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

| the bedroom to the trainers quarters
Tears We're streaming down his dirt
| smudged face as lie cried:
| Its a frame up! It's frameupv'
Whats wrong, Bud? What is the
entered the room at that moment. hav-
ing got rid of the doctor
Matter! Why, it's a couple of crooks.
| OATS what's de matter They've got
it all framed up for Wildfire to lose"
For Wildtire to lose! What do you
| llean?" asked the stunned widow.
John Dutfy-that's what l mean.
He come in here and he gets next to
de smoke jockey and tells him he'll be
in OH de play" explained Bud, talking
in his own vernacular.
Bud sank into the rocker and cover
ed his face with his hands Mrs. Bar
rington knelt beside him.
Listen, Bud,' she said. "Im begin
ming to realize what's been going on
and you must tell me all about it
quickly - quickly - for every thing 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
| Jacldaw wins, and OATS all dere is
| TO it,
"a white handkerchief and Wildflre
| 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 confidence?
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.
"1f ] 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.
s"Donovanw he called, his voice trem-
bling with excitement
Ralph! What are you doing here?''
| Nothing nothing" Ralph was al
most breathless.
And why are you so pale? Ralph,
what's the matter?" she demanded
"It's-its"-- The boy could not con-
fess to her.
you've been bettingr she cried.
Ralph nodded dumbly.
and have lost
His chin sank on his breast "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 or
other III get it for you," she assured
him confidentially.
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.
mo. Hoping to win it back, I've
plunged on Wildfire with the rest" he
confessed.
"What?" she cried in amazement at
the further revelations.
Eyes. And there's change in the
betting. That's what came to see
Donovan about. Do you see what this
means to me? If Wildfire loses father
will cast me off like the thief am and
/ shall lose everything everything
even Myrtle. What a fool I've beenl'
he walled, covering his face with his
| hands.
Gently Mrs harrington laid her
hands on his shoulders The fault was
4 not all his. One Of the evils Of the
business in which she made her liveli-
hood was coming to her own door. She
had never realized IT fully before.
Vaguely she had heard Of such cases,
but here it had come to her. The boy