The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-14
BY THE GRACE OF CHANGE.
BY W. A. FRASER.

a fair amount. That would be too risky
If Simpkin were as good as Harvey
said.
you can buy your 'orse in hevery
lottery" said the trainer, hand Wen
,, take 'alf or three-quarters, just as you
like. He'll never be backed 'eavily, for
nobody but the stable knows nout about
i'm
Always when things of this sort hap
pen. the recipient Of the favor credits
it to fate. That's just what the cap
tain did. The gods are bound to thrust
this purse in my pocket" he unused as
| ne travelled down the tree-shaded road
toward a big white bungalow.
And fate laughed a little and went
to sleep again, for he was not to act,
really, till the day of the race
Johnson knew that three officers We're
framing the handicaps that very morn
in in Major Jim's bungalow.
He didn't quite know how he was
going to get a hand in the business,
| but if he could make any excuse to get
in among them, something was pretty
sure to turn up.
When he stepped up on the veran-
dab, the rough dark green door of the
| bungalow was closed. He gave a
knock, and showed it abruptly open and
walked in, pretending to be mighty
! surprised at finding anybody but his
/ 4Il6lll. A1dJOT jim, lueIe.
'Awfully sorry, gentlemen" he eX-
claimed, in his lazy, drawing way.
Had no idea that l was spelling sport.
My dogcart didn't turn up at the race
course, and thought I'd come in and
have breakfast with the major. I'll
! clear out, though, and let you finish up
! your work.
Have a peg, Johnson?" said Major
Jim, getting up from the table. I'VE
I Il oIyfo c.4
we finish. Sorry can't ask you to stay
in the room, but we'er making the han
dicaps, you know
81 say, you fellows" exclaimed one of
1 the others. as the captain slipped leis-
urely at his whisky and soda, johnson
| likely knows something about this
Simpkin they've sent up from Jagnat
He knows every gee-gee in the coun-
try
Eyes" added the major; what about
! this brute Harvey has entered for Jag
nat? We've got none of his perform
ances to so on"
20, that crock" said the captain,
with fine scorn; ':stick a postage stamp
on his blackstone him in at anything
you like, stone 10 pounds. Good
morning, gentlemen" he added, as he
set his glass down and opened the door
Don't put a. load of bricks on zigzag' S
back
AS he walked away from his bunga-
/ low he whistled softly under his breath.
May / fall in love with Kali, if ever L
saw a chance to beat that"
When the handicap was posted that
evening on the notice board on the
course, Zigzag had the rather heavy
! impost of 10 stone; while Simpkin had
a weight to gladden. Harvey's heart; he
was in at eight stone.
/ Harvey assured Johnson that the
horse couldn't lose at that weight.
To make the good thing a greater
| certainty, Johnson let the trainer have
his own jockey, Richmond, for Simpkin,
and determined to ride Zigzag himself.
If the game had been Zigzag, this
would not have mattered so very much,
for he was one of the best riders in
i India.
That the owner was riding zigzag
confirmed Layton in his determination
to have a plunge on the horse.
At the lotteries, the night before the
race, Layton bought Zigzag in the first
lottery.
when the secretary asked if the
owner claimed anything, Johnson an
swered, Nothing, thanks"
Hell come to me after it's all over,
thought Layton, land ask for a. half
throughout. He knows I'll have to give
! it to him. too 1t wouldn't be safe to
have his horse running with none of
the owners money on"
/ When Simpllin was sold, Johnson
bought him, through another party.
/ And so it was through every lottery,
and there were many of them, for the
handicap was a big betting race, with
| eight horses in it.
Layton bought Zigzag steadily every
! time, and JohnSonS agent took Simp-
/ kin.
After it was over, Layton rather Won
dered that ZigZags owner made no sign
did not come and ask for his half
He could understand JohnSon'S re-
fusing to take any interest in him in
the lotteries, for the effect of that was
! to reduce his betting price. But why
did he not come forward now, when it
was all over?
He'll come around in the morning, -
he thought. HE won't let him run I'M
! backed after that trial.
| But in the morning Johnson still
madesno sign. Layton was getting a.
/ little uneasy. Racing was such an un-
! certain business at best What if
! something had gone wrong with Zig
gag. He would be utterly ruined if he
failed to win the race. Not only the
Marwarie's debt, but the present lot
/ terry account. He would be posted as a
defaulter; at least, it would take every
7
world to square up, and he would GER
tainly have to send in his papers
Fifteen minutes before the race no
offer had come from Johnson to take a,
share in Zigzag's chances. The sus-
! pense was too great for Layton.
He went 10 the little dressing-room
just under the stand, where Johnson
was putting on his slim riding boots
and colors
See here, Frank" he said, i've got
ZigZaS in every lottery, and 1 stand to
win a big pot over him. Do you want
any of it? You haven't taken a bit of
it yet
johnson was noted for two things
his superb riding and his exquisite
/ cynical humor.
Who the merry Hades told YOU to
| back my horse! = he asked.
Il backed him because L thought he
could win, and you were riding him, -
answered Layton, coloring slightly.
/ We'll, he hasn't the ghost of a
chance" said Johnson, tightening the
strings in his racing cap, and 1 don't
want bit of him in anything. He
hasn't a thousand-to-one chance
| Layton was dumbfounded
IF he doesn't win" he said, 81 shall
come a cropper."
johnson looked at him uueerly for a.
minute; then he said: Now go and
square yourself on Simpl1in. You can
hedge on him, for he's a sure winner"
And if he's beaten said Layton.
almost angrily, 81 shall be in worse
hole than ever. I won't do it, III stand
or fan by zizzag. and I'll lay you 5000
rupees to nothing against his winning"
II won't do it that way said John
/ SOIL, quickly for that isn't a bet. If I
can't lose can't win; that's the rule
in betting; but I'll take 5000 rupees to
1G"
Here. Dick" he called sharply.
you witness this bet. Mr.. Layton
lays me 5000 rupees to 10 against liz