Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-01-19
CHAPTER IL

ana cleaning SnlrC as IL ne ndu JUST
stepped from the pages of gentle
mans fashion magazine, Slim park
ed his roadster near the canopied en-
trance of an elegant apartment house
on Sheridan road.
An elevator whisked Slim to the
penthouse floor. He was met at the
elevator door at the buildings top
by a neatly uniformed young colored
maid, who ushered Slim into living
room overlooking the lake front.
He looked about the room. 1t had
charm and individuality. The name
of Edith's interior decorator was
known to two continents.
Slim picked copy of Turf and
Field Gossip from a table and was
gazing at full page picture of Mrs.
Ashleigh standing with Comanche af-
ter recent winning race at Saratoga
captioned, Lovely Edith Wins Again"
when he was aware of faint rustic
of silk in the room.
He was almost startled by the strik
ing figure of Edith in low cut pale
green MORE cocktail gown which
seemed to contrast perfectly with her
slightly olive, outdoor skin. At the
track he had thought her beautiful,
but YEARLY so. Now she seemed to
glow with dark rich loveliness that
had made her the darling of photo
grapers on two continents.
"Oh!" she exclaimed with a soft
ness that none the less failed to hide
her establishment as Slim rose to
greet her.
Edith had expected cruder type.
Most of the trainers she had known
were of the rough and ready sort.
you're Mr.. Maynard, of course"
was Edith's salutation, "the man Mr..
Biddle spoke of so glowingly."
eyes, I'm Maynard, I have just
been admiring your apartment"
Edith laughed softly.
With the feeling he would be more
sure of his ground if he diverted the
topic to one in which he knew both
had kindred interest, Slim nodded
to a large painting, saying:
"That's a fine likeness of Co
manche."
"He's a darling, Comanche," en-
Unused Edith. 81 just think there's
no other horse quite like him. But,
Mr.. Maynard I've always maintained
that it takes champagne to put one in
to the proper mood to appraise Co.
manche. Wouldn't you like a cock
tail?"
A good belt of hard Kentucky
whiskey, straight, would have been
more to Sims liking, but he man.
aged to say:
"I'd be delighted" in way that
didn't sound a bit foppish or "draw-
ing roomy."
1.-TWO champagne cocktails, RoXan-
na," Edith told the maid.
The champagne put Slim definitely
at ease. Remembering Matt Biddle's
suggestion that the most effective
way to flatter Edith was to praise
her horse, Slim started.
81 would have liked to see Man O.
War, Equipoise, Discovery, War Ad-
miral, Seabiscuit, Coronado and Co.
manche all in the same race" Slim
said. "Comanche would win-if he
could catch Coronado"
"Coronado?" Edith asked. wasn't
he one of those California horses. I
have one of his offspring, Knight Err
rant, working out with Comanche."
"You have Coronado's only son run
ming as a workhorse for Comanche,"
Slim corrected pointedly.
Don't you think Comanche has i'm
proved his early speed since en-
gagged Knight Errant to work with
him? Edith replied, thinking only
of her equine darling and still pleased
with the dicker she had made with
Charlie Bassitt for Knight Grants
services.
POSSIBLY it has helped Comanche,"
he said earnestly. "But at the ex-
pense of running potentially great
race horse" he added with emphasis.
Properly handled" Slim continued
without mention of Bassitt, Knight
Errant would have been truly a great
stake horse up to the time he was
permitted to race his heart out, pacing
Comanche. But there's still chance
Mrs. Ashleigh," he added fervidly,
eff"
"Isnt Knight Errant owned by a
girl Mr.. Maynard?" Edith interposed.
Eyes, girl out in California"
"Oh," Edith said guardedly. Her
Al.... l..4 Inn..A.e.I mouth hnI na,,s,rod