Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-09


 else she would have put her ears back trife and turned away with little i'm patient warning shake of her delicate head. She always turned in that cross manner from Shandy. the stable boy. She had also discovered that the visitor was not completely horsenan; she did not investigate his pockets, nor put her head over his shoulder, as she would have done with MT. Porter or Mike. or even with one who was a stranger, as was Mortimer, had she felt the unmistakable something which conveyed to her mind that he was of the equine brotherhood.
 'Lucretia has found you out," said Allis presently. You do like horses; she knows it."
 "Oh, I like animals, don't deny," Mortimer answered. "but I know very little about them--nothing about race horses"
 Mike frowned and looked disparag- ingly at the visitor. He must be a quare duck" he muttered to himself.
 But with startling inconsistency he explained: There's many like ye. sir, only they don't know it, that's all; the woods Is full av thim. Would yelike to give the lilly carrot, Miss?" he added, turning to Allis 1I'll bring some'
 When he returned Allis gave one to Lucretia. then they passed to the next stall.
 Diablo's head was tied high in cor ner of the stall, for Shandy, the boy, l was hard at work on him with double hand of straw. rubbing him down. The 1 boy kept up peculiar whistling noise through his parted lips as he rubbed. and Diablo snapped impatiently at the halter-shank with his great white teeth as though he resented the operation. Mortimer gazed with enthusiasm at the shining black skin that glistened like satin, or watered silk. Surely there was excuse for people loving thorough breds. It was an collaboration even to look at that embodiment of5 physical development Somehow or other Nor { timer felt that though the living creature before him was only horse, yet na- ture's laws were being adhered to, and the result was a reward of physical per- < lection and enjoyment of life. He be- gan to feel that man. or even woman it was the subtle presence of the wom- an at his side that made him involun- 1; < ; thoughts-yes even woman of high { moral attributes might find the most I healthy form of interested amusement i ia watching the superb development of {! horses that were destined for no other l purpose than to race and beget sons and daughters ofthe same wondrous stamina and courage and speed
 1 As Shandy swept his wisp of straw along the sensitive skin of Diablo's ! stomach. the latter shrank from the. : tickling sensation, and lashed out i'm. { patiently with powerful hind leg.
 He's not cross at all just" explained Mike; s.he's blufln', that's all shure l a child could handle him if they'd only I go the right way about it." Then heleaned over and whispered ir an aside to the yisitors-"Bct' t'umbs rp!" (this was Mikes favorite oath) i "Diablo hates that by an some day ! he'll do him up. mark my words l Here. Shandy." he cried turning to the rubber '1oose the blacks head an < turn him round"
 Mortimer almost shrank with appre hersion for the boy, for Diablo's ears were back on his fiat. tapering neck and his eyes looking back at them. were all !. white, save for the intense, blue-shim- mered pupil. To Mortimer that lcok was the incarnation of evil hatred. But the boy unsnapped the halter-shank. without hesitation, and Diab.o, more in quisitive than angry, came mincfngly . toward them, holding his head some what defantly, as much as to say that the nature of the interview would de- pend altogether upon their good be- ] havior.
 See that!" ejaculated Mike; see Tow he picks out the best friend the stables l got''
 l Diablo had stretched his lean head down. and was trying to nibble with gentle lip the carrot Allis held half hid- den behind her skirt. There was none of Lucretia's timidity in Diablo's ap- proach; it was full of an assumption of equality.
 T They're all like that when Miss Allis is about explained Mike: there never would be bad horse if the stable bys worked the same way Tie him up ] Shandy," he added 'sEven the jockeys spoil their mounts" Gaynor continued in a monotone; 'the horses'1l gallop dsDSIISI LOT WCiHeH any LIulS-LuSy tFedC them .gentler. tkat's why Miss Allis'd take Luzanne, or the black. or the little mare, and get better race out av thin than any Jock I've seen ridin' hereabout.' .'
 Mike exclaimed Allis, "you fatter me; you almost make me wish that ,I were jockey
 Well, bopt' t'umbs up! Ye'd av made good un. Miss. an that's no dis respect to ye I'm sayin'."
 Mortimer smiled cordescendingly AL lis quick eye caught his expression of l amused discontent; 1t angered her. l Mikes praise had been practically hon. est. To him a good jockey was the em- bodiment of courage and honesty and intelligence; but she knew that to Mor- timer 1t simply meant phase of life he
 considered quite outside the pale of rec. ognized responsibility.
 They visited all the other stalls, eight
 of them, and listened to Mikes eulogiex
 on the inmates Coming down the Ot h CT