The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-02-28

ieChoH Sou uOH L! ne SAID easily.
The two glared at each other, and
were standing thus when Speed and
his trainer moved gently off. They
| made their way to the house in COM
| parative silence. II made a mis-
! take" said Wally.
You've been jobbed like you was a
baby" said Glass. There amt but
one thing to co now Go into the
| house and change your clothes, and
when you get ready to run, get ready
to run for your life-and mine"
Over on the race-course Gallagher
was iaquiring:
Who's Goin' 10 send these we're
athaletes away?"
Il ami" announced Willie without
hesitation. "Bein' perhaps the handi-
est man present with a weepon, I'm
goin' to start this Journey" He
looked his foes squarely in the eyes.
Has anybody got objections to me?"
The silence was fattering, and more
loudly now, SO that Skinner might
hear. he added: ''If your man tries to
beat the gun. I'll have him wingin'
his way to lands celestial before he
makes his second jump"
Gallagher acknowledged the fair
ness of this proposition. This race
is goin' to be squar'." said he. We're
ready when y'all are"
]. Wallingford Speed stepped out of
his clothes and into his silken run
"a al
His hands performed their duties to
be sure, but his brain was idle All
he knew was that he had been be-
trayed and all was lost. He heard
Glass painting instructions into his
ear, but they made no impression upon
him. In dull trance he followed his
trainer back to the track, his eyes
staring, his bones like water Not I'M
til he heard the welcoming shout of
the Flying Heart henchmen did he
realize that the worst was yet to
come. He heard Larry still coaching
earnestly: IF you can't bite him, trip
him up" and some one said:
Are we ready?"
Glass. held out his hand "Good-by,
Mr.. Speed"
Chaplin came forward and spoke
with artificial heartiness, "Good-luck,
Wally; beat him at the start" and
Covington followed.
Remember" he cautioned, sadly,
what l told you about the start-it's
your only chance"
why don't you fellows think about
the finish of this racer" faltered the
runner.
Then, in voice broken with excite
ment, Helen Blake spoke, holding out
her hand for a good-by clasp Dear
Mr.. Speed" she said, will you try
to remember this ?-remember to run
before he does, and don't let him
catch up to you. If you do that, just
know you'll win"
This magnificent display of conf
dence nerved the athlete, and he
smiled at her. He wished to speak,
but dared not trust himself
Gallagher was calling; so he went
TO the starting point, whence he sur
veyed the course. There it lay, no
more than lane leading down be-
tween ranks of brown-faced men whose
eyes were turned upon him. On the
top rail of the corral perched Willie,
revolver in hand. The babble of
voices ceased, the strident laughter
stilled, Speed heard the nervous rus
tie of feminine skirts. Skinner was
standing like a statue. his toe to the
mark. his eyes averted
You'll start here and run a hun
dred yards out yonder to the tape"
Gallagher announced.
Il refused" said Speed firmly
For one breathless instant there
was a hush of amazement. then cry
of rage. Still Bill Slower hurled the
nearest man out of his patch, and
strobe forward, his lean face ablaze.
He wheeled and flung up his hand as
il to check some hidden movement of
Willie's.
mo voylence yet. Will! What d'you
mean, Mr.. Speed?'
Speed uttered what he knew was
his final joke on earth. Il mean that
| refuse to run straightaway I'm an
all-around athlete, and ] must run all
around something
Amid shouts of confusion, those who
had taken position along the course
came crowding back to the starting
point. Willie wrapped his legs about
the top rail Of the fence and drew a
second revolver, while the two fore
men beloved indistinguishable threats
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