Evening star., 1923-05-06

Mckee. her owner took the little bay
mare back to California. and there,
with Tod Pennington. set about re-
building the once famous Pennington
stable.
Operating as partners, they bought
back Bonnie Brae. the family stock
farm in the I.ivermore valley. and
undertook to reSurface the circular
mile track and nuderuize the training
quarters from which in the old days
Lord Valor, True Blue and other cele-
brated Pennington horses had gone
forth to fame and glory.
There was one point upon which
Sandy Mckee insisted with Scotch
stubbornness.
''All that l asked of her the Lady
did. Never again will | send her t"
the post"
To which Tod made reply. one arm
around the trainers shoulder and
looking FOR all the world like old
Col. Pennington himself: shes Your
mare, Sandy. and you're sentirnen-
tai old idiot: but love YOU
The sentimental old idiat" 'sl.itfed
:
the last three words to the treasure
chest OF his memory, along with such
Visible associations as old Col. PEN
nington's watch. presented when
Naior hung up th" mile-aud quarter
mark at Latonia. and Al pair of faded
red haudages with which Sandy Nc
kee had brought about the return of
Lady Courageous
While Tod Penningtcu supervised
the work of reconstruction. Mckee
took Lady Courageous north Of Sonoma
county. the Valley of the Moon. and
there She was mated To Cloud o War.
the great Montgomery stallion FOR
whom three foreign governments had
bid unsucceSSfully.
Bruce montgomery. millionaire
sportsman. laid Gown bat one r"udi-
tIon.
You know my rule. Sandy. the set
stays in America. want this country
to retain the peer of the thorough
breds.''
That suits me" said SANDY.
There's nothing too good for the
Pennington colors All the Lady
lacks is bone and weight. and Your
horse has both. The foal will he
short above and long below. and If he.
has the Nalor heart. YOU can look for
8 world -beatcr"
lar into the spring. the WORK OF
i rehahilitating Bonnie Brae went
on: and IN June. leaving ii string of
HearlinSs in the new stables. Mckee
and Pennington collected Il small but
likely string OF seasoned horses and
Campaigned with fair success III the
east and south, winding up at Latonia.
where Firelight, IA six-year-old geld
ing bought from the kearney stable.
romped home in the Pennington
handicap leading a respectable field
by two lengths.
In winter they returned, and Sandy
Mckee found Lady Courageous wait
ing patiently in her stall.
Sandy assumed personal charge Of
Lady Courageous. He saw TO her
food and bedding and ministered to
her comfort the last thing at night.
It was on one such occasion. when
he was leading the blanketed mare
to water rather late i'll a January
evening. that there occurred ar event
destined to have marked effect on
the fortune Of the Bonnie Brae farm.
The dark velvet Of the western sky
was suddenly rent by Il swiftrushing
meteor that blazed a golden trail
overhead. lighting the countryside.
Mckee stopped short. and the mare,
f1inging up her head. launched back
and crashed against the water trough.
Her terror increased. Mckee clung
to the halter and was pulled from
his feet as Lady Courageous wheeled
sharply and once more collided with
the wooden stand. The meteor faded
behind the purple hills to the east and
the mare quivered to a standstil.
Mckee examined her and clucked re-
prqvingly.
Wasn't nothing but d shooting
star" he complained. What do you
want TO bang yourself around like
that for?'
When she was again safe i'll her
stall. Lady Courageous. instead Of
uosing at her food. moved restIessly
from side TO side, wrinkled her upper
lip in a whimper Of distress and re-
fused to be quieted. Mckee studied
her anxiously, and then, instead of
going 10 his own quarters. he pro-
cured a collapsible cot and pair of
blankets and prepared to spend the
night outside the stall.
1t was one of McKee's many pecul-
iarities that on the eve of big race
or an event such as he now antici-
pated, he should elect to find relief
in song.
Intermittently through the night
there rose from the hushed stable an
ancient rollick ing melody of the
queens hussars:
And whenever you're jolly well licked. dear
lad.
And the enemy's closing in.
Remember the day when. one in five.
We rode 10 the Russian guns alive
Rode to the guns and before we died,
Spiked the beggars and turned the tide!
Toward morning the chant came
to an abrupt close. and lantern
light moved in and out of the stall.
A groom awoke Tod Pennington at
daylight.
Mr.. Mckee wants you to come to
the stables at once" he said.
DENNINGTON dressed hurriedly and
i made his way down the avenue
u naples. And there. in the dark
ened stall. he found Sandy Mckee
hot