Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-02-17
How the Race
Was Won
BY cRITTENDEN MARRIOTT
OpWiglt, 1908. bu Z. G. McCIsre

| gan at the very moment the winning
boat, swelling white from deck to tow
ering truck, swept across the line in
mist of flying spray and thousand
| steam whistles burst into gigantic APP
plause, announcing to waiting world
that the cup would stay on this side
for at least another year.
1t was at this instant that Miss yir-
ginia Wentworth. her teeth flashing.
/ her eyes glistening, her cheeks flaming.
turned 10 Frank Stanhope and cried.
with quick emotion: Isn't it glorious?
Oh. could love man who could carry
off prize like thatr'
This remark was unwise unless Miss
| Wentworth wished to invite what fol-
| lowed, for no one had ever accused
Stanhope of being backward where wo-
men were concerned. Besides, he was
| very much in love with Miss Went
worth. So he instantly turned, bent
| over the girl so that no one else might
hear and whispered, "Will you love me
if carry it off, Virginia?' Whereupon
Miss Wentworth, with suddenly
heightened color. turned quickly aside
| and made a remark to a girl compan-
| ion.
But the question once asked had to
be answered sooner or later. The time
| when it must be came the next after
noon in the disjointed intervals avail
| able between the departure of one
guest who had dropped in on Miss
Wentworth to get cup of tea and the
arrival of another who came for the
same purpose.
Stanhope smiled down on her "You
remember what you said yesterday,
don't you?" he asked.
Miss Wentworth blushed slightly.
"Oh, yes" she said. "Wasn't it fool
fshf was carried away by the mo-
ment and thought that l could love the
! man who defended the cup so splen-
didly."
THE Englishman has said that he
! will challenge again." he said slowly.
II shall build yacht and defend the
cup"
"But you are not a yachtsman."
| 81 shall become one if
"But you know how seasick you get
when the water is rough"
"Ill get over it if
81 won't promise"
81 don't ask you to do So But do
ask you to be with me when my yacht
crosses the line a victor a year or two
| from now, and perhaps-perhaps the
moment may carry you away again"
ooh. you foolish boy" But it was
with very tender look in her eyes
that Miss Wentworth watched Stan
| hope as he went from the parlor.
An hour later he was closeted with
| Neil Burke, the famous yacht de
signer.
You said once that you would do
anything for my fathers son, MIR
Burke" he was saying. Now I'm
going to claim your promise I've got
to defend the cup next time. To do
so | must have a yacht that can de
feat all other would be defenders and
then can defeat the challenger, no mat
ter how good it may be. VIII you help
me-"
ITS my business to do So" returned
the designer. land in this case it will
be my pleasure as we'll"
Stanhope drew a long breath.
That's good" he said. Spare no
expense-none | will spend my whole
fortune If necessary to assure this vic
tory
Tie designers face grew serious. He
drew a sheet of paper toward him and
began to figure. At last he threw
down the pencil. "Stanhope,' he said,
"if you mean exactly what you say
and if you are rich enough and have
the nerve to risk it can assure you
of victory as certainly as any human
event still in the future can be as
sured. But it will cost great deal"
Never mind the cost. | have the
nerve, | believe. and | have the money
that is. have anything within rea-
SON"
"Ah! But perhaps you'll think that
! this isn't in reason. Willard can
you risk 100000 on the race with the
certainty of winning unless something
altogether Unforeseen should occurE"
Seven millions! Great Cesar! How
can you possibly spend seven mil
! lions?'
81 said risk. not spend. And the
risk will be very small. Nearly all of
the money will be restored safe and
sound-less the cost of the yacht, crew
and so forth, say half a million. But
the seven millions l must have in coin,
or, better still, in bars of solid gold.
VIII you risk it?'
Drops of sweat stood on Stanhope's
| forehead. MIR. Burke" he said. Il
am reputed to be rich, and l am.
suppose the market value of my prop
erty is about ten millions. But in
actual cash | am poor. | shall have
TO sell everything to get this gold. To