Evening star., 1925-07-19

ally melted the Kid caught glfmpseS
of personality that fascinated him
1t was as if Dusty's sister wanted to
be human and didn't know how. She
was prim, dignified, cold, except when
she spoke of her brother or her eyes
followed the fluttering pigeons that
bobbed and strutted in the doorway
iterating and reiterating their plain
tive plea:
Curra d'hoo-curra d'hoo!
Love me and I'll love you!
AT such times a flood of feminine
tenderness welled to the surface
changing the little woman's whole ap-
pearance.. But it ebbed quickly when
the conversation turned to more prac.
teal matters. The Information Kid,
having gradually broached the sub
ject of present-day problems, men,
toned the name of Miss Browns
neighbor-old man Benson.
''Humph!" said Dusty's sister, sit
ting up straight. "If he says another
word to me I'll box his ears. What's
more, If he touches one>of my pigeons
III kill him. Why do they issue a
license to an old fool like him?"
The Information Kid suppressed an
incipient grin.
Lady" he sighed, Its like this:
There's a lot Of queer guys in this
game, but / never met one yet that
didn't have a redeeming feature. Take
Benny Benson, for example-biggest
crouch on any mans track. You
wouI Idn't think there was a soft side
to Benny Benson, now, would your"
Miss Browns reply was a contemp-
tuous Sniff
was there at Blue Meadows the day
RannV and old Spoufana cot ,,,1a5 off
the track"
Dusty's sister looked puzzled.
"Old Snowface?"
Advance Guard" explained the
Kid. Same horse Benny's got up
here. It's the only one he ever owned.
Big chestnut with a white blaze
everybody calls him old Snowface.
He's king of the platers, lady-10 years
old and still knocking 'em over. Moth.
ing fancy, you understand, but the
best horse of his class in America If
you haven't seen him turn loose at the
head of the stretch, you haven't seen
anything"
Miss Brown offered no comment.
and the Information Kid continued
thoughtfully:
When Advance Guard was 3-year-
old he was badly hurt in q train acct
dent and his owner was going to shoot
him. Benny bought the horse, spent a
whole year nursing him and brought
MN back to the races as good as ever.
Lady, 1t costs money to do that.
Benny was broke. All he had was the
one horse, you see, and he had to en-
ter him in the selling races SOS he
could make enough money to support
them both. This meant under the
rules, that any rival owner could claim
Advance Guard for the entrance price
plus the amount of the winning purse.
But most owners, knowing that Benny
only had the one horse and loved him
like child, agreed among themselves
to let the old man run his horse with
out any risk of losing him It was
just a gentlemen's agreement. and as
such it was kept until Black Murdoch
put IN his claim at JuareZ one after
noon and insisted upon his legal
rights. The judges were peeved about
1t, but they couldn't do anything Old
man Benson was in the winners cir
Gle, petting Advance Guard, when they
handed him the news. Murdoch came
up with halter to claim the horse.
Sorry, Benny he said, but rules
are rules, and I've bought your
horse.
No, you haven't. answered the old
man. All you've done is made me
and my horse exiles for life. Gentle
men. goodbye" And he threw
blanket across Advance Guards bach.
Jumped up and rode him straight
the crowd, out the north exit
and over the International Bridge. OF
course, the judges had to rule him off,
but they stood up and took off their
hats when they did it,
THE Information Kid paused. lit a
cigarette and exhaled refectively.
Six years in the bushes, Outlawed
for six years. Nothing but the f1y-bv-
night circuits and the county fairs
and match races in the tank towns.
But somehow they managed to get
along, though I guess there were a lot
OF times when both of them were
pretty hungry. Old Snowface learned
to run on any kind of q track and in
all kinds of weather. Today he holds
the record between the post office and
the far turn in the road in most any
town you can name. You asked me a
minute ago, Miss Brown, why they
granted license to an old fool like
that. Well, I'll have to admit was
those who headed the petition
for his reinstatement. Racing Is the
sport Of kings, LADY, but in this coun-
try the kings all travel incog"
Miss Brown had resumed her spin
ster manner. She looked worn and
tired.
She turned away primly, and be-
gan to mix feed in a bucket for the
hungry pigeons that lowered in her