The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-12


Harris spoke shortly, and with emphasis
20 the jockey, who leaned from the sad
die to hear, held up his hand, as though
in warning, then waved the lad on. The
jockey looked over his shoulder. Suiel-
man was coming, perhaps twenty yards
behind. He shook his reins and whistled
very low. Instantly The Brave began
to move, not in whirlwind fashion, but
with slow, easy strides. Suleiman passed
him in a rush, and ran bucking and
ramping ahead. Suleiman had the family
temper. and something in the rundown
had not been to his mind
why, Suley II spread-eagle that fell
low" the pursy man said. complacently.
II tell you, gentlemen. my money goes
on the blue horse, no matter at what
odds
Better wait and see the finish" sec-
ond man said, good-humoredly. A third
a newcomer tall and ford. and smiling
under a cavernous SLOUGH hat, nodded as
sent. That's good advice" he said.
I've come ten miles this mornin' a-pur-
pose to see The Brave. He's a sort of
old acquaintance of mine-bred in Ken
lucky, you know, where live. In fact.
l know the man who bred him, and saw
the colt the day after he was foaled. It's
a much on account of Mai. Thompson
as myself that came this morning. He
Be sure you bring me a true account
OF that COLT"
You've seen him in a racer" the pursy
man said, tentatively.
The other man shook his head mo
worse luck to me-" he said. I'D like to
see him in the Searchlight, but that's
out of the question. Still. / think if
they let him run true this morning I
shall be able to pick the Searchligh win
ner"
''Then-you've seen Suleiman rum"
from the pursy man. The Kentuckian
nodded: Twice. he said: "Won a cou-
pie o. thousand over him in the Lake
side derby. Great horse-still unless the
others changed heap since saw him
in the pasture, I've a notion he's just a
bit better"
There is comfy among trainers. AS
soon as 1t was seen the big racers were
ou< for a trial, the bulk of the horses
drew TO the outer half of the course.
Thus the inner half was free as for a
race. The men at the corner slowly
wheeling glasses to eyes, could see all
the way round. At first it was. tame
enough. Suleiman ran like a mad horse,
fighting for his head savaging his pace
maker and buck jumping every three
strides. but under double wraps, so che
pace was slow. In spite of the slowness
The Brave hung stil1 fifty yards back.
Now and again he turned his head.
whickering family TO his stall-mste a
yard behind. Impatient murmurs rose
among the watchers.
why don't you let 'em out at each
other?" the pursy man said. Bascom
laughed a hard laugh. THAT would
never do-never In the world" he said.
THE main use of trials is to show what
a horse can't do. If he was up against
the other fellow they might show what
he could"
Hold still! You'll see something If
you wait long enoughw the Kentuckian
sang out cheerily. The horses were in
the straight before the stand. a little
more than half a mile from the star. The
pace was quickening sensibly. Sulei-
man no longer ran zigzag. He was set
Ting into long leaping stride, high and
free, and open as the day.
"Jove! He's fencing all the way" one
man said. Another nodded, sagely.
That's his way" he said. 1T believe he
hates the ground He always runs as far
from it as he can"
HE gets there just the same" the
pursy man said. exultantly. Talk to
me about your Brave. Look az him
nowr'
HE is worth seeing" Bascom said,
laughed aloud. AT the third quarter
pole. though Suleimsn led by near a
hundred yards, the Brave had decided
il was time for running. He stretched
himself, lowered his head and struck
into an easy. sweeping, stealing stride
that devoured the course faster than even
Suleiman's javelin bounds. At the next
furlong pole the Brave had made up TWEEN
ty yards. Suleiman heard him coming
Iax exxyfro f, f,,aa Ii IN
ing dead run. But run as he might
The Brave crept up. AS they swung
second time into the stretch the blue
stallion was not twenty yards to the good.
Round the turn they forged, with still
the golden head advancing. Through the
outstretch the duel lasted, with no adj
vantage to either of the pair AS they
swung and squared away for home they
were almost locked. The watchers held
their breath. No need to look at watches.
They knew they were seeing the best race
ever run on the course.
Who would win? Suleiman was tire
less Still The Brave came on moving
like a. shadow in flight. They were
half through the last quarter, the
Braves nose at Suleiman's throat-latch.
Both Jockeys crouched far forward.
Neither dared go 10 the whip. There
was no need of II. indeed Each stallion
Knew ne ran against rival, not pace
maker and was mad. with a consuming
madness. to come In first.
Suddenly Mark Harris ran down the
course shouting wildly. Nixon on The
Brave at once pulled up. leaving Sulei-
man to gallop home alone. There was
a rustic of resentment among the watch
ers. "A DID shamel That's what 1 call
it," the pursy man said
"Tm satisfied" the Kentuckian answer
ed. at was worth twice the trouble Of
coming-to say nothing Of the tale shall
tell che Major. Q but he'll be a proud
nan-after the Searchlight. His fear had
been always that The Brave couldn't
stay. All the colts wins, you know, have
been al mile and under. He hasn't got
Lexington and Longfellow blood for moth
ing After to-day I shane fear to bet on
him. in any company. He'll win from
end 10 end"
blood does tell" Bascom said almost
affably The Kentuckian laughed as he
answered. Sometimes" Then, after q
little pause, he ran on:
"Yes-sometimes. But there has got to
hp sonnet hing else You'll hardly helieye