The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-02-22

events of the day had unhinged
the little mans reason.
But. Mr.. Meggs," he said,
"your horse was Bucephalus.
Not Bonaparte Brandy. Bona
parte Brandy won the Derby. In
1870"
Don't I know it," asked Mr..
Meggs, with some asperity.
well, / suppose you do. But
l think you've been dwelling too
much on a-er-fancied similar
ity between the two horses. For
instance, Miss Claiming told
me that you consider your horse
to be as good as Bonaparte
Brandy
And why shouldn't |, young
man."
Jonah shrugged. "lt's okay
with me. Only, in my opinion,
you've been a trifle over-opti-
mistic, It's all very well to COM
pare horses, but when you be-
gin seeing resemblance to
Bonaparte Brandy in an ordi-
nary run-of-the-mill horse,
you're :. -"
Dammit" interrupted Calvin
Meggs, explosively and involun-
tarily, haven't you any sense
at all? My horse was Bonapartc
Brandy"
WHAT"
Too late Mr.. Mcggs perceived
that he had been goaded into
giving away trade secret. He
sought to make amends.
"Oh. my Lord" he said, "that
just slipped out. But tit must
remain strictly between us. You
wouldn't give me away, would
you, young man? You're a gen.
tleman. can tell by the way you
wear your clothes. You would
respect the confidence of man
old enough to be your father
who is fighting with his back
to the wall?"
"Why, certainly" said Jonah.
But he peered at Mr.. Meggs. He
could not rid himself of the idea
that Hildy's uncle had sudden
ly gone loony. Don't you think
you ought to lie down." he said.
Lie down? What the devil
would l lie down for? See here,
young man, | feel that can trust
you You're a friend of Hide
garde's. And Hildegarde is my
favorite niece. In fact" said MIR.
Meggs, furnishing the compli-
ment a bit, she's my only niece"
We'll" said Jonah, "you can
trust me-"
"In that case, III give you the
whole story. AS l said, that horse
you saw the other day was Bon
aparte Brandy -. :"
Il can't believe it,"
"You could, if you'd listen.
The point is that ! had an old
score to settle with Henry Chan
ming, never mind what it was.
And it just so happened that
Sonny Warburton, he's the own
or of Bonaparte Brandy, bought
a place about so miles from here
last fall. Now Sonny Warburton
and l were great pals at college"
"Ah," said Jonah, seeing light
Sonny retired Bonaparte
from the tracks last year." went
on Mr.. Meggs. And it occurred
to me some time ago that
slyness crept into his voice
that l could-Well, use that
horse. So / went to Sonny and
explained what had in mind.
And Sonny saw the point right
away He doesn't like old Hen
ry Chanting, as who would"
Then you-you borrowed
Bonaparte Brandy from Mr..
Warburton?"
Precisely. And" said Mr..
Meggs, with pardonable pride,
1t was my own idea to let his
hair grow for long period
There was double virtue in that,
young man. First, the-er-dis-
guise was necessary because,
without it, Henry might have
recognized the animal. Secondly
his outrageous appearance help
ed me to secure very propitious
odds. Do you see?'
Jonah saw. He also saw that
Mr.. Meggs was capable of Chi
canery of high order.
But something went horrl-
bly, wrong" continued Mr..
Meggs. Il shall never forgive
myself for having rushed to a
fire and left Bonaparte Brandy
to fend for himself. But there is
something over and beyond that.
Now. if it turns out thai the horse
in the stable isn't Bonaparte-
and Id bet my bottom dollar he
ism 't-what am I going to say to
Sonny WarburtOn?"