The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-09-13

4riend had peculia rites. one Oh the Pc
l,I;arities was an absorbing love OF get
tiuq into debt and consequently klte-fy-
~ lis as easy to get into debt in In
~ os il is to get into sunshine. Ee
,y7s known by the cheerful name OF
"Gaiety."
With Lieut.. Layton's name on the
I.qrk of a note, and his friends on The
+,rr of it. it was on easy unit to stalk
Narwarie money lender with cash
enough to discount it. But that tran
-agtion didn't really help them very
rr1rh: it tided the friend over settling
fav after the BungaIoo races. but il
didn't provide the ways and means
a,,inst settling day with the Marwar.e.
With nothing tangible in sight, chances
hand 10 be taken, and one or two little
Hvcrs on the part of Gaicty had only
worked them down deeper i'll the debt
miro.
That was why Layton was wandering
about on the madam close to the Luck
,uW race course one evening when he
-luuld nave been at the gym or the
-urSS..' or almost anywhere except
looming about on the dismal smok :.
-reutcd plain.
He was doing something that no Off.
..r in the whole service would have Civ
tn him credit fOr-hc was fretting.
The friend who had used up the money.
and who would most likely come Il
smash if the thing wasn't met. was en-
owing himself with his brother officers
l- though he hadn't Il minute to spare
.rom the arduous duty Of spending his
-ucome.
Its Il devil of a hole that were in
~r1~rd Layton. as he fIickcd at the dry
grass with his stick. "Gaiety cant r;S;s.
5ar wind. not Il piece of it. to pay that
lo0d-sucking Marwaric. and he'll be
down on me for his pound of flesh like
I'M Afghan Ghazi. l wouldn't care. only
poor old Nell will have to wait till GcJ
Knows When-wait till never-day. | fan.
e. for the Internal thing Will break III.
1uo."
He threw up his head and listened.
Something was pounding the turf be
hind him on the course. It was not the
mixed. excited shuttle of ekka ponies.
i WAS the clean. powerful strokes of
thoroughbred hoofs. strong horses ham
mcriug the sod in eager gallop-his
racing ear knew that.
BY Jove. it's a trial." he muttered.
He could see Il blurred mass gliding
along in the moonlight on the far sid
of the course. He q]uickened his pace
and drew up in the shadow of the lime
pIastcrcd grand stand.
Two men were standing at the Finish
t'Nt' - 80 I"'t '' Nittiit III tIt
uncertain light he could not distinguish
who they were.
The Marwarie and Gaiety slipped from
his mind for an instant, and his sport
ing blood bounded hot through his veins
in the excitement of watching the horses
race neck and neck up the stretch.
II was Il glorious tussle. ''Thpy're
riding for blood" he muttered. It's "
blind, TINS trial.
Two horses were husging each other
like twins: behind. Il dozen lengths.
beaten off. galloped something that had
been Put in to make the running.
As they smashed past Layton. one. y
biz bay. shot out as though the Joke,
had lust let his head 90. and swung be
tween the finish post and the judges
stand a clean length in front of his
mate.
1t was pure sport that made Layton
take so much interest i'll the dash up &C
that time. The bay could have gal
loped over the other fellow at any time
he thought. Il wonder who he belongs
tat"
Just then a h~igh-pitched. drawing
voice came up to him from one of the
two men. There could be no miStakine
it.. That voice was known from one end
to the other Of the military racing
world of India-it belonged to Capt
Frank Johnson. He was saying: by
cad. Dick. he'll do for the big handicap
if they don't smother him with weight.
-wo stun and a beating to the other"
Layton hurried away, his brain in b
Wlirl. lie was like Il man who had
picked up Il 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
-4ru'S itrlay Dick Richmond in tho
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 nave It
free hand at the game he had resigned
his comnission in the 9th bussars. If
the trial had satisfied him that Zigzay
WAS good enough for the open handi
cap" G12 613 81 % n. IN. n.
cap." there could be very little doubt
ah0ut it whatever.
Layton realized what it meant. 1t was
III" very softest kind of Il snap.
With this knowledge he could back
'"' horse for more than enough to pay
vii 'Taicty'S debts with the Marwarie.
But it would be hardly honorable to-
ward Johnson. He had Numbered upon
'Ir Captains secret. almost stolen il:
a" could scarcely do it.
Aud then, on the other hand. the
greasy, covctous face of the money lend
a.. Ucorcd ut him from the thick folds of
" .rrpuI tree. and snecringly asked why
'" Nahibs signed notes they could not
pay.
1t mcant ruin and shame and all the
f'-I of it; and even the face of dis
I"onj. Of Gaiety-all the happy boyish-
.'~~ @one-waS hex in the evening
N"-A. drawn and white and pleading.
was Il bitter struggle for Layton
-"' h"nor-plenty of it: but the odds
"'f" too great; he could not fight
-"H1St it, ard, besides. Johnson had not
..i"i"d in him, had not trusted him.
,.'' not put him on his honor. 1t was
.l'k that he had seen the trial: fate