Evening star., 1937-08-04
CHAPTER XIV.

nat was SOleIRlllg, DuI he Qlu NOV
delude himself into believing there
we're not others, and harder ones to
win, ahead. He knew something
q about women as well as horses. Any
woman could be on her mettle now
and Carol! In the six months
he had known her he had learned
something of her will, of her determi-
nation. Grudgingly, at first, he had
come to admire her. She wasn't, after
all. Just beautiful girl snobbish and
silly. She had character. Jim Clay
ton had been right when he said that
underneath everything she is a fine
person"
He, too, was on his mettle now. He
had wanted Madison to bet with him
from the first He wanted the money.
He needed it. He knew, given time,
he would win. The booknaker al
ways did. 1t was the law of averages.
But there was something else involved.
Carols attitude vas a challenge. His
pride as we'll as his pocketbook would
not let him lose Madison.
Time is of the essence" he said
to himself as their plane crossed the
State line into California. We got
head start, but she's half way across
the continent now, if I know Carol.
And I do"
He wasn't worrying about getting
Madison out to Santa Anita Yes
terdays betting and winning had
aroused the instinct, long dormant.
There would be no conflict with him
But there was Carol to reckon with.
Madison found a stack of kilograms
from New York waiting for him when
they reached the hotel. He put in
number Of long-distance calls. He
spoke to his Los Angeles representa-
tive and got in touch with Pruett, the
oil magnate with whom he was to
confer about the concessions. Duke
heard it all Madison had told him
to stick around" II he wouldn't be
bored. He wasn't. He was interested
in watching Madison, seeing what
shrewd business man he was He was
also little aWed by the huge sums
which Madison mentioned in the off,
hand manner. Carol had certainly
been right when she said Madison did
not deal with Chicken feed"
But Duke was not only fascinated
by what he heard. He was worried
Madison seemed to have become Just
absorbed in concessions and stocks
and bonds that he wouldn't go to the
races. So his heart almost skipped
beat when he heard Madison say:
"Of course, Mr.. Pruett, We must go
into that right away. 1t won't take
much time, and that's good. I'll be
here some time and I'm going out to
Santa Anita every day. Don't think
came all this way just to talk busi-
ness"
Duke left the two men alone when
Mr.. Pruett arrived. He was to wait
in the lobby for Mr.. Madison to Join
him in an hour. AS he turned from
the newsstand where he had gone to
get a paper, he gasped.
Coming through the entrance we're
Fritzie-Kiffe-Tip So the plane
was in
Fritzie saw him first. ran to him
and threw her arms around him. The
two men shook his hand.
Carol with you?" he asked.
For once we're free of that dame"
said Tip. You see, she wasn't ar
rayed in just the right garments for
travel. Gee, III bet she was blazing
when she missed the plane"
"Therell be another one soon" said
Duke, thinking he had only this one
day when he could be sure of getting
Madison to Santa Anita.
What do you do with papers, ducky
dear?' asked Fritzie. Cant you see
there on the front page, there's ter
rlble storm somewhere or other be-
tween here and Florida? We lust got
through"
"F1itzie, I love you" cried Duke.
And that goes for you men, too I
love the whole wide world and
everybody and everything-especial
storms-in it,
For the next four days Duke did
not open the paper, as he always did
by force of habit, to the sports page.
1t was weather news in which he was
interested. If only that storm con-
tlnued he was saved. Or so he thought.
But things did not work out as he had
planned
The trouble was not that Madison
lost interest in the races With each
visit to the tracks, he became more
enthusiastic. 1t was that day after
day he picked the winners.
1t was all right for him to win the
first day. Even sucker, Duke knew,
needed "come-on' at the start But
Madison always won and never lost.
Duke almost lost faith In the law of
averages of which he was always talk
ing.
"Cripes, Boss" groaned Tip at the
end of the third day. Just to think
! used to bellyache about that snooty
Clayton dame and what she took
Seems like nothing now. Do you know
you're out eighty grand on this fellow
And you thought him sucker
Cripes!"
Il know" said Duke, "but-"
Don't tell me his luck will turn.
What's that line about to him that
hath?-well we're giving him our
shirts. Could We lose him before we're
stark naked?"
1--WE cannot" said Duke. We've
GOT to get some of it back"
On the fourth day Tip managed a
smile, but it was wry one.
Sure, he lost ten thousand today
but there's long way to CO."
well 20 IT," said Duke firmly.
And stop being . cry-haby. He's