Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-01-12
CHAPTER IL

Riding fees rolled in daily, yet Slim
had trouble staying in chips. For he
was hitting the hot spots nightly with
Flo Kane. Flo had entered Sims
Iifeagain and seemed determined to
stay in it, at the cost of many heart
ache, for her, for Slim seemed to be
uninterested in her except as good
fellow.
He liked Flo. He liked her free
dom of speech and clear cut honesty,
and the way, after hard days work
put in at her small dress shop, she
would cheerfully broil a steak and
toss up salad for Slim and Snapper
in her we'll kept and cozy little flat.
In return for her friendliness Slim
liked taking her around and showing
her places she once had loved, when
a trimmer, blonder, younger show
girl.
Not only did the night clubs know
Slim for live bait, but so did every
back room gambling table in and out
of the Loop.
He was good for touch from any
less fortunate friend at any time. He
was spending money as fast as he
made it, The only tangible results
of his winnings were big sports
roadster and an elaborate wardrobe.
stake it easy, big boy" Flo often
urged him unsteadily. "You aren't
getting money out of pump"
She sat in Sims box with him at
the track every afternoon she could
spare from her shop.
This afternoon Knight Errant was
going to the post for another of his
too numerous drubbings. Slim point
ed out the ebony black colt.
"The one with the slim racing
legs?" Flo asked.
"That's him, Knight Errant. Own
ed by a girl in California who's cpl
taph, if I'm still around and have to
erect it myself, is some day going to
read, Here Lies Woman's Faith in
a Horse
"a girl, huh! Can the horse rum"
Flo asked, frowning little.
II once thought so," Slim said.
"But now 1 don't know what to make
of him. He has the most blazing
turn of early speed I've ever SEEN
Why he can run a half-mile faster
than his sire, Coronado, but after d
half he curls up. He's the most bad
Nv handled horse I've ever known anC
has trainer that runs him hot anc
cold. =. :"
But Slim saw FLO was paying lit
tie attention to his comments on {
horse. She was intrigued by society
as she saw it close at hand in the
surrounding boxes. She pointed to {
woman sitting three boxes away. The
woman was talking to Matt Biddle
the famous horseman.
give seen her picture in Harper''
Bazaar, Slim. She's real society,""
Slim looked, and kept on looking
The woman, in her early thirties, was
as sleekly lined as greyhound. She
achieved an effect of startling beaut!
combined with a certain aura oil
WEAKNESS that was fascinating. AS
if this darkly stunning woman hac
seen much and lived deeply, and hac
been enriched by such living.
Matt Biddle left her box and stroll
ed over to join Slim. He had been q
lifelong friend of Sims father and
had taught Slim much about the turf
"Matt, Pm curious" confessed Flo
"Who is that lady you were talking
with a minute ago."
That" the elderly sportsman ans
wered impressively, "is Mrs. Edith
Clarke Ashleigh."
Flo nodded her blondined head i'm
pressively.
81: get it. THE Mrs. Ashleigh.
I've read about her lot. Ritzy."
"Not that bad" Biddle smiled. "She
is really very fine woman, and likes
to be called Edith. She had a for
tune to start with, and then parlayed
it into couple of financially success
full divorces and ran it into millions.
She has three Notwithstanding horses,
getting her picture in the newspapers
and turf magazines, and giving cock
tail parties. And she's successful
in them ALL"
And, turning his remarks to Slim,
who was listening unmoved to this
description of Edith Clarke Ashleigh,
Biddle added:
"In Comanche, Edith has what
looks to me like the coming ace ham
dicap horse in America. She was just
telling me she likes the looks of that