The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-31
JONESGOTTHEHORSE
THE UNLOCKED FOR SEQUEL TO A
NEW MEXICAN TRIAL OF SPEED.

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The Gray Gelding Was . Good One, and
His Owner Wasn't Afraid or the 'sur-
prise" Horss--where People Keep Their
suspicions 20 Themselves.
lone Of the quccrest sequels to horse
race that ever l saw, in New Mexico or
anywhere, occurred some years ago in the
little plazita Of Ocate, In Colfax county,"
said the man from Santa Fc. "a lot of
the cattlemen and owboys had gathered
thnre after the spring round up, and as tho
cattle had turned up In good shape after
the winter the ranchmen felt good and
sporty, ready to take q shy at anything
that promised excitement and fun. OF
course, as is always the case at such
time, there was more or less whisky drink
ing. card playing for those who gambled,
and horse racing free for all. The speedi-
est race horse on the ground was Bill
Jones gray Kentucky gclding, that for
two seasons had cleaned out anything that
had been brought against 1t. Jones
thought heap of his horse and what IL
would do, and you didn't want to banter
him for race unless you felt mighty sure
OF the speed OF your nag and had money
where you could find IL handy for q round
wager.
Feeling as he did about his horse, you
can fancy how he took 1t when one morn
ing, as a crowd of us were standing about
talking horse and cattle in front Of Park
er's saloon, an ornery fellow by name Of
Meechman rode up and after talking
round bit, banterod Jones for a race.
The horse he rode was rs ornery looking
as Meechman himself, but that didn't
count with some of us that knew the ami
NAL for a surprise horse. Don't know
what a surprise horse isP It's what out In
the far west we call horse that In a good
deal better than no looks--one of the kind
that jockeying sportsmen take to races
where the animal isn't known, and when
they have got good odds laid against him
they put him to his speed, and he wins
everything In eight. You can sec where
the surprise comes In. Meechman was .
tin horn jockey and sharper, but he under
stood how to work Jones up TO rearing
point about his horse, and 1t wasn't long
before Jones offered to race him then and
there for any money he would stake
81 haven't any money with me, said
Meechman, speaking sneeringlike and
looking round at the rest Of us. You
knew that or you wouldn't be so free
about betting up your horse. But I'll tell
you what Tlldo. I'll bet my horse against
yours for half mile dash, best two In
three
"'My horse against yoursr said Jones,
hot under tho collar at the idea. Why,
man, my horse is worth dozen of that
thing
I" He ought to beat him, then, without
any trouble said Meechman, speaking
more tauntingly than before. 1t looks
TO me as II the best horse would be the one
that won the race.
ZONES eet his teeth together-he was q
square jawed man and game 1t goes, no
said, and went 70 the corral for his horse.
followed him to the corral and gave him
the tip about the other mans horse It
wouldn't hinder the race from coming of,
I knew, but It would warn Jones to be on
his guard and not risk losing the race
through overconfidence. He only smiled
q little grimly when told him and said:
That's all right Ny horse is the best one
anyway
"Well, the race came of on the level
prairie back of the plazita. The track was
half mile stretch of straight trail, with
post at each end In place OF wire, and
judge was stationed at each post, one to
give the start and the other to call the fin
ish. Only one man, the judge, went down
to the finishing post. The rest of us staid
with the starter. Before the race was
called Jones took of his cartridge belt and
revolver so as to ride the lighter and hand
ed them to me to hold for him. Then the
terms of the bet were recited to the crowd,
and the start was made.
tMeechman's horse proved a surprise to
those of the crowd who didn't know about
him. He was a quarter horse, which could
run like deer for short distance, though
he had not the bottom for a long race that
Jones horse had. Both men rode their
horses for all they were worth in the first
heat, and the race was close, but Jones'
came in ahead by a neck. The second heat
was close one, too, but the gray won
again. This settled the race, but Mech
man insisted on riding out the third heat.
This time he pulled his horse 80 that he
was 1ve or six lengths behind when the
gray cantered across tho line. Then, as
Jones drew rein and turned round in his
saddle to look, Meechman put spurs TO his
horse, dashed past the goal post and kept
on down the road full speed, as II he had
an engagement across the Texas border
that he expected to keep that afternoon.
For minute Jones sat in his saddle
LOOKING ,after Mecchman, as IL not fully
comptshending what, he meant by this
move. Then, as IL realizing that he In
tended really TO give him the slip, he came
gallopinR back 30 the starting post. His
face was q bit flushed. and his jaw was set
in look Of wicked determination as ne
rode straight to me. ~ 4P
i'"'My pistoli' he said, speaking shortly
In . suppressed tone as II he could not
trust his voice. iS's af.t
az handed him bis belt and pistol. He
buckled tho belt about his body, whirled
tie cylinder Of the revolver and tested the
movement of the hammer, then, without
further word. rode back down the trail
to the finishing post and onward In tho
direction that Meechman had taken. He
left us, going at slow gallop, but gath
cred speed ns he went, and before he passed
from sight beyond swell OF prairie We
could see that the gray horse had settled
INTO bis swift, long winded pace that
would unravcl ten miles Of prairie an hour
as long as his master chose to keep him at
II. We watched him out Of sight, and then
went back TO Parker's to. resume our or