The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-11

bit. was doing all that croaking this
morning just 10 stir you up and make YOU
run all the harder. Just remember that
she's watching you and youll win the 440
the same way"
Neither Bailey nor were entered in any
thing more but the 440-yard dash. which
came near the close of the afternoon. AZ
ter Jack left me l lay down on my board
with my blanket wrapped around me and
commenced to think the situation over
The more l thought of il the less I liked
it, 1 wasn't going to show the white
feather. but for the first time in my life
| was afraid-a pure, physical dread. I
wasn't very tired although the 30 is a
hard race, and will wind the best of them
I was in the pink of condition and fit to
run for my life but so was Bailey, and I
had seen enough OF him in the first ra e
to know that he had the endurance
and heart of a thoroughbred. l had Won
the race, but it had taken all my speed TO
do It, and the 90 was always my best
event. The thought of the pain of the
longer race at a killing paoes with the
agony of defeat at the end OF IT, and right
before her eyes, too, was almost too much
for me and l rolled over on my face and
clenched my teeth hard together You
fool" 1 whispered to myself. Are YOU
going to give In now? What's a race for
a girls favor, anyhow, TO worry over?'
1t seemed as though the afternoon would
never wear away. 1 could hear the shouts
of applause from the crowd as the other
events were being finished, and men We're
passing in and out of the dressing room
continually Some were flushed with Vie
tory and some were pale and sick with de-
feat, but nothing could take my mind Oft
the fateful race that was coming. There
were other men entered for the same event,
but l feared no one but Bailey.
When at last the race was called, Jack
came in and helped me up and walked
out with me to the start holding the
blanket around me with his arm. l was
shivering as thought in chill, and my
brain was throbbing with the nervous
strain ! was in. Jack noticed my pale
face and weak limbs and whispered: Il
know how you feel, old fellow, but you'll
be all right when you get going. She's
watching you" / didn't dare look up, but
Bailey did and waved his hand.
1t was a four-lap track, and Bailey drew
the inside. Get on your marks"
Jack stripped the blanket from my
shoulders and I stepped to the white
mark. / was steady as a rock now and
all my fear had left me. Get setH' and
we knelt in a long line leaning far for
ward, with muscles tense and quiverang
and anxious eyes staring straight ahead.
Bang! We leaped ahead and the race
was begun.
The pace was bound to be hot, for Bal
ley was thirsting for revenge and l was
not disposed to lag, now that my blood
was up. The other three men dropped be-
hind in the first 100 yards and were never
in the race at all. / knew that my only
salvation was In making Bailey set the
pace and then sprinting past him az the
finish. but the pace was tremendous. At
the upper end of the stretch, 1l0 YARDS
from the tape we were abreast and /
knew that whoever won now would do 1t
in record time. My feet felt heavy as
lead and my breath was coming in short
quick easps, that cut my dry throat ike
a knife. MY knees were weak and gave
with every stride as though about 20 col
lapse This was where I always won my
races. and / gathered myself for the last
sprint 1T was no use. Strain as would,
he kept steadily at my elbow, and then
began to forge slowly ahead lnch by
inch he edged past me and ! knew that l
was beaten. Fifty yards from the tape l
summoned all my strength in a last de-
spairing effort and held even for twenty
wards. but he pulled ahead again ana
broke the tape a yard in front of me- As
I crossed the line everything spun around
for an instant and then darkness settled
down upon me and | tumbled over an
Jacks arms.
As they were carrying me into the
dressing room consciousness came back,
and | saw the grandstand like tossing
sea of color In the midst of II all sat
Lillian, pale and stiff, with her banner
motionless in her hand. The next thlns
| knew we were on the train bound Tor
home. Lillian was on the same train,
but | was too tired and sick and gloomy
TO care even for that. We had won the
meet. but what were a thousand meets
compared with what 1 had staked on
that one race. Jack seemed TO under
stand my case exactly, and cared for me
as tenderly as a woman, when ! knew he
would much rather have been in the
smoker celebrating with the other fell
lows.
Late that evening, as was sitting up
in bed slipping some sort of warm de-
coction that Jack had mixed for me, the
door bell rang and Jack ran downstairs.
In a moment he was back again with a
large fiat box addressed to me. l opened
il. and there i'm a bed of damp moss was
a great bouquet of fragrant roses.
What the duce?" ] began, and then a
note fell out of the bunch as / lifted It.
/ knew lne HdHuWIitttlS AT a bidIittf HiAN -
warm glow ran all over me that wasn't
due TO the liquid warmth / had been
slipping. ! tore the note open and read:
Dear Mr. Rogers Accept these flow
ers as a partial compensation for my
rudeness of yesterday and your defeat OF
this afternoon. l really wanted you to
win, and shall never forgive Mr.. Bailey
for beating you" (she had called him
George the day before. II shall be at
home tomorrow evening. Sincerely yours.
Lillian J. Block"
] was able to be out the next day and
called on Lillian In the evening. As I
was going up the steps OF her home
met Mr. Bailey coming down. He WASH {
looking especially fresh for a victor. and
/ stepped aside TO let him pass with a
wicked thrill of exultation in my heart.
1 was half sorry for him, too He had
beaten men, but had lost so much. Then
the door opened and l went in TO my vic
tory.
b.