The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05

mind was full OF pictures OF POlly-of Polly
in the past. of the bright smile on her face
when Blazes cleared the brook, and a 'hor-
rible picture of tangle of fallen horse and
rider. The duke was muttering, now and
again he swore violently.
The cold sweat beads gathered on Haunts~
leighs brow. A moving dot came into sight;
then other moving dots. They grew larger
and larger, bulking bigger as they rose at
the fence Hauntsleigh gasped at each
fence; he seemed to be living centuries.
They drew nearer and nearer. the last fence
was cleared, and Polly came galloping down
the straight between the yelling crowds
pulled Blazes to a canter, and passed the
post a winner by forty lengths. Haunts-
| leigh smashed down his glasses and yelled.
AS Mendoza came in two lengths before
Araroon the duke turned to him with burn
| ing eyes, and said thickly: you'll lodge an
objection at once"
"rn see you d first!' cried Haunts-
leigh; and he rushed away to see Polly
weigh in.
She rode into the Enclosure, pale and pant
| ing heavily; four and half miles in less
than ten minutes had tried her, for all her
training. A lucky thick smear of mud across
her face disguised her well. The moment
| she was out of the scales Bacon slipped on
her long coat, gave her a nip of brandy
| from his flask, caught her arm, hurried her
| through the congratuiating crowd to her
brougham, and babe her get ready quickly
to go before the stewards. She was aware
| that Jim kept close by them all the time,
ready to help if need were, Sarah was quick
with a tumbler of champagne. helped her
quickly to wash her face and slip on her
| skirt, ulster and hat, and when Bacon came
| back, and cried Come along, Miss Polly!
| The duke has lodged an objection! Unqual-
flied riderp nothing of her dress but the
| spurs revealed the rider of Blazes.
The worst was over; in her proper dress,
with Sarah at her side Polly cared little for
+, the stewards. When she came in it was
rather they who We're ill at ease, taken
| aback by the sight of this beautiful girl
with so distinguished an air, so different
from the woman they had looked to see.
The buzz of talk died suddenly. She saw Jim
scowling at the duke, she saw the spokes-
man, a very famous sportsman indeed, who
sat at a little table with the objection and
a copy of the National Hunt Rules before
him. give the duke very unkindly look
for setting him such a task. Someone gave
| her a chair, and when she had sat down,
he said. I'm sorry to inform you, Miss
| Shutter that the Duke of Shetland has
lodged an objection against your horse
Blazes on the ground that he was ridden by
an unqualified rider"
MY lord the horse was ridden by a quail
flied rider" said Polly firmly. "I-I-rode
him myself" and she flushed very prettily
Eyes; so we understood" he said, slowly.
but, my dear young lady, we do not find
that you have been qualified by election,
and if you maintain that the term gentle
man rider includes lady rider, yet you do
not belong to any of the clubs necessary.
You do not hold a commission, nor have
you title by right of courtesy
THAT is not my claim, my lord" said
Polly, quietly II claim that 1 am qualified
as a farmer. I farm a hundred and fifty
acres of land, and I derive from it, barring
this race, my principal and ostensible
means of subsistence"
She knew the rule by heart,
"Oh That is another matter!" he said
quickly. He read the clause carefully, con-
ferred in a low voice with the other two
stewards who were considering the objec-
ton. and said with the cheerful smile of a
man who comes well out of a disagreeable
position: 1--WE find that Miss Shutter is a
qualified rider The objection is not sus-
tanned
The dukes red face grew purple. 1.-THE
country" he said with deep feeling, 1.-The
country is going to the dogs"
THANK you, my lord" said Polly. A
sudden CLINT of tears shone in her eyes; she
clasped her hands, and added in a voice that
shook little, II shouldn't have ridden
him if any one else could"
MY dear young lady," said his lordship,
''you have done nothing in the world to be
ashamed of, but very plucky and admira-
BILE thing" A murmur of applause rang
around the room, and he added, with
thoughtful kindness, "allow me to take you
to your carriage
Polly bowed, and pulled down her veil
hastily. When they came out the crowd on
the stand who had by now heard the story
began to cheer; the crowd on the course
took it up, without knowing why. The
words, "She rode the winner" ran along
it, and it cheered frantically.
In her dread of the demonstrating crowd
if she left from Liverpool station, Polly, as
she left the course, ordered the coachman
to drive to a little station six miles down
the line, and she changed as she drove.
When she reached it, the dusk was gather
ing in cold drizzle, and she came into the
dingy little waiting room, while Sarah went
in search of tea. She sat down and put her
tired in the depth of the reaction from such
a height Of excitement. The door opened,
and Jim stood before her. She sprang to
her feet and faced him, knowing that he
had come upon her in her weak hour striv-
ing to find the strength to meet him.
How dare you?" she cried.
Listen to me, Polly-this once he said,
with a wave of his hand. His voice
weak and he spoke with many breaks; his
face was haggard, his eyes were wild. Il
behaved to you like a BLACKBOARD and a
brute. There is no excuse; ] thought PAS
sion was but it isn't: l have been punished
for it. I've cursed myself day after day,
night after night. Never an hour but what
I was drowned in drink 1 haven't cursed
myself couldn't bear that you should be
thinking of me you were. 1 couldn't
bear never to be with you, to see you so
seldom, and then always hating me-
moving wretchedness in his broken
| tones thrilled her.
Il missed you always, beyond all words
1 couldn't bear it any longer When you
We're riding that race, Blazes's hoofs were
grinding the heart out of me with fear of
what might happen. l was a blackguard;