Evening star., 1925-07-19


velvet nostrils of the big chestnut
but whatever comment he had intend
ed was checked by a sudden whir OF
wings overhead. A flock OF pigeons
descended, swerved, and swept on,
led by the blue-gray Helen of Troy.
"Drat those fool BIRDS" said Benny.
Whoa, boy! Now, you see how they
scare a horse?"
But to the Information Kid it did
not seem that the great gelding was
alarmed. Advance Guard had merely
thrown up his head suddenly. wheeled
in a half circle, and then stood mo-
tionless, his eyes following the flight
of the pigeons. The afternoon sun
made the veteran thoroughbred a
brazen statute, heroic in pose and pro
portion. He held the attitude until
the whir of wings ceased and the last
pigeon had faded into the blue. There
was no fear In the large and lustrous
eyes, but there was something there
something almost human in its poig-
nant appeal.
Pigeons" mumbled old man Ben
son. Pigeons and a woman! Darn
ed If I don't ship to Canada
But there was no sincerity in the
threat. Christmas came and went,
the old year retired to its stable. and
Father Time sent a New Colt dancing
up to the barrier. Still old man Ben
son and Advance Guard remained at
Tia Juana.
1t did not help matters much when
Advance Guard was beaten a neck
in a race on which Benny Benson
had figured to clean up. The Infor-
nation Kid attributed the defeat to
bit of racing luck and bad ride,
but Benny was worried. He had pre-
pared his horse carefully, and u was
the first time old Snow-Face had
was down. He had hung" in the
last so yards, and that was not like
the big chestnut.
Miss Brown seemed to be having
her troubles, too. One after another
the pigeons had vanished, vic+'''os of
hawks or feline foes. Only Helen
of Troy remained. a lonely, blue
winged pilgrim of the sky.
Again the Information Kid learned
something from Dusty's sister.
'She misses her mate" explained
mitted to make their own selection
they remain faithful to the one COM
panion until death"
well. you got to hand 1t to 'em,"
approved the Kid. TOO bad you can't
put Helen in stable entry and let
her fly for your money"
He was thinking of Miss Browns
equine contenders, who had not sue
ceeded in reducing Dusty's debts to
any appreciable extent.
A SORT of armed neutrality now
"A existed between old man Benson
and Miss Brown. He still felt that
a race track was no place for a
4
openly: he no longer spoke about
shipping to Canada. He seemed
willing to let matters rest as they
were so long as Miss Brown con-
tinued to mind her own business. He
even went so far as to commit him
self to a matutinal grunt when they
passed each other mornings on the
narrow path that led up the hill.
The Information Kid, watching de-
velopments, became aware that some
thing had gone wrong with Advance
Guard. The grand old king of the
bushes was not himself. Benny Ben
son, in a shaky voice, admitted as
much. First time I amt been able
to help him. Kid. Don't know what
wrong, and the track veterinary can't
dope it out, either. The horse amt
slep' in a month"
How dye know, Benny?"
TELL by his bedding. I put down
fresh straw every night, and in the
morning it's just the way you see
it now"
The hustler looked down and noted
that the floor of the stall was covered
with straw that had been chopped
into fine pieces by the restless tread
of hoofs. He knew what that meant.
You're right. Benny. He's gotten
to be a nightwalker, and that means
there's something troubling him. He's
nervous; there's something on his
mind. Are you sure he amt lonely?"
Benson was indignant. Lonely?
Lonely? Why. he's got me, ain't he?"
The young hustler grinned and lit
a cigarette. "Yeh, he's got you,
Benny; that's what made me think he
might be lonely. Now, don't get ex-
cited, pal! I'll explain"
mo, you won'tr' said Benny. You
won't explain anything. You're one
of those fresh young guys that go
around advertisin' their ignorance.
Never owned a horse in your life. and
try to tell me what's the matter with
mine Do I look like I'm lonesome? :?
Well. if I amt, why should the horse
be? Amt we lived together, and eat
together, and slept together, and
travelled all over the country together?
I'm still here, amt I? Then-why
dog my cats!-get out O. here, or I'll
brain you with bucket
The Information Kid bowed with
exaggerated politeness. Allah bless
and keep you"' said he. My hunch
was right. Both you and the horse
miss the same thing. The only diff