The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-14

was known by the cheerful name Of
"Gaiety."
With Lieutenant Laytons name on
the back Of q note and his friends
on the face of it, it wassan easy hunt
TO stalk a MarwaTie money-lender with
cash enough to discount it But that
transaction didn't really help them very
much; 1t tided the friend over settling
Gay after the Bungaloo races, but ii
didn't provide the ways and means
against settling day with the Marwarie.
With nothing tangible in sight
chances had to be taken, and one OF
Two little flyers on the part Of Gaiety
had only worked them down deeper in
the debt mire
That was why Layton was wandering
about on the madam close to the Luck
now race-course one evening when he
should have been at the gym or the
mess" or almost anywhere except
incoming about on the dismal, smoke
scented plain.
lie was doing something that no Off
Ger in the whole service would have
given him credit for-he was fretting.
The friend who had used up the
money, and who would most likely
come 4 smash if the thing wasn't met,
was enjoying himself with his brother
officers as though he hadn't a minute
spending his income.
Its a devil of a hole that we're in, -
unused Layton, as he fiicked at the dry
grass with his stick. 'Gaiety can't
raise the wind, not a piece of it, to pay
that blood-sucking Marwarie, and he'll
be down on me for his pound of flesh
like an Afghan Ghazi. wouldn't care,
only poor old Nell will have to wait
till God knows Wlen-wait till never
day, ! fancy, for the Internal thing viii
break me, too
He threw up his head and listened.
Something was pounding the turf be-
hind him on the course. 1t was not the
mixed, excited shuttle of ekka ponies;
1t was the clean, powerful stroke of
thoroughbred hoofs, strong horses ham
mering the sod in eager gallop--his rae
ing ear knew that
BY Jove, it's a trial!' he muttered.
He could see a blurred mass gliding
along in the moonlight on the far side
of the course. He quickened his pace
and drew up in the shadow of the lime
plastered grand stand.
Two men were standing at the finish
post" 20 yards past the stand. In the
uncertain light he could not distinguish
who they We're.
The Marwarie and Gaiety slipped
from his mind for an instant, and his
sporting blood bounded hot through
his veins in the excitement of watch
ing the horses race neck and neck up
the stretch
II was a glorious tussle They re
riding for blood he muttered. It's
no blind. this trial.
Two horses were hugging each other
like twins; behind, a dozen lengths,
beaten off, galloped something that had
been put in to make the running
As they smashed past Layton. one. a
big bay, shot out as though the Jockey
had just let his head go, and swung be-
tween the finish post and the judges
stand clean length in front of his
mate.
1t was pure sport that made Layton
take so much interest in the dash up
TO that time. THE bay could have
galloped over the other fellow at any
time" he thought. Il wonder who he
belongs top
Just then a high-pitched, drawing
voice came UP to him from one of the
two men, There could be. no mistaking
it. That voice was known from one
end to the other of the military racing
world of India-it belonged to Captain
Frank Johnson. He was saying: by
CAD, Dick, he'll do for the big handi-
cap, If they don't smother him with
weight. Two stun and a beating to the
- other!'
whirl. Re was like man who had
picked UP diamond Of great value and
was afraid OF finding the owner
1t was all clear enough. The bay was
Frank Johnson's Zigzag. with the cap
tain's jockey, Dick Richmond, in the
saddle.
He remembered the horse perfectly
now.
Frank Johnson was one of the clever
est racing men in India His knowledge
had cost him something, for to have a
free hand at the game he had resigned
his commission in the Ninth hussars.
If the trial had satisfied him that Zig
gag was good enough for the "open
handicap there could be very little
doubt about it whatever
Layton realized what il meant 1t
was the very softest kind of a snap.
With this knowledge he could back
the horse for more than enough to pay
off Gaiety's debts with the Marwarie.
But it would be hardly honorable to-
Ward Johnson. He had Numbered upon
the captains secret, almost stolen it;
he could scarcely do it.
And then. ON the other hand The
greasy, cOVetous face of the money len
der peered at him from the thick folds
of q peeDul tree and sneeringly asked
why the sahibs signed notes they could
not pay.
rest Of it: and even the face of his
friend. of Gaiety-all the happy boylsh-
ness Eone-was there in the evening
dusk, drawn and white and pleading.
1t was a bitter struggle, Tor Layton
had honor-Dlenty of il; but the odds
were too great, ne could not fight
against il: and besides, Johnson had
y not c9nfded in him, bad not trusted
l.. him, had not put him Oh his honor II
III was his luck that he had seen the trial.
<fate had drawn him there to show hlrA
a wav out of his difficulty.
Also. if he bought ZIexag in the lot
teries, johnson could claim half every
time They could beLn win quite
enough, for the lotteries would be very
heavy.
This was the day before the opening
of the Lucknow spring meeting
1t was The next .nornInS Frank JOHN
son was walking home from the course,
after having seen his Stciag exercised.
when he WAS stopped by one Harvey.
trainer to the Rajah Of Jagnat
Good mornin', Meester Johnson be-
gan Harvey: and in his manner was
much Of the I've got-s0mething-b behind
all-this style.
What is it, Harvey?" said Jonuson.
seeming something 1T once.
''Well, sir, you know Simrkin, don't
you?"
- --G Oily SoON- si9tNC>R Ot'AAii~OAi
Hes never done anything yet
That's hall right, sir. ans -vered the
trainer. with a wink. hand rs II, the
big andicao here, the same race as
your Zigzag's in"
4'Weil?' queried Johnson.
"The 'andicaDDer don't know nauch
about i'm ere, sir, hand l. you arpened
TO be h anyWhere near when the
weights was bein' made hup, and could
get a tidy weight hon him, we could
land the stuff
What weight'li do your" asked the