lurched for
ward, then dropped like stone, dash
ing her Jockeys brains out on the rails
rs she came down.
"As If changed by the wave Of q magic
, wand the excitement and enthusiasm
born Of seeing two good horses gamely
contesting a race inch by inch, instant
ly gave place to the utmost consterna'
ton; and as was led into the paddock
amidst a regular babel Of questioning
!, and conjecturlng tongues, shaking Sc
! that I could barely maintain my sea
at the thought that young Rymple has
met his death at my hand, saw 81
} Giles Waclton stagger out by the baei
: entrance with horribly hnggard face
and ere 1 could dismount the report o
a pistol shot rang out above the hun
of the suppressed conversation OF tn
vast multitude with startling clearness
and knew that I was double muir
derer.