Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-16

small bet. There was nothing said | about the size of the winnings. She was probably thinking of gloves. lingo, she has lovely hand. Hey, Crane. you're silly!" he cried, half audibly. taking himself to task; doing business in big moneys--a cool seventy-fve thousand, if 1t materializes, perhaps even more-and then slipping off into mooney dream, vaporing about girls slim hand. I suppose that's the love symptom. But at forty; it's hardly ] my normal condition, ! fancy. I'm quite silly" he calculated; "but I can't help 1t. But can go out and get some fresh air. and wills /. XX It was the middle of May The apple trees had peeped out with pink etes, and seeing the summer maiden stalk | ing through the land, had thrown of their timid coyness and shaken loose | drapery of white, all rose-tinted and | green-shaded, that turned their broad | acred homes into fairy bathrooms. But all the newborn awakening, all l the sweet strength of soul and life
 
 | the wings of soft winds, brought not the hoped-for allotment to John Porter. At Ringwood they had waited for the springtime. That would work the cure the doctors skill had failed of. A man Of outdoors, it was the house caging that was killing him, keeping him back.
 These things were said; but Dr. Rath- bone only shook his wise old head, with it's world of good sense, and an- swered: "It is none of these things The trouble is in his mind; he is fret | ting. A sensitive man, we'll in body, may be brought to illness by antici- | pated disaster. That could not have been the case with John Porter we'll, but John Porter i'll is quite different matter. It's as I have said before, give him hope, win him races" ..,. l So Allis was really glad at the near approach of the time e her trial. The day was coming fast, soon, when she was to go forth with her little band of horses, to strive for the fulfllment of that which had been put upon her. r
 The nearness of the enot-to-be-shirked responsibility drove into her veins an unlocked for exhilaration of strength. She had thought that she would look with dread upon the going away from 1 Ringwood; that feeling much akin to stage fright would quite unnerve her at the very last The riding at home, the horse lore, and the almost constant companionship of her father, always among horses and horsemen, though it appeared somewhat dreadful to the vil- lage folks, had been as nothing to her. Now that she needed strength for the newer, stranger endeavor, it came to her, even as the blossoms came to the swaying apple trees, great and small. N.'
 What wouldn't she do? she asked herself many times, to bring a strength giving peace to her fathers mind.
 The prospective commencemento of the racing campaign seemed to foreshadow a complete fulfillment of the doctors prophecy should success smile upon this modern Joan of Arc; for the hustle of preparation was music to the ears of the stricken man, and he fought the lethargic fever of discomfort that was over him until his eyes frightened and his face took on hopeful look of in- terest ''@
 Brave little woman" he said to AL lis, tits shame for great hulk as am to lie up here, while you fight the sharks that were almost too much for your father.''
 Then he spoke a little lower. as a man utters unfamiliar words for the first time. Your mother said that Providence would look after you. Sounds strange, doesn't it, girl? But I'm glad. Your mother was so bitter I don't blame her-now she's turned right around. And, Allis, believe with a little tempting, little coaxing, she'd almost have bet on Lucretia in your hands Funny, isn't it?" And he gave little chuckle
 Allis hadn't heard her father laugh for a long time. It wasn't much of a 1 laugh, very dry, and very short lived, hardly lighting up his face at all, but still 1t was the feeble pulsation of hu- nor which showed that the old John : Porter spirit was not quite broken. About the betting, Allis, you must have Dixon come down here to see me, for the horses are to go to his stable again, aren't they?"
 ''Yes, father
 That r1ght. thought we had ar~ ranged it that way, but seem to forget things since that bad tumble"
 You don't forget much now, father; 5 you're getting stronger in every way" : "Blarney, girl. But I don't mind your blarney Is like the sunshine that comes through the window. But about Dixon. Have him come down, for we / must arrange to back Lucretia-she's : worth it. She's been doing well, hasn't she, girl? o, God. why can't go out into the open and see the little mare do just one gallop? And then I'd like to sit and look at the trees sway back and 'ortb in the wind. Their swing is like the free gallop or good horse"
 He dropped the brief. fretful remon. ': strance against fate with ar apologetie turning away of his head, and contin- ued about the trainer.