Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-11-28

bride and flung it to the judge.
At the lads first word there had
been Il commoton down there among
the crowd of groomS in the paddock.
4 1.-THE. black form dartcd across thg
course and made for the outer gate
4 dozen men seized him at once AMI
then held their breath for the next
move in the play.
Old Colonel Cantwcll. the judge.
stood up and waved for silence.
Bring him another birdie. I'll tax"
care of this one. Now get to the post
Jim settled in the saddle. Ahead
of him the little flags danced in the
wind and rain. GarrisonS Black Ser
aph wheeled into BarCSlian,:s. and at
the end of the line Mur@an'S Timber
Wolf plunged and reared Three times
the red flag fell. three times t,!cy strag
gled back TO the post. Then rod down.
yellow down and Il whir of black. bay
sorrcl and gray swept away. nose and
nose. with the rain adrip on flesh Of
scarlet and blaze of gold.
"Mudark"' "Old Skate 1t rang in
his ears on the whistle of tn" wind
The first hurtlle-.Jim felt the long
body gather itself. and they were
over, leaving the Black Seraph Il balk-
er adrift in the field. Timber Wolf led
by a head. There were only four now.
Jim grinncd and lurchcd Il little for
ward as BarcShankS' great l.oofS
grippcd the slippery grass. Grant :
Derrydown WAS second. the long stride
of English hunters showing lis mrttlr
from grcat-grandsire to son. MaNton's ;
Red Ruin and Longs Wild IriShnEin
nose and nose with Ear"ShanlS. Up
the slope and over til" second hurdle.
the great shoulders working with 4
mighty come and 80. Ba!r;hankS
forged on. while the Wild !r,Si.Il N
dropped in Il heap TO scramble out with
a wrenchcd fore leg. Jim laughed
aloud as they swept the turn. Th"
third-hc had studied it we'll and know
the rotten bank. where the Timber
Wolf landed. struggled Il moment and
slid down. his fore legs fighting the air.
They were close together now. Derry
down first by Il shoulder length, Bare
ShankS next. his ugly, lean head
stretched out. with red noStrils wide
afare. and Red Ruin struggling Il Sorry
third.
Over-Ovcr again They had made
the round once and for the second time
had passed the first three hurdles.
BareshankS crcpt up a few inches On
the home stretch. leaving Red Ruin Il
dozen yards in the rear. The last hur-
die lay before them. osagc and black
thorn. with an ugly stretch of water
beyond. Jim's tense little hands crcpt
up closer to the bit as he poured God
knows what prayers and promises into
the two ears that lay to the big. ugly
head. He felt the great muscles stiff
en-. the punching of those awkward
looking legs. the surge of the heart be
Meath the gaunt ribs-up-ovcr-tlaSh Ii
wlir-and the sea of faces rose and
surged in the billow of sound as the
bald Roman nose was thrust under the
wire. winner by Il neck's length.
From the stand above men came
down hand over hand. men poured in
from the pit. and the shrill clamor Of
excited WOmcn'S voices Shrilled above
the dull roar Of the crowd. Jim slid
from the saddle and went to the block.
staggering under its weight his Slen-
der body all a-quiver, then back to sit
motionlcss. enduring. until the moment
when Bareshanks, swathed in his
shabby blanket. stood the center of the
stables attention and envy, and hc
awokc and lived again. his arms
around the brown neck his face buried
in the Scanty name. There could be no
question of bullet in the head of the
winner of the Montgomery Steepc-
chase.