THE BIG SHOW
The horses selected were safely railed to Sydney. Bill Bigs had secured
stabling for them; such as it was it answered the purpose. They bore the
journey better than might have been expected, but there was some danger
and difficulty in getting them through the streets to Redfern. Once they
were safely housed Glen felt a difficult task was well done.
He went to see Clara Benny. She welcomed him in her usual way, with a
smile and a kiss. These constant kisses embarrassed Glen, but he liked
them. They showed she had faith in him, and that gave him hope. He told
her where he had been, and what for, watching her closely all the time,
but there were no signs of recognition. Her memory in that direction was
still a blank.
He had no doubt, after what he had heard and seen, that she was at
Mintaro with Craig Bellshaw, and that he had driven her away, after a
struggle with her, and left her to die a terrible death, which would
have happened had she not found her way to the hut. For this Bellshaw
should pay in full when the time came. Glen, however, had such a lot of
work in hand with the horses that he had no time for anything else. It
took a month to get them in hand so that they could be saddled quickly,
but their bucking propensities were encouraged in every way. They were
given full scope in this direction. Jim and Glen were constantly in the
saddle. The big horse threw them both more than once, until Glen fairly
mastered, but could not tame him.
He was a big bay horse with a savage-looking head, and his strength was
great.
They called him The Savage, which was appropriate, and he did not belie
his name.
There were fourteen horses in all, and a cheque had been sent to Craig
Bellshaw for them.
Jerry Makeshift came to a private exhibition, and was enthusiastic about
it. He gave the show valuable assistance in "The Sketch," spoke to many
of his press friends, and the buckjumpers were boomed well, so that
public excitement about them was roused to the highest pitch.
The building was well adapted for the purpose. A ring was formed and
fenced in with stout posts and rails so that there would be no danger to
the spectators. On the opening night the place was packed. A challenge
had been issued. Two hundred pounds would be given to anyone who could
sit The Savage for ten minutes; assistance would be given to mount.
Fifty pounds was offered for riding half a dozen others, ten pounds for
the remainder, all ten minutes' spells.
There were scores of men in Sydney and the surrounding districts who
thought they were equal to the various tasks set.
Six well-known riders sent in their names. Two of them came from Wagga
with big reputations, and one from Bathurst. They all tried The Savage.
The horse had an easy task, for he was no sooner mounted than he shot
riders through the air like rockets. Not one of them made the semblance
of a fight with him.
Then Glen Leigh's turn came. He sprang into the saddle without
assistance and the battle commenced. Round and round the ring The Savage
bucked in a series of furious leaps. He kicked, squealed, fought
desperately, tried to bite Glen's leg, but all in vain; he stuck to his
seat in splendid style. The Savage finding these tactics of no avail,
threw himself down. Glen slipped out of the saddle. As the horse
struggled to his feet he sprang on again amidst a hurricane of applause.
At the end of a quarter of an hour he concluded his exhibition, and when
he stood in the ring holding The Savage tight by the bridle, the people
cheered him to the echo, and the building rang with the shouts. The
other riders were exciting, but paled before the performance of Glen
Leigh and The Savage.
As the crowd left the building everybody was asking who Glen Leigh was,
and where he came from. He was the most wonderful rider they had seen.
Jerry Makeshift had not given Glen away. He reserved the account he
intended to publish for the issue following the opening night. He made
good use of the material he had in hand. It so happened that "The
Sketch" came out in the afternoon of the next day, and a full account of
the "keeper of the fence" was given and the manner in which he had
captured the horses and brought them to Sydney.
It was the genuineness of the show that attracted the people, and the
place was crowded every night. Money came rolling in and the promoters
were in high spirits.
Ivor Hadwin, Bellshaw's trainer, had been a great rider of rough,
unbroken horses on his father's station, before they fell on evil times,
were ruined by drought and moneylenders, and came to Sydney. On the
station he had ridden the worst of buckjumpers, and he thought with a
little practice he might be able to stick on The Savage for ten minutes
and win the two hundred pounds. For four nights running he succeeded in
riding the horses for the lowest prizes. Then he won one of fifty
pounds, and Glen Leigh complimented him.
