Evening star., 1902-08-30
CHAPTER TX.

Crane heard of the accident on one of
his visits to Brookfield couple of days
later, and, of course, must needs hurry
to Ringwood TO see his employe. 1t hap
pened that the Reverend Dolman graced
the Porter home with his presence the
same evening that Crane was there.
Naturally the paramount subject of in
terest was the narrow escape of Miss AL
lis; but the individuality of discussion grad
ually merged into a crusade against rae
ing, led by the jealous clergyman. John
Porter viewed this trend with no little
trepidation of feeling.
1t was Mrs. Porter who precipitated mat
ters, by piously attributing Allis' escape to
Providence.
Undoubtedly. undoubtedly" Mr.. Dol
man said, putting the points of his fingers
together in front of his lean chest. He
paused moment, and Porter groaned in
wardly; he knew that attitude. The fin
gers were rapfers, stilettos; presently their
owner would thrust, with cutting phrase
proving that they were ALL indeed a very
bad lot. Perhaps John Porter would have
resented this angrily, had he not felt that
the reverend inquisitor was really honest
in his beliefs, albeit intolerably narrow in
his conclusions
Dolman broke the temporary silence. But
We shouldn't tempt Providence by wor-
Shipping false images. Love of animals is
able-commendablc-" he empha-
sized this slight concession-"but race
horses always appeal to me as instruments
of the evil one"
1T wasn't the horses fault, at all, Mr.
Dolman," Allis interposed, but just a de-
PRAYED humans. 1t was the bay. Shandy s.
fault"
Il wasn't thinking of one horse" con-
tinued the minister airily; Il meant race
horses in general"
Il think Mr.. Dolman is right" ventured
Mrs. Porter. hesitatingly. Its flying in
the face of Providence for a girl to go
among those race horses"
Ike
mother" Allis said "and 1 believe that
Shandy's punishment was the visitation of
Providence, If there was any"
THE Reverend Dolman'S face took on an
austere look. 1t was insult to the di-
vine powers to assent that they had taken
the part of a race horse. But he turned
the point to his own ends. It's quite
wrong to abuse the noble animal: and that's
one reason why l hold that racing is con-
trary to the Creators intentions, quite
apart from the evil effect it has on NOR
tails"
Are all men immoral who race, Mr.. Dol
man?' John Porter asked His question
forced Dolman to define his position. Por-
ter always liked things smplified; racing
was either wrong in principle or right. Dol
man found him rather a difficult man to
tackle. He had this irritating way cf
brushing aside generalization, and forcing
the speaker to get back to first principles.
The reverend gentleman proceeded eau
tiously. 81 should hardly care to go as
far as that-to make the rule absolute; a
very strong man might escape contamina-
ton, perhaps"
Mrs. Porter sighed audibly. The minister
was weakening almost lamentably-giving
her husband a loophole to escape.
Il hardly think racing quite as bad as II
is generally supposed to be-" interposed
crane, feeling that Porter was being pill
loried somewhat He received O reproach-
ful look from Mrs Porter for his pains
Il have never seen any good come of it,"
retorted Dolman. "A Christian man must
b>
countenances racing, for they contend that
without betting racing is impossible"
Everything in life is pretty much of a
gamble Porter drawled, lazily; there
aren't any sure things. The ships that go
to sea, the farmers crops-everything is
more or less matter of chance If man
goes straight, he has a fairly easy time
with his conscience, no matter what he's