Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-09-21

1
Bud of his departure In his
fS7SSsSNl haste and excitement the boy
vSg slid down a pole leading from
the bedroom to the trainers quarters
Tears were streaming down his dirt
smudged face as he cried:
ITS a frame upI It's a frameupr'
whats wrong, Budf What is the
matter?" asked Mrs Darlington, who
entered the room at that moment, hav-
ing got rid Of the doctor.
'Matteri Why, it's a couple of crooks.
OATS what's de matter They've got
it all framed up for wIdnre to lose"
For Wildf1re to lose! What do you
meanr' asked the stunned widow.
John Duffy-that's what 1 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 hands. Mrs Bar
rington knelt beside him.
Listen, Bud" she said. I'm begin
ming to realize what's been going on
and you must tell 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 I'm up
aIoft- 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 2"
''Sure-Garrison."
I 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"
"A white handkerchief and wildfre
winsI' 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 it2- She thought quickly; al
ready a plan was forming in her mind.
IF l 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
"Donovanw he called, his voice rem-
bling with excitement
"Ralpht What are you doing here7"
"Nothing-nothing." Ralph was al
most breathless.
And why are you so pale? Ralph,
what's the natter" she demanded
"It's-it's"- The boy could not con-
fess to her.
you've been bettfngr she cried
Ralph nodded dumbly.
"And have LOST
His chin sank on his breast 1.-TWO
thousand dollars" he fa1tered-
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.
t-How?" she questioned.
with the money-with the money
Ralph began, with sob.
with the money your father gave
you this morning7' she asked
The dropping OF his head confirmed
her surmise.
He must never know. Some way or
other I'll get it for you," she assured
him confident1ally.
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 1t back, I've
plunged on Wildf1re 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 am and
1 shall lose everything-everyth thing
| even Myrtlei What a fool I've beeni''
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-