The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-29
ADVENTURE VII
SILVER BLAZE

stables were locked up at 9 CLOCK.
Two of the lads walked up to the
trainer house, where they had supper
! in the kitchen, while the third, Ned
ns aer the on ssrt Edith 4 Baz asE
carried down to the stables his supper,
which consisted of dish of curried
mutton. She took no liquid, as there
was water-tap in the stables, and it
was the rule that the lad on duty
else ne ahe i ~aa
very dark and the path ran across the
open moor. A1
;" Edith Baxter was within thirty
yards of the stables, when man APP.
peared out of the darkness and called
| to her to stop. AS he stepped into
the circle of yellow light thrown by
the lantefn she saw that he was per-
son of gentlemanly bearing, dressed in
He wore CATERS and carried heavy
stick with a knob to it. She was most
impressed, however, by the extreme pal
lor of his face and by the nervousness of
his manner. His age, she thought, would
be rather over 80 than under it.
asked. Il had almost made up my mind
to sleep on the moor, when saw the
light Of your lantern.
/" You are close to the Kings Pyland
training stables said she.
"'Oh, indeed! What a stroke Of
luck!' he cried. Il understand that
stabEle-bey sleeps there alone one eYe?ry
YOU are carrying to him. Now, I am sure
that you would not be too proud to earn
the price of a new dress, would .you9,,
He took piece of white paper folded
up out Of his waistcoat pocket. See
that the boy has this tonight, and you
shall have the prettiest frock that
money can buy
She was frightened by the earnestne,ss
window thru which she was accustomed
to hand the meals. 1t was already
opened and Hunter was seated at the
small table inside. She had begun to
tell him what had happened, when the
stranger came up again..
D." Good evening", said ne, Looking
thru the window. I wanted to have
word with you The girl has sworn
of the little paper packet protruding
from his sa slo ssaia hand have you Aeres
asked the lad,
"'It's business that may put some.
thing into your pocket said the other. !
you we two horses in for the Wessex
have the Straight tip and you won It be
a loser. Is it a fact that at the weights
Bayard could give the other, hundred
yards in five furlongs, and tat the
stables have put their money on hlmF
$3.50, you re one Of those damned
touts' cried the lad. I'M show you
how we serve them in Kings Pyland.
He sprang up and rushed across the
stable to unloose the dog. The girl fled
away to the house, but as she ran she
. looked back and saw that the stranger
|, was leaning thru the window. A min:
ute later, however, when Hunter rushed
: out with the hound he was gone, and
tho he ran all around the buildings he
failed to find any, trace OF him. \; -, ~
zone moment" I asked. "Did the
stable-boy when he ran out with the
dog, leave the door unlocked behind
VExcellent, Watson, excellent" muir.
/, INJURED my companion. "The Importance
of the point struck me so forcibly that
I sent a special wire to Dartmoor yes
:: locked the door before he left it. The
window, I may add, was not large
enough for man to get thru.
r "Hunter waited until his fellow
9 grooms had returned, when he sent
l message to the trainer and told him
r what had occurred. Straker was, excited
t at hearing the account, altho he does
: not seem to have quite realized It's true
significance. It left him, however
1 ing at l in the morning found that hi
: was dressing. In reply to her inquiries
| hesaid that he could not sleep on account
S of his anxiety about the horses, anC
/, that he intended to walk down to the
d stables to see that all was well. Sht
}, could hear the rain pattering agalns1
e the window, but in spite Of her en-
t treaties he pulled on his large mackin
tosh and left the house.
"Mrs. Straker awole at z In thu
9 morning, to find that her husband hat
Il not vet returned. She dressed hersel.
g hastily, called the maid and set off TO:
: huddled together upon a chair, Hunte:
Y was sunk in state Of absolute stupor
, the favorite's stall was empty, AM
: there were no signs of his trainer.
G tThe two lads who slept in the chaff
r cutting loft above the harness-roon
f were Quickly aroused. They had heart
Q nothing during the night for they ar
7. both sound sleepers: Hunter was obvl
n ously under the influence Of some pow
l. erful drug, and as no sense could be 60
r. out of him, he was left to sleep it OF
g while the two lads and the two wome1
f ran out in search Of the absentees
q They still had hopes that the. tralne
s. had for some reason taken out the hors
e for early exercise, but on ascending tn
l knoll near the house, from which al
n the neighboring moors were visible, the.
C not only could see no signs OF the miss
10 ing favorite, but they perceived some
IS thing which warned them that they wer
It in the presence Of a tragedy.
q "About a quarter Of mile from tn
L stables John Straker's overcoat wa
N Tapping from a furze-bush. Immedl
It ately beyond there was a bowl-shape
depression in the moor, and at the bot
d tom Of this was found the dead bod
g Of the unfortunate trainer. His hea
e. had been shattered by savage blo'
e; from some heavy. weapon, and he wa
ID wounded on the thigh, there was Ions
rs clean cut, inflicted evidently by som
le very sharp instrument. It was clear, how
j. ever, that Straker had defended hin
)r self vigorously against his assailant
n for in his right hand he held sma
r knife, which was clotted with blood u
or to the handle, while in his left
n clasped a red and black silk crava
IT which was recognized by, the maid
re having been worn the precedin
It. evening by the stranger who had visite
$. the stables. Hunter, on recovering fro
n, his stupor, was also quite positive as
I'd the ownership of the cravat. He we
IT, equally certain that the SAN
is stranger had, while standing
mutton and so deprived the stable
er of their Waterman. AS to til
a missing horse, there were abunda1
n proofs in the mud which Law at the bo