Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-09-17
CHAPTER XIII.


A little after six in the morning. The
April sun has just succeeded in breaking
through the morning mist, and the air
still has a crackle of frost in it. At
the foot Of a small knoll, surmounted by
q little clump of Scotch fir, stand three
man, engaged In earnest conversation.
Carefully sheeted, with stable boys on
their backs some seven or eight thorough
breds pace majestically round and round
the little hillock. On the side these men
are standing, stretches a considerable ex-
panse Of velvety turf-down. A series of
slender white poles mark out a wide oval
road, somewhere about a mile in circum-
ference. That broad, green, ribbon-like
track IL what Is termed the Mannersley
Gallop, and the ground upon which Mr..
Pearman's horses take their daily exer-
else.
The gentleman In the pepper-and-salt
suit, single-breasted coat, longish waist
coat and low-crowned hat, Is Martin Ply
croft, trainer. He fiddles with the ash
plant In his hand, and seems rather to
demur to something that his companion
Sam Pearman-seems to insist on.
As for the third member of the confer
ence, a bright, wiry, dark little man, he
looks as If his opinion must be asked
pretty decidedly before he intends commit
ting himself on any point. He is jockey
Of some considerable eminence in his pro-
fession.
Cant do any harm, Martin. He might
just as well have a spin with the old
horse as go his usual gallop."
"Well, I'd rather Mr.. Pearman wait
till he is quite wound up before trying
him. You must do an you please, sir.
No horse can be doing better; but contin-
ually trying does take the heart out of
them, you know, sir"
''Of course 1t does; but mind, we
haven't galloped Coriander beside another
this year. We suppose him to be quite
as good and better than he was last au-
tumn, but we've never ascertained 1
mean to know this morning"
In the meantime the string has halted,
the sheets are removed, and then, led by
the head lad on veteran of four seasons
standing, the youngsters proceed in In
dian file round the course at a half-speed
gallop. Then comes more walking for
twenty minutes or 80, succeeded by an
other steady canter, towards the finish Of
which the pace is considerably improved
--the rate Of progression being always
regulated by the rider of the leading
horse, who has, of course, received his
instructions from the trainer beforehand.
More walking, then more cantering, at
the conclusion of which Martin Pycroft
says quietly:
those boys to bring Loadstone and Corr
ander up here"
Merely replying, "All right, SIR" VII
liam turned his horses head In the direc-
ton of the stables.
A minute or two, and a couple of stable
boys walk the horses to where Pearman.
Pycroft and ''the rigid rider to orders"
are standing.
slump of and strip EN-" says the
trainer. The boys slip off the backs of
their respective mounts, and hold them
by tho head while Pycroft unlooses Cori-
ander's surcingle, whips off the sheets
With dexterous hand, and proceeds to
sdjust 8 light racing asddle on that
equine celebrity's back. Jim, assisted by
Pearman, performs the same Office for
Lcadstone.
snow, sir, says Martin, 'betore we
So how they are together, we had better
jnst let 'em have quiet canter. Jim. you
ret up on C6riander. You, young 'un,"
Be continued, addressing the lad who had
been upon Loadstone, "get on your own
horse, and lead round nice strong can
-. making it a little quicker from the
bush home than IN The dip; but no gallOp-
lne Ia earnest, mind"
Looks and moves well, sir, don't her"
aid Martin, as Coriander, under inns |
naaterly hands, after two or three angry
matches nt his Bit settled down into