Would they dare to lay such odds against a horse that had even the
slightest chance of winning? It seemed most unlikely, and yet--I
hesitated. There must be a possibility, or why was the horse in the
race? My sporty-looking friend had said she was fast and had bet upon
her himself. Perhaps I had chanced upon some inside information; and,
after all, $2 was not a very serious matter whether I won or lost.
I started toward the betting stand, but suddenly stopped short. No,
Murray was to make one bet for both of us, and had undoubtedly done
what he thought was best--I would abide by his judgment.
But did he know what I knew--where could he be?
The crowd, which was now surging out of the betting ring toward the
fence and up into the grand stand, thinned out rapidly; but I held my
place, hoping to catch sight of Murray.
"Come on here and make your bets," yelled the book-makers, with whom
business had begun to grow slack; "they 're at the post--they 'll be
off in a minute."
I accepted the invitation. Rushing up to the nearest stand, I handed
up two silver dollars. "Peytonia," I said, with all the nonchalance I
could assume.
"Peytonia," repeated the book-maker; "four hundred to two," and in a
moment more I was the possessor of a fantastically-colored piece of
card-board, on which was scribbled in pencil "Peyt.--400-2."
Suddenly there was a roar of excitement.
"They 're off," was the cry from a thousand throats, and I and the
other tardy ones rushed to find a favorable spot from which to view the
race.
I had n't time to hunt up our box; so making for the fence, I forced my
way in next to the rail just as the horses, all in a bunch, swung
recklessly around the first turn.
As the race progressed they began to string out, one horse very clearly
taking the lead.
"The Maid's in front, Senator Irby second," yelled an enthusiast just
beside me. "Where's Sister Mary? Maid Marian 's quittin'. There 's
Flora Thornton. Go on, you Flora. Maid Marian 's out of it. The
Senator 's leadin'. Flora is second. _Just look at Peytonia_.
I leaned over the rail, my heart in my mouth. Down the stretch they
came at a terrible pace; some three were in front, running almost as
one. In a breath they were by us and under the wire, but which of the
three was first I could not determine.
Instantly there was a babel of voices, in which Senator Irby, Peytonia
and Flora Thornton were severally declared to have won, and a general
movement toward the judges' stand was inaugurated for the purpose of
learning "the official."
I had scarcely gone a dozen yards before I ran across Murray, viciously
elbowing his way through the crowd.
There was something so irresistibly funny in the expression of rueful
chagrin which sat upon his good-natured face, that I forgot my
excitement and began to laugh immoderately.
"Now, what do you think of that for luck?" he exclaimed on catching
sight of me; "Senator Irby, a stake-horse, to be beaten out by an old
dog like Peytonia? It's enough to--"
"Peytonia!" I echoed breathlessly, "did Peytonia win?"
"Of course she won. Did n't you see the race?"
For a moment I simply could n't speak, but clasping the tighter my
precious ticket, I swallowed heroically at the lump in my throat, while
Murray, unmindful of my silence, continued.
"You see, Jack, after I left you, I got it straight from a friend of
mine that Maid Marian was out of condition, which left the race, it
seemed to me, a walk-over for Senator Irby. Well, it looked like a
good chance to make a 'killin',' and I put twenty on him at two and a
half to one. Of course I could n't figure on getting nosed out by a
hundred to one shot, but that's the luck I always play in. Well, I 'll
get it back on the third race; I've got a 'cinch' in that. You
understand though, Jack," he added, stopping suddenly, "you have only a
dollar's interest in the losing--I had no right to bet but $2, as was
originally agreed."
Just here I foresaw a peculiar complication, and I was glad that, in my
desire to appear properly nonchalant, I had not as yet announced my
good fortune.
"Why, Murray," I exclaimed, slipping my ticket into my pocket, "you are
absolutely absurd. We agreed to share and share alike in the day's
transactions, and I shall insist upon it. Suppose Senator Irby had won
instead of losing, would you have offered me but a dollar's interest in
the winning, simply because I did n't know you were going to bet so
much?"
"Of course not, you should have had your half; but that is a very
different thing."
"Different in result perhaps, but not in principle; besides, come to
think of it, I made a little bet myself."
"You did--how much?"
"Oh, only $2."
"Two dollars, eh? Well! That makes us twenty-two out altogether.
Eleven apiece, if you insist upon it, although----"
"I do insist upon it; so that's settled, and now----"
"By the way, Jack, what did you bet on?"
This was the moment of my triumph Handing him the ticket with an air of
assumed carelessness, I covertly watched with keenest relish his
changes of expression, as he ran the gamut of varied emotion from idle
indifference to supreme excitement.
"Jack!" he exclaimed at last, grabbing my arm. "Jack, my boy! Did you
know----" Just here I laughed and gave the thing away, and then we
both laughed, while Murray improvised superlative similes anent my
luck, and upbraided me for my duplicity.
"Ahem! two dollars--twenty-two out--eleven apiece, eh, Murray?" I
chuckled mockingly. "Come on now, old man, and show me how to cash
this ticket;" and we made our way toward the betting ring.
We experienced no delay in getting the money, as not one in a thousand
had won on the race, and the cashiers at the back of the stands had
little or nothing to do.
I found great difficulty, however, in making Murray accept his rightful
half of the spoils; but out of his own mouth I judged him, and in the
end prevailed.
The next race, the second, we decided not to bet upon, as the horses
were, according to Murray, only a lot of "selling-platers," and we
needed a little respite from the crowd.
So we sought our box, and in highest spirits sat watching the masses
surge to and fro, while the freshening breeze blew strong and cool, and
brought up dark clouds which looked like rain.
"The race after this is the Derby, you know," said Murray, glancing at
his programme. "Now I do n't want to influence you, old man, but I
really believe that Domino will win. He's the best horse in the race,
and with Taral to ride him he ought to be first under the wire. This
time, though, you shall bet for yourself, as you have the proverbