The Argosy for May — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TIME turned white, he glued his gaze upon the red-striped jacket, and kept it there. During the fretful moments at the barrier, he suffered a thousand pangs and apprehensions. What if his choice should be kicked and injured by one of those other cur- veting horses? What if he should be left at the post? Oh, what if a hundred things might happen? But at last the webbing flew up, and, to the music of a thunderous roar from lawns and stands, they were “ off”! A moment’s mixup at the turn, as the striving jockeys fought for position, and then the red-striped jacket flashed out in front. = “What did I tell you?” cried Spear. with swelling exultation. ‘“‘ Him all the way home! Why, he’ll lead the- rest of those dogs by all the distance from here to New York!” But Harry was unable to articulate a word. He could only sit still and follow with fascinated gaze the swift, onward flight of horse and _ rider. At the half; and the red-striped jacket was still in front, his mount galloping resolutely, steadily, as though he still had oceans of speed to spare. The three-quarters; and still he was in the lead. ‘True, the others were creep- ing up a bit; but Spear readily explained this by pointing out that the boy was gathering him up in preparation for the sprint home. In the stretch, with the red-striped jacket still-in front. The craning throng was already beginning to shout and ges- ticulate, and call the horse’s name. Suddenly there flashed out from be- hind a wiry little sorrel, who, with a burst of tremendous reserve speed, came on to contest the supremacy. Already his nose was at the other’s withers, at his shoulder, at his throat. creeping up veritably inch by inch. True, the first horse was still in the lead, and the wire not a dozen strides away; but how many a turf-battle has been lost in that narrow margin! For a moment longer they. fought it out grimly, desperately. Then the little sorrel’s nose pushed by the other’s mtz- zie, and the boy in the red-striped jacket, seeing the fight was lost, Ceased to ply’ his whip. FOR ACTION. 205 His mount faltered, lost his and fell back into the ruck. Harry Rock gazed at Corning with stony, almost incredulous, eyes. The “sure thing” was hopelessly beaten, and their five thousand dollars irrevocably lost! stride, CHAPTER VI. ~ ANOTHER LOSER BY THE TIP. Ir is the hardest-hit fellow who makes~ the least fuss. A chap who yells blue- murder when he stubs his toe, will re ceive his death-blow with calm dignity. So now, although two-dollar “ pikers ” were squealing and cursing all around him, Rock maintained a very fair sem- blance of equanimity. ‘True, his face was very pale, and he could not control a certain nervous twitching about the corners of his mouth ; but his voice was steady, and he even managed to summon up a smile as he replied to Spear’s voluble excuses and apologies for the failure of the tip. “No one can blame you, Mr. Spear,” he said quietly. “ We all went -into the affair with our eyes open, and should have known, even if we didn’t seem to, that there is no sure thing in horse-rac- ing. We have lost, and that is all there Is to it, except to settle up. I owe you twenty-five hundred dollars, and, I re- gret to say, I cannot pay you at once: but if you will call around at my rooms to-night I will try to arrange some se- curity for you, and fix it so that I can reduce the obligation by degrees. “Qh, that’s all right, Rock,” returned the other, with magnificent indifference. “ Don't you worry your head, old man, | but pay me when you feel like it. Per- haps we can dig up a horse this week which will pull us all out more than even.” “Not for me,” said Harry decidedly. “Tam done, once and for all.’ “So? Well, every one to his own liking. But I always. feel as though I wanted to get my money back from the hole where I sank it. “And that reminds me,” rising from his chair, “that if I want to put a bet down on this next race I’ll have to be getting into the ring.” oa COM|MEMOOKS EO