The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-01
''The Gray just Tottered Under the Wire First"

vfve, Of course-at least, he likely
would; but In the meantime he was In
magic labyrinth OF tortuous expert
ences. But he had money, and he show
eied 1t in.
Well, the three horses were Amir.
Rocket and Pegu Not one Of them
belonged to TObyn; they belonged to
men who could almost do the mango
tree trick" Their names Were John
James and Henry. as they say in the
school books. which with do very well
for this tale. They were all entered
IN the Railway Plate"-the horses, OF
course-and men said the betting mill
would be a big one. That was between
Amir and Rocket particularly. The
Railway Plate was mile on the fat,
a distance which suited both horses.
Pegu was supposed to lie down and
roll over after he had gone a half mile,
for that was his Nmit-five furlongs at
the very outside. The terms of the
race called for three starters, and that
was really why Pegu had been put in.
He was, as it were. subsidized inter-
est, and being a forlorn runner, a ma
tive jockey was thought good enough
to pilot him, and much cheaper. That's
what Henry, his owner, thought; so he
put up Abdul, little better than a sta
bic boy, who only knew enough to sit
in the saddle and let the horse use his
own discretion-which, after all, is not
such a very bad thing.
Before the race John, the owner OF
Amir, took counsel with himself. 1t
would be a near thing between his
horse and ROcket-either might win.
He could not depend on Amir's win
ming, but he could upon Rockets In
fact, he quite convinced himself that
Rocket had much the better chance;
so, through a friend, he backed the
other mans horse heavily. 1T was a
| thoroughly sound enterprise, based on
obvious principles. But James was not
| SO sure about Rocket winning as was
| his friend John. He had uneasy qualms
| about the horse. What IL Amir could
stay the miIe-he was certainly faster
| than Rocket? 1t was too risky; he
would back the better horse. Amir. So
| he went to a trusty henchman, who
| loaded up the willing s'boOkfes" with
bets on Johns horse, Amir. 1t was a
generous thing to do this backing OF
each others horses. an unSelhSh thing;
and they hid their good under a BUSH
Ell; did not let the right hand know
what the left was dofng-safd not a
word to each other. OF course. the re-
suit OF this steady plunge on the part
of the owners caused Amir and Rocket
to rule close favorites In the betting.
It was s to on-take your choice.
Also because OF this and because he
really hadn't ghost Of a chance. Pegu
gIided out in the betting until he was
20 to 1.
This was charming sort Of arrange
ment for the Babe to wander up
against. He had a happy faculty OF
| finding intricate combinations of this
sort, and his supreme Indifference to
results and complete faith in his own
ability usually ran him hard and fast
on the sunken rock. When he asked a
| friend what he should back the friend
bIithely answered. "Amir-n0thfng
else In it, That being so, he felt that
he must do something substantial, so
I he had 1000 rupees on the horse. II
was an celebrating start. and he
whistled cheerfHllY as hewafked around
to the front OF the stand.
You are happy" said Capt. Lavei,
meeting him on the grass promenade
Yes" answered Tobyn. Eve lust
backed the wfnner-that is to be-
What's the good thing?s asked La
Amir; Grant says he can't lose"
Now, look here - exclaimed LaveI,
| half angriIy. Grants an ass. Amir
hasn't q thousand chance.
know him, for / used to own him. He
can't stay the distance; seyen-eighthS
| is as far as he can get. He'll crack
up furlong from home at the pace
Rocket'H set him."
He looked with angry compassion in
| to the face OF Tobyn, and the latter
/ drew the toe OF his boot thoughtfully
across the grass, making Maltese
crosses, as though he would force his
thought into some sort OF shape.
LaveFs information had staggered him.
What the deuce did Grant mean by
putting him onto a horse like that
| onto a dead one? Then he remem-
bered that Grant had taken rise
| out of him once or twice before How
ever evidently Lavei knew about the