Evening star., 1901-11-23
A KILLING AT THE RACES

w
as he leaned toward the hot-air register
and waited for the chief to summon him.
Algie was going to kill 'em out at Bennfng.
He wasn't going to hog-sIaughter 'em, OF
put the whole card over or cut bunch of
watermelons, or drive 'em all off the block
he was just going to kill 'em. He had
so announced to three of his particular
friends, with a crafty light in his eye,~ on
the night before and he meant it. Algie
Payslip always means everything he says.
~ don't know he unused, he leaned
closer still to the hot-air register, whether
I'd better resign this miserable little 1,2O0
job tomorrow morning, or hang on until
the end of the month, SOS to give em
chance to get another shorthand man. It'll
be hard to hang on, though, when I'll have
about $4,000 in cool yellow cash In my
homespuns when l get back from Benning
this evening" and Algie leaned back and
closed his eyes dreamily and thought OF
the pleasant. patronizing manner he'd as
sumo toward the chief of the bureau OF
adumbration on the morrow,
Hes a good enough old codger in his
way" reflected Algie, "but he thinks the
measly little old $1,000 year he's getting
Is big money, even for the support of his
large family, and he isn't game enough to
take a chance on horSerace, for instance,
and l actually believe the poor old jay
looks upon that game with disappearing
eye. Wait till l just show him wad OF
the ochre ones about the size of a hippo's
leg tomorrow morning, and tell him that l
don't believe my services are any longer
required I'll bet hat he'll be out at the
track himself tomorrow afternoon trying
to pick long shots
And then. Algie. freed from his steno-
graphic cares was out at the track, with
the little roll of $40 in his vest that he had
screwded with great difficulty from a
brusaue gentleman who had not only re-
quired indorser, but the somewhat usu-
IN IF
Algie also had carefully tucked away in
his waistcoat pocket the slip given to him
on the afternoon before by sharp-feat-
ured young person from New York. The
Slip contained the names of the winners of
each of the six races on the card, each
guaranteed to be at price of 30 to l or bet
ter, and the $40 remnant Of his last pay day
which Algie had cheerfully given up for
this potential piece of paper had seemed
mere bagatelle to the talented young
stenosrapher when compared with its pos
SibiitieS.
"Caninus to win the first race" unused
Algie as he made his way into the betting
ring before the states went up. And guar
anteed to be at least 30 to 1. I'll put $40
on Caninus-$5OO ought to be enough for a
starter
Forcing his way up to a bookie's stool
when the betting began Algie Payslip WAS
delighted to find that Caninus was the rank
outsider at 100 to l in the betting. And so
he got $1,000 for his $40, the bookmaker
smiling at him sardonically as he took the
money. Then Algie mounted the stand to
watch the race.
No description of that remarkable tace is
neceSSary-the news report of the days
races gave it in full. Caninus got off last,
gradually worked his way to the front and
won on the wire by a nose from the odds
on favorite. Algie repressed his inward
cltement in a dead-game manner, and wnen
he collected the $1,010 from the bookmak-
ers cashier he favored that chagrined in
dividual with a satirical smile that. was
meant to be, and probably was, exceedingly
cutting.
Una fair start. that said Algie to
himself, languidly, as he strolled over to the
bar and refreshed himself with a quart of
the restless amber product Of Gaul. steam
Roller to win the second-guaranteed to be
at 20 to L. my information reads. 81
shall invest little matter of $500, then on
Steam Roller to win"
Which Algie did. He had however. to
| take odds which were cut before his ad-
vance along the line-the rumor of a new
plunger having spread with it's customary
rapidity in the ring. Algie felt an inward
sense of triumph when he perceived that
the bookmakers were not only gazing at
him with respect, but that they were rub
olng out the prices on their states when he
made his appearance. Algie got some of
his 500 down on Steam Roller at 20 to /
but when the scared bookies saw him COM
ing they quickly began to shave, so that
he had finally, at post time. to accept
to 1. When he had placed all of the S5o0
| he stood to win about S. 900 if Steam Roller
romped home, as Algie had every reason to
expect. -
And, as will be recalled by readers of the
race reports of course, Algie's expectation
was realized. 1t was Steam Rollers race
from start to finish, and he won pulled up
by five lengths.
"oh. well, not so bad said Algie to him
self, as he invested in handful of cigars
at 81 each and cody inquired of the bar
caterer if he didn't have in stock a few
bottles of Johannisberger of the vintage
Oh W. By this time news of the immense
success of the stranger in the ring had
spread all over the grand stand, so that
when Algie. after betting $1,000 on his in
| Iormants selection for the third race at 10
way the pretty girls in the boxes pointed
him out coyly with their programs. How
| ever, he contrived to hold onto a hearing
that was both debonair and Indifferent. He
was particularly delighted to observe that
| a number of his fellow-clerks, sea ted in the
stand with their wives. were regarding him
| win green-eyed envy that. however, never
tin .iteiess had IN II also a gleam of admira-
\ ION. ne was generous enough to Danish
tne resentfuiness he felt over the predic-
| tons or some of them. made the day before
| that ne wouldn't win a bet and to give
them the name of the horse he had nlsved
| to win the third race-whereupon neadisss
| TO say they rushed down to the ring and
tapped themselves upon Algie's word
1ne lneIahcnoiy yellow sun drew close to
the horizon as Agie, $7S 600 to the good at
the finish Of the fifth race. reached tic
stand to watch the sixth and last event Es
| nad pet enough to make his afternoon,s
winnings an even 100000 AS he stood on
Inc meg grand an stand steps with his glasses
| placed 3auntily at his eyes, men and women
| paid more attention to Algie Payslin the
marseiously successful stenographer of the
nuieaa tha a OF aaumpration. than they did to
| the horses parading to the post. He had
IL was known, compelled at least twelve Of
| the DookmakerS to take down their e,.,o.
and close their satchels, and it was whis-
| pered around the ring that if he won the
| last race too, one of the most far of
the oookmakers, after years of unvarying
| success, would have to put up the shutters
The horses fretted at the post for a mo.
ment; nn ,al and then Mars Cassidy gave the cry
ana Algie stepped down to see which of The
| bunch had secured the rail, and in doing
so he 1 ooihs
Fell off his chair in the bureau of adun,-
bration and woke up with a start. Two mo
ments later he was taking his CHIEFS die
tation. the chief having already refnsed
to let him off for the afternoon on acconnt
OF the pressure of work. Algie still has the
s4o and the Slip None of the horses named
on the slip by the way. ran one, two. three
But Algie is going to take the $40 out to the
a ho