Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1906-01-11

Tow watching for the return of the
'our-in-hand.
Look. lookv' was all that Mrs. Sed-
len could say.
The brake was in sight, Sedden drlv-
ng it. His face told them the truth,
and in n minute they heard his voice
confirming the news.
Il tell YOU the horse had been got
ltr he was shouting. "Wingfoot faili
No, sirr'
"Oh, Connie, Connie" Mrs. Sedden
ried.
Miss Winthrop gathered her into her
Itrong young arms.
I'll have to 90 down and superin-
iend the supper for you. Now, you
stay right here. I'll lock you in safe so
hat you shall not be disturbed. I'll "a
Town. I'm not afraid. hope Mr.. Brin-
on will be sober"
Gorton Brinton was sober. but his
lost was not. Miss Winthrop witness
I'll the arrival of the four-in-hand from
he stairs through the open hall door
md retired.
She did not return to Mrs. Sedden,
because she thought that if his wife
discovered that Sedden was being left
20 the mercy Of the servants she would
want to go down, headache and ALL
and wait upon him. Mrs. Sedden would
not have done anything of the kind
but Miss Winthrop was ignorant of
that and sat down on the top stair to
watch. She could not bring herself to
enter the presence of her drunken host
Miss Winthrop sat clasping her
knees. She heard talk and laughter;
then song trilled out in the tenor
voice OF Houghton Stanford, an ingenu
Gus youth who lost his money with ex.
cellent grace. Suddenly the song was
broken In upon by the voice of Sedden
loud, harsh, menacing
She got up and stole down the stairs
Risky though it was. she felt that she
must hear. She turned the handle OF
the dining room door softly. She
caught the end Of Sedden's speech.
And SO say the horse was poison
ed, Poisoned. He would have won
right enough but for that Grange, the
trainer. and Jack Billings. the jockey
say it. | say Il! And who did lt?"
Nonsense, man! You're dreaming
Come and sit down." said Stanford
pulling the orators coat tail. Sedden
recovered h equilibrium by a miracle
md hammered OH the table.
''Who di6 it. l say? I'll tell you
Who was the man that bet ON the horse
and hedged afterward 2" He launched
the question as if II were a physical
blow.
"Who was it," he went on, "at the
stable at II last night with all Of us
and who never came in until this
morning in by the window
50 that no one should know he'd beer
outI"
There was pause, during which the
men looked at one another and won
dered who was to be denounced and
whether Sedden's Ill luck or the wits
Ky he had drunk had turned his brain.
Would you like to know the man
who did itT' he sneered.
/ w. wv Ehul UP btShh obdhLOl "a
| but lis voice was drowned. The
dramatic forefnger was pointed al
Gorton Bripton.
There he sitsv'
Brinton calmly examined his finger
nails.
This is all rot, Seddenw cried Stan
ford. Were all sold now that Wing
foot didn't win, but it's crazy to sup
pose he's been poisoned"
Grange says it"
Grange be dashedl He isn't a vet
Hes nearly as good, though" inter
posed another man, who was reputeC
to know something about horsehesh
IF he says It, it's likely to be true, anC
the thing must be gone into between
us. But we needn't drag in PERSONAL
ties," he added, with glance at Brin
ton, who still continued TO look bored.
! Scdden was less delicate in his refer
I cuccJ.
Ask himp' he cried. did you o.
die you not hedge, Brintonf"
Brinton pulled his mustache.
Il hedged"
80 that you stood to win II Wing
| foot lostT
80 that / stood to win If Wlngfoo
lost"
You hear, Stanford? And did yo'
or did you not stay out last night unit
of the morning.
81 stayed out"
"And climbed in by the window, 70
Grange tells me he saw YOU" conclud
ed sedden triumphantly And, now
what were you doing out all that time
Speak up. Wen all listen to you"
j What the dickens were you up to