"You'll have to try for the two hundred," he said to Ivor.
"That's what I mean to do."
"Will you allow us to advertise it?" asked Glen.
"Certainly," answered Hadwin. "I've no objections. You've treated me
well, and paid me the money I have won."
"We shall always do that, and I hope you have to draw the two hundred,
but I warn you The Savage is a demon, and you'll have to keep your eyes
open," said Glen.
"I believe at one time I could ride as well as you, but training has
made me a bit soft," replied Hadwin.
Strange to say Glen Leigh did not know Hadwin was a trainer. No one told
him, probably taking it for granted that he knew.
"You train racehorses?" asked Glen.
"Yes, at Randwick. Come and see me one day."
"With pleasure," said Glen. "Who do you train for?"
Ivor Hadwin smiled.
"I wonder someone has not told you about me," he said.
"I never asked. There is such a heap of things to do I've had no time,
and it matters little who wins the prizes," returned Glen.
"I train for Craig Bellshaw," said Ivor.
Glen started. This was strange, especially as the horses all came from
Mintaro.
"I know him," he said.
"So do I, too well," answered Ivor. "He's a hard man to please."
"I daresay he is," Glen agreed.
Someone called him away and he left Hadwin, saying he would call and see
him next morning.
"I'll be there. Come about eleven," said Ivor.
"What night will you attempt to ride The Savage?" asked Glen, looking
back.
"Saturday."
"That's the best night for us, thanks."
Glen told Bill what had passed between them when he reached The
Kangaroo.
Jerry Makeshift was there. "You mean to say you didn't know until
to-night who Ivor Hadwin was?" he asked.
"No."
"And you made no enquiries?"
"It didn't interest me. It was part of the show."
"And no one enlightened you?"
"No."
"Well, I'm blessed. That's funny; everybody knows Hadwin. I'm told he's
likely to win the Caulfield Cup, or the Melbourne Cup, or both, for
Bellshaw," said Jerry.
"Has Bellshaw some good horses?" enquired Glen.
"Yes, about a dozen in all, I think, and four or five above the average,
but I don't go in for racing much. Tom Roslyn, of 'The Racing Life,'
told me. He's the best turf judge we have on the press, and he can pick
out good horses as easily as I can a bottle of wine."
"Then he must be an uncommon judge," laughed Bill.
"What's the name of the Cup horse?" asked Glen.
"Barellan. He's five years old now, and has a nice weight, so Tom says.
I forget what it is," Jerry answered.
"Here's Nick Gerard's list," put in Bill. "Barellan, 8st. 7lbs., in the
Melbourne Cup, 8st. 10lb. in the Caulfield Cup."
"I'll ask Hadwin to let me have a look at him when I go there in the
morning," said Glen.
"Have you bought a ticket in the big sweep on the Melbourne Cup yet?"
asked Jerry.
"No, I forgot all about it," replied Glen.
"I'll get one for you if you like," said Jerry.
"I wish you would. Here's the money," and he handed him a sovereign.
Jerry tossed it, "Heads a horse, tails a blank," he called.
The coin fell on the table head up.
"That's a fair start, anyhow. Let's hope it will be a good 'un you
draw."
Glen laughed.
"I haven't much faith in sweeps. I was never tempted to throw money away
in them."
"Have one in the Caulfield Cup as well?" suggested Jerry.
"No, that will be sufficient," returned Glen. "It's a sovereign gone to
the bad."
"Don't be too sure about that; it's your maiden effort, and may prove
successful," said Jerry.
"Get me a ticket at the same time," said Bill.
"All right, and I hope when I call here with them it will bring luck to
The Kangaroo," answered Jerry.
"I can do with the cash," said Glen laughing, "Bill's got heaps."