Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13


Now they raced neck and neck. The
girls body rocked as though she urged
Chinook. And on the bay mOnkeyl1ke
figure CrOuChed as mOtlonleSs as though
the man slept. A hundred yards away
their hoofs beat with fierce impetuosity
side by side; they galloped as team.
kinnaird felt the smothered crush of
bodies as men, tensed by the struggle,
closed in silence about him. No one
spoke. They scarce seemed to breathe,
SO still the suspense held them.
There was a curious sense of long drawn
out time in his mind, as if bay and chest
nut had galloped for ages, and would
gallop on and on like creatures in dream.
But the thunder of hoOfs now Churned
the air like a huge drum. He could see
the blood red CLEAN of spread nOStrlls
that sucked at the air. The girls face
showed drawn and blanched; her lips
twitched, as though she called to Chinook
to gallop, gallop.
Suddenly, the brown, wrinkled face OF
the man on Pipestone showed above the
lean reaching head of the bay. His shout
ders heaved An arm swept upward.
There was the snakelike writhe of a quirt
in the air, and surely the black legs of the
bav pounded at the turf yard in front
of the other.
Cad! she's beaten! Chris. my girl,
it's too bad!" This had slipped from Kin
naird's lips in a whisper. He held his
breath as the girl drove at Chinook.
A FEW strides, slight cutting down
of the other lead, and then with a
surging rush, the two thoroughbreds the
bay head showing in front. swept between
his eyes and the white poplar post across
the course.
Shrill above the rising clamor sounded
the voice of Cayuse: Hell's cut loose!
Oh! won't somebody take my gun off n me
fore | shoot that gopher on Plpestone -
Nobody paid any attention to the ex-
cited Cavuse 1t was just the phrased
thoughts that surged through the minds
of all Stand Off.
Mayo pushed his way through the tur
MOL of troubled men, and asked Kim
naird, What boss got it, judge
'Pipestone won
Guess that correct" kootenay sub
out his lips, an sorter won by the skin of
his teeth" The speaker laughed a mlrth-
less cackle at his own humor.
Through a rent in the human wall the
two horses came back. Chris, slipping
deiectedly from the saddle, asked, Was
| beat?"
kinnaird nodded.
Il thought 50. Poor old Chinook!
That's the first time" Her voice
choked, and kinnaird saw the heavy
black lashes whip bravely at the moist
brown eyes AS she drew at Chinook's
rein, Mayo said:
III take the boss, Chris"
"No-no!" the girl answered fiercely;
and the crowd Cheered as she led the
chestnut away
DART of Kinnaird's official duty was to
1 hold the stakes And as Silent Eli
waited for his winnings, two men, dressed
as cowboys, stood viewing Pipestone with
evident interest. One of them ran hand
casually down the horses cannonbone.
Il guess it's all right, judge" Mayo
said Nobody amt made no kick"
As Eli held out his hand for the purse,
the man who had caressed Pipestone's leg
slipped pair of strong fingers in the red
handkerchief knotted about the little
mans neck, saying, Il arrest you in the
name of the Queen! Don't pay over that
money!" He stopped abruptly and
stared, look of half recognition in his
eyes as he turned them on kinnaird.
An oath and twist recalled him from
his momentary hesitancy. Another hand
\ +b-,,c+ hot uaar, hin, and prisoner