The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-15

steady gallop. On Saturday and Sun day he did fair work, and on Monday had four-mile sweat with the rugs on' Tuesday, of course, he took things easy, but Wednesday he did a long gall lop at top speed, and had pipe opener on the Thursday before we boxed him.
 had given him all the work l dared, but he was a lot on the big side, and knew he would be voted as fat as pig when seen in the paddock.
 I trayeled by the same train as the horse, and just as we were starting white-mustached old gentleman and young lady got into the carriage, and in the latter recognized the very Miss Etherridge whose dog had caused the accident.
 The colonel and soon got chatting, and in due courseit came cut that l was taking Blue Light up to sandown to run for the big race.
 The colonel was interested; the girl was enthusiastic.
 "Oh, dad, you must back him." she cried.
 q should advise not" I said. ''The horse is very short of work. and l do not think he can possibly win"
 You must not despair, sir" the col onel observed. T have owned horses and raced horses, chiefly in India, the best part of my life, and have found out by experience that more races are lost by horses being overtrained than anything else. A trainer ought to study horses constitution. There are few who require to be trained to f1ddlestrings before they can win, but the majority of horses run best when little above themselves"
 I smiled politely; of course this was rank heresy.
 He was good sportsman, however, and promised to be down at Sandown to see the race run, and the girl de- clared she would not miss it for the world.
 They were true to their word in fact. they were about the first poole l saw when entering the grandstand inclosure the next day.
 Jack had come down with me. and I introduced him.
 To my surprise noticed that the girl blushed.
 After 8 little chat Jack conducted his new friends into the paddock to look at Blue Light while I went to get into my racing jacket-red cap, white and black check body and sleeve. While putting them on noticed for the first time that they were regular magpie colors, a fact which did not improve my temper, already tried by the con- 1 dolence of friends, who predicted Blue Light would get about 0 mile when he would be pumped out.
 There were thirteen of us at the post, an unlucky number, and I got left.
 It did not matter much, as thought, for with a half trained horse it was better for me to wait and trust to the l chapter of accidents.
 These did not seem to be going fa- vorab1e on that day, for the field went sailing away at great pace on their three-mile journeyS It was true that an outsider came down at the second fence, and Yorkshire Lass, the favor 1 ite, pecked, which let meaup alongside, but the leaders were already at the next obstacles. The pace was so hot that it began to dawn on me that if did not make up something of the leeway that any little chance there might be of not being tailed off was over; so I shook up Blue Light, and we gradually crept up to the ruck. Still, when we passed the stand the first time round we were more than a fur long behind the leader.
 4t.z khn IsAAA 4ttfVa three came down. and as my horse kept going well let him stride along. Yorkshire Lass came up abreast of me, and Blue Light, not inclined to be beat, caught hold of his bit, and we raced along the railway side together, rapid l ly catching up to the, leaders. l To say I was surprised at the way my horse was going would faintiy ex press what I felt. Here, when he ought to have been completely done, he was going great guns, not a bit dis tressed, to all appearance.
 Nearing the last fence, four of us were together; the favorite, black horse; a wiry little mare named Kate, an Irish importation, and Blue Light, but the best cross-country rider in England was on Samson, and he led by 8 dozen lengths At the fence the fa- vorfte came down, and could hear the shout which went up from the crowd.
 At the first hurdle we were within three lengths of Samson, and the Irish more was outside. At the second hur- dle I was only a length behind, and Blue Light was still going well. Just then I thought Captain Eastman must have a bit up his sleeve, and expected to see him. after landing on the flat, shoot away.
 But he did not
 I could see his spurs at work, and in another moment, with an effort, I was at the girths and had the satisfaction of seeing he was done, and that I had only the black to beat, The roar from the ring was in my ears as forged bit by bit ahead. Blue Light had the longer stride, and although the black ran game as a pebble we won pretty comfortably by length.
 Frank" whispered Jack, as soon as we were alone, '|you rode splendidly and we have made a good haul. but you must allow that's chiefly my doing But. say, old man, do you know who Miss Etherridge is ["
 "She is the girl who nearly brought us to grief, her and her dog"