The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-10
A Day Off
The westbury race course is thronged

quently no trouble 10 US 10 pick cut on,
particular friend, Harry Ward. as ne
emerges from refreshment booth
where he has Just been parraking of a
modest midland with his particu-
lar friend, Bill Griffiths.
Il hardly thought 1 should be able to
turn uD this year" the former is say
ing. Didn't know what excuse to
make"
The bell at this moment ringing to
clear the course, he refrains from fur
ther remark, and studies his card at
tentively. When he turns again to his
companion both their faces have length
ened considerably
Il shall back my own fancy next time, .
observes Bill, witheringiy. That's No.
2 gone down"
i've got a dead cert for the cup.
and I'm going to plunge on it, replies
the other, doggedly. "a friend wrote
me about it,
Whats the name of the horse?'
Miss Dafodil; 10 to ! chance"
Carried away by his friends enthusi-
asm, Griffiths lays out nearly all his
remaining stock Of ready cash on the
FLY.
Il say, Harry" remarks Griffiths,
you never finished telling me how you
managed to get the day off Did you
play a bold stroke and tell the guv-nor
what you wanted it for?'''
What. Tell old Best that I was COM
ing here! You don't know our guv'.
| that's plain. Why. he's UP TO his ears IN
religion and teetotalism and all that sort
of thing. He'd faint at the idea Of his
employees going to the races. No; sent
word down to the old buffer this morn
i ing that I was mad with the toothache,
and meant having him out. So-hulo,
| thew re off,
| Craning his neck to obtain better
! view Of the course, Harry happens 20
push somewhat roughly against man
by his side. He turns round 10 apollo
gize, and encounters the eyes of the
stronger fixed sternly on his. At that
moment Bill nudges him savagely with
his elbow
Here they comet he says. Nov
where's your Miss Daffodil?"
Hopeessly among the truck" in which
place she finishes up a few seconds later
Come on" observes Bill. Lets get
out of this
Harry says nothing. but wipes his fore
head.
cit seems to have upset you a bit"
remarks Bill, unsympathetically.
TITS not that" replies Harry. IT have
just seen-whom do you think?"
"Give Il up."
me SuV nOf showed INTO MN quite
by accident About the last person in
the world 1 should have thought of meet
ing here"
''D'you think he saw your"
Must have done. Standing Just be-
hind me.''
They walk on In detected silence. Sud-
denly Griffiths catches his friend by the
arm.
"Lookl You were talking just now
about the last person you expected to
see up here. What price this lot? Along
with the chap in the brown straw" he
adds, as Harry stares in every direction
but the right one.
''over there. What, IT'S Dorothy!
Well, I'm"
The first thing that met Harry's eyes
as he entered his room that night was
letter in the familiar writing Of his
fance. He tore it open and read:
Dear Sir: I beg to return the photo
you sent me. also the note that accom-
panied it. When I inform you that by
a mistake I read part of the latter, you
will at once understand there can be
nothing further between us. I am re-
turning your presents by the next post.
sd. ARNOLD"
With a look of bewilderment on his
face Harry glanced at the note. It was
the identical letter he had wanted to
show Griffiths that day. While lying in
his pocket it must have worked its way
somehow into the open envelope contain
ing the Photographic proof which two
nights ago he had given Miss Arnold,
and which, it being then TOO dark for
her to see the thing properly, she had
taken indoors with her
cit was only the other day" 1t ran,
that I saw Miss Daffodil, and. knowing
you to be a BIT sweet on her gave her
my special attention. Ny opinion Is old
man, that she's just splendid ana you
viii do we'll to stick to your old fancy.
She comes your way, + think, on
"Wednesday, and expect you'll see her
then for yourself"
Poor, jealous little Dolly exclaimed
Harry with a laugh. THAT explains
all. Well"-putting on his hat and coat
again-'I can soon put this right. Let's
hope I shall be able to get out of the
other half Of this mess as easily
Alasl for the uncertainty of human
calculations. Miss Arnold was out for
the evening. he was informed; had gone
to the theater with her cousin
IT hear on good authority, Ward"
said he, at length. as If he was reading
1t from the letter before him, chat you
were at Westbury races yesterday. Do
you usually go on race course to have
your teeth extracted?"
You heard I was there. sir?' replied
Harry, with a holiness that this little
bit Of sarcasm had called forth "I
thought you saw mer'
What do you mean, sir7'' demandef
his employer, looking up at length from
his letters. DO you mean to insfnuate.
sir. that I was there?''
Weren't you. STRIP said Hsrry, inno-
Gently. Il thought I saw YOU"
Mr.. Best was silent for a few minutes.
then he rose and paced the room in
great agitation.
How was I dressed?" he asked. alb !
ruptly.
Same as usual sir, except that you
wore 2 white hat
Ward Mr. Best laid his hand on
Harry's shoulder. Not word Of this.
beg. Il was ny twin brother-must /
have been him, This IS one OF the many /
ways he has disgraced the family for I
the last ten years A white hat YOU
a word Of this TO anyone, Ward2"
Certainly not. sir. a wonderful like (
ness. sir
That's Just where It IS SO awkward" /
Mr. Best. making a notion as
II ne was in the act o. swallowing sonr-
taing- You car 90 back 10 your desk,
Ward"
"And-er'-3ust as Harry had got ris
hand on the door-"We11 say nothing
more about this-this affair OF yours.
but ueTt time you want day or-neve-
mind what foT-ask beforehand"
Harry went hack 70 RS stool IN 2 com
Portable state Of mind. That part # thz
scrape Re rad deeued TIE worst Rad
ended the most happily AZ for he oths-
Harry vas about 70 write ard exp1a- n
matters TO Mics Arnold. when ae took
K into his head - think FIRST Pit chen