The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-07
EVENING STORY
The Bats Best Girl.

Probably, If one could have taken the
soul OF the Bat and dissected 1t, one
would have found the old law of thy
duty toward thy neighbor'' reduced to
his duty to the colonel.
When they took Starlight Bess up
to capture the sweepstakes at Mira
mar Park, the Bat had no more doubt
of the outcome than he had of his own
existence. She was the colonel's best,
and had never been beaten. She was
petted and pampered like one of royal
blood, as indeed she was. 1t had been
an understood thing si.. ee she was
three-year-old that the purse for the
sweepstakes was hers by right Those
who dared to dispute it always got
| their answer when the judges hung
the horseshoe of flowers around her
| neck.
The week before the race the Bat
shared in Starlight Bess's honor.
Among the other jockeys and their
crowd of followers he was the chief,
and small wonder that he fell under
the magic spell of Denver Lou. She
| had come on with the 10y balloon con-
cession tucked under her arm, so to
speak-hiring small boys to peddle her
balloons for her and putting up her
| own money in bets on the races. She
was about twenty-five, a year older
than the Bat.
He had horror of big women.
| ANY girl that goes with me has got
| to weight in '. it'll me at 49," he would
! say, laughingly- And Lou was 105.
At the Id of the fifth day before
the race she was wearing the Bats
lucky nugget .;carfpin, and The colonel
admitted that he admired the boys
choice.
| You'll be too heavy TO ride in a
year or two more. You'd better settle
| down as a trainer. with a wife of
your own. Every man needs one,
sooner or later, and 1 like the looks
OF the young lady, Tommy"
The Bat swung out of the stables,
glowing with pride. 1t was absolutely
true, and he felt that he had met his
| fate. The only trouble was he didn t
have the money to swing it. Here
was girl whose father had been a
noted horseman in his day After his
death she had followed the races all
over the country, placing a sure bet
where it was needed and handling her
concessions as she pleased.
She had an old aunt in tow for COM
pany's sake and the looks of things,
as the aunt expressed it.
And she doesn't know the sweep
lstakes from the handicap" Lou would
laugh. But [ never was much of a
good sport, Tommy, and 1 like to
know the old lady's waiting for me
when 1 get thru work"
Just as the Bat came to the corner
where the hotel stood he saw her
running down the steps to meet him.
Il was watching for you,'' she said.
Il was in one of those temporary
phone booths they've put up over at
the track. AS 1 was waiting for my
number 1 heard Eddie Days voice in
the next booth talking low. Tommy,
as sure as you're alive, they're plan
ming some devils trick on your mare
I don't trust Daily one bit. He's serv-
ed time up in New York after a little
trick he at SARATOGA
Queens Mary. She'd been OFF the
tracks for two years, after Billy Queen
had doctored her for the derby at
Lexington. Daily posted her for the
Saratoga entries under another name.
and there was crooked money on the
deal, too"
The Bats eyelids narrowed as. he
threw away his cigaret. They saun-
tered over to little ice cream parlor,
carefully neglected by the sporting set.
What did he have to say?" he
asked
He was telling some one that Star
light Bess was in the fifth stall from
the right end as you go into the pad
dock, and he said there was a little
1 window over the feedbox that was left
open at night. That was all. but, com
ing from Daily. it was enough. Will
you tell the colonel?"
HE won't be back till tomorrow
morning" replied the Bat. IF I have
| CIldHSc Icl " dhOlIIci bOA Sloill
it'll raise the dust, and without evil
dence the association would scratch
US. Don't you worry. I'll fix it,
His hand closed over hers just for
| a moment
ct don't want you to get hurt" she
said anxiously. 81 just couldn't bear
to have them really get you. Tom
Do be careful
The Bat grinned happily
DO you care that much, honey? ~
Lou nodded her head, looking away
from him to the little groups that
dotted the square around the hotel.
And more. too" she said, softly.
The Bat made but few preparations
Before the days when the colonel had
known him brass knuckles had been
part of Bats wardrobe, and he dug
out the old ones that night with a
smile of Renaissance. He stayed a
long time around the corridors of the
hotel after dinner, and remarked in
Days hearing that he had promised
the colonel to turn in early that night.
But about $3.50 a why, 1.-THE figure
crawled Indian fashion thru the tall
timothy along the paddock fence, and
after a swift survey unlocked the out
err door of Starlight Bess's quarters
and disappeared inside.
The colonel was entertaining a large
party of friends at the Grand South
ern hotel that night. Just in the
midst of his after dinner speech he
was called to answer the long distance
phone. 1t was the Bats best girl at
the other end of the wire.
Hello. hello" she called. breath
lessly. col Connolly? You dom t
know me. sir. I'm Denver Lou, the
Bats girl They tried to stab Star
light Bess in the neck tonight. No.
no. I don't mean that. They tried to
give her a hypodermic of something to
put her out of the running. Yes, sir,
thru the window above her head. The
Bat was laying for them and he
knocked out Eddie Days trainer, but
they've done him up pretty badly.
I've got him at the hotel with two
doctors. He's got three ribs crushed
and a broken nose, but he says he'll
ride tomorrow, sir, if you'll only let
him"
God bless the boy," gasped the
colonel. Tell him I'll be there by