Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-09-19


the bedroom to the trainers quarters.
Tears were streaming down his dirt
smudged face us he cried:
Its frame up! It's frameup!'
What's wrong, Bud? Wnat Is the
matter?" asked Mrs. Darlington, who
entered the room at that moment, hav-
ing got rid of the doctor.
Matter! Why, it's couple OF crooks.
OATS what's de matter. They've got
it all framed up for Wildfire to lose"
For Wildfre to lose! What do you
mean?" asked the stunned widow.
John Duffy-that's what l mean.
he come in here and he gets next to
de smoke Jockey and tells him he'll be
in on de play" explained Bud, talking
in his own vernacular.
Bud sank into the rocker and cover
ed his face with his hande. Mrs. Bar
rington knelt beside him.
Listen. Bud" she said. "I'm begin
ming to realize what's been going on
and you must tel! me all about it
quickly = quickly = for everything l
have in the world depends on this
race"
Duffy comes on de main deck here"
cried the excited boy, while Pm up
aloft. He don't know dat-so he
frames it all up with de dinge, and the
dinge hikes. Duffy and Garrison are
working together, and
"Garrison?"
Sure Garrison"
II don't believe It," she cried In
dismay.
well, Duffy comes In an he sees de
COON" He ran to the window, beckon-
ing her to follow him. When she had
Joined him he continued. HE sees der
coon an he says to him: See dat win
dow? When you'se comm to turn into
der stretch, If dere's white handker-
chief waving dere you wins-if der
amt no handkerchief you loses and
Jackdaw wins and OATS all dere Is
to it."
IA white handkerchief and wildfire
wins" she repeated in her distress.
Mrs. Darlington understood Duffy
and Garrison!-a queer combination,
she thought. But they had met years
ago. Were Garrison's pretensions all
fraudulent, just to win her confidence7
Were all her hopes to be shattered In
one blow and Garrison, he of all men,
to deliver it, She thought quickly; al
ready plan was forming in her mind.
"If I only could find Donovan"
walled Bud.
TRY, Bud, try! I'll stay here till you
come back" she begged, pushing him
to the door,
Helpless, almost hopeless, she paced
to and fro, awaiting Donovan's return.
From the cheers and handclapping she
knew the field was parading. She
started for the window, when the door
burst open and Ralph rushed in.
Donovan" he called, his voice trem-
bling with excitement.
Ralph! What are You doing here7'
Nothing nothing" Ralph was al
most GREATNESS.
And why are you 80 pale? Ralph,
what's the matter? she demanded.
"It's-its"- The boy could not con-
TESS to her.
you've been betting! she cried.
Ralph nodded dumbly.
"And have LOST
His chin sank on his breast. 1.-TWO
thousand dollars" he faltered.
ITO whom?"
Duffy" he whispered.
Duffy I'll pay him."
Ralph shook his head in agony.
Its paid already" was his reply in a
weak voice.
"How?" she questioned.
with the money-with the money
Ralph began, with sob.
with the money your father gave
you this morning?" she asked.
The dropping Of his head confirmed
her surmise
"He must never know. Some way ..
other I'll get it for you," she assure !:
him confdentially.
Mrs. Barrington's determination to
pay the money might be of little help
to him, for he had to tell her:
That isn't all.''
isn't ALP" Her heart sank at the
thought Of the boy sinking deeper into
the mire of the track.
NO. Hoping to win It back, I've
plunged on Wildfire with the rest" he
confessed.
"What?" she cried in amazement at
the further revelations.
Yes. And there's change in the
betting. That's what I came to see
Donovan about. Do you see what this
means to me? If Wildfire loses father
will cast me off like the thief I am and
l shall lose cverything-everything-
even Myrtle! What fool I've been!''
he walled, covering his face with his
hands.
Gently Mrs. harrington laid her
hands on his shoulders. The fault was
not all his One of the evils of the
business in which she made her liyeli-
hood was coming to her own door. She
had never realized 1t fully before.
Vo U,,n1v che HAD hon ~ ~ s,,oh - 80