The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-05

ticed the corner OF the little paper
packet p~rotruding from his closed
hand.
What business have you here?'
asked the lad.
Its business that may put some
thing into your pocket said the h
er. You've two horses in for the
Wessex Cup-Silver Elaze and Bay
ard. Let me have the straight tip and
you won't be q loser. Is it a fact that
at the weights Bayard could give the
other a hundred yards in five fur
longs, and hat the stable have put
their money on him?'
so you're one OF those damned
tours!' cried the lad. I'll shoW You
how we serve them in Kings Pyland.'
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 through the
window. A minute later, however,
when Hunter rushed out with the
hound he was gone. and though he
ran all around the buildings he failed
to find any trace Of him.
"One moment" [ asked. Ibid the
stable-boy, when he ran out with the
dog, cav the door unlocked behind
h.m?"
Excellent, Watson. excellent
mUrmured my companion. 1.-The i'm
poi tdiiCc tI t1lC point StIuCk me 50
forcibly that [ sen a special wire to
Dartmoor Yesterday to clear the mat
ter up. The boy locked the door be-
fore he left it. The window, I may
add, was not large enough for q man
to get through.
Hunter waited until his fellow
groOms had returned, when he sent
q message to the trainer and told him
what had occurred. Straker was ex-
cited at hearing the account, al
though he e not seem to have
quite realized its true significance. It
LETT him, however; vaguely uneasy,
and Mrs. Straker, waking at one in
the morning, found hat he was dress
ing. In reply to her inquiries he said
that he could not sleep on OF
his anxiety about the horses, and that
he intended to walk down to the sta
bic and see that all was we'll. She
begged him to remain at home, as she
4 hear the rain pattering against
n window, but in spite Of her en-
treaties he pulled on his large mack
intosh and left the house.
Mrs. Straker awoke at seven IN
the morning, TO find that her husband
had not yet returned. She dressed
herself hastily, called the maid and
set off for the stables. The door was
open: inside, huddled together upon 3
chalr, Hunter WAS sunk in q state OF
stupOr, the favorite's stall
was empty, and there was no sign Of
his trainer.
THE two lads vino slept in the
c~haI-cutting loft above the harness.
room were quickly aroused. They
+ ID heard nothing during the night.
Tor thew We're both sound sleepers.
was obviously under the influ-
ence Of some powerful drug. and as
no sense could be got out Of him. he
lett 10 sleep it off while the two
aus ahu the two women ran out in
search or the ~ahsentees. They still
mad hopes that the trainer had for
some reason taken out the horse for
cary exercise, but on the
knoil near the house, from which all
the ~Eelghborhing moors were visible.
tneS could see no signs Of the missing
Iaporlte, but they perceived some
tniag which warned them that thew
were IN the presence of a tragedy.
ABOUT a quarter Of a mile from the
s,aples John Straker's overcoat was
from a furze-bush. Imme-
ula.eiy beyond there was a boWl-shap-
co depression in the moor. and at the
bottom Of his was found the dad
oooy or the unfortunate trainer. His
nead a been shattered by q savage
Dio" from some heavy weapon. and
rs was wounded on the thigh, where
there was a long, clean cut, inflicted
esIieHtly py some very sharp instru-
vas S1CdIy 10 1T. Jh2f I
had defended himself yigor-
ousiy against his assailants, for in his
hand he held a small knife
which was clotted with blood no to
the handle while in his left he clasp
eu y REQ ana black silk cravat, which
was recognized by the maid as ha1;nn
been worn on the preceding evenine
oy the who had visited the |
staoles. Hunter, on recovering from
ms stupor, was also quite positive as |
the ownership Of the cravat. He was
er had, while standing ar the ina,
his curried mutton, and so
deprived the stables Of their watch |
man. AS to the missing horse. there ,
were unda proofs in the mud
wien lay az the bottom Of theIatal
hollow hat he had been thereIat 49,
time OF the struggle. But from that
mornin" he had disappeared, and al.
a large reward has been Offer