Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-02-23
CHAPTER II

"A wild goose chased" Edith had
warned Slim. And today, three weeks
after Knight Errant had stepped off
the car to begin his big race cam
paign, Slim knew Edith was right.
Knight Errant had failed to hit his
stride! He had been asked for his
best and responded by plodding a dis
appointing mile in LAS.
Slim was convinced of something
he had never suspected before-that
knight Errant was just Splinter.
When asked to go over three-quarters
Of a mile he chucked it.
He had no more claim to fame than
being the son of great sire.
What Slim had discovered about
the colt he had kept, thus far from
Heather.
But on his way to the coffee shop
to keep breakfast appointment with
her, he determined to advise her to
withdraw her horse from the big race
to save Knight Errant from fur
Their humiliation and Heather the
thousand dollar entry fee for send
ing him on "wild goose chase"
But the hopeful look in Heather's
eyes checked him when he joined her.
She handed him a note. With some
difficulty he read the scarcely legible
scribbling.
"Miss Mills: Come to Sunset Hos
pital, Room 213 at once. It will help
Knight Errant."
It was unsigned.
cit sounds too fantastic to mean
anything" Slim told Heather.
"But Slim, this looks like Charlie
Bassitt's handwriting"
"Bassitt?" Slim asked incredulous-
ly. "Bassitt, of all people. wanting
to help Knight Errant? 1t doesn't
add up"
. "Don't you think should go to see
him." Heather asked. cit might
mean something"
well both co." said Slim.
Inquiry at the second floor desk at
the hospital confirmed Heather's
guess that the note was in Bassitt's
handwriting.
"Come with me-" nurse said, and
they moved down long corridor, con-
scious of the unpleasant smell of eth
er.
els Mr.. Bassitt seriously ill.," he
asked the nurse.
mo, but he seems to think so,"
she replied, whimsically. "He's only
a tonsil case. But the way he car
ries on you'd think he was expecting
triplets."
The nurse brought them into the
room. Bassit was lying on the rails
ed bed, his features wracked with
woe. His chin dropped. There was
strained silence for a moment.
Heather and Slim went over to Bas-
sits bed and stood side by side.
"I'm in awful bad shape" he wall
ed. They're giving me ETHER to-
morrow. But I didn't ask you here
for sympathy. Before I go under the
knife l want to tell you something.
It's about your horse, Miss Mills"
Slim felt Heather tremble.
ut amt easy to tell" Bassitt said
rsmorsefully. "You will be mad about
it but got to tell you'll got to. All
I ask is that you won't turn me in
to the racing judges-if I ive!"
Slim looked at Heather for approx
al. She nodded at him.
go on, Bassitt," Slim ordered.
Lets have it. We won't boiler cop
per, no matter what it isl
Basitt moaned. "You remember
when we was in Chicago? Well, I
couldn't trust those jockeys around
there to ride to orders, and what
with Draper crossing me with that
winning ride, decided 1 wasn't going
to take no chances until I got ready
to let Knight Errant win. So H."
"You WHAT" Slim cried impatient
ly.
II sponged Knight Errant!"
Heather tensed! She didn't know
the full meaning of sponging but read
Sims expression of disgust.
Later Slim would explain to her
that sponging horse was inserting
a sponge of silk waste in his nostril
to retard his breathing and prevent
him from running his best race.
81 saw Knight Errant work the 9th
er morning, SLIM" Bassitt groaned
remorsefully. 81 can tell by the way
he runs that the sponge, or some of
it, is still there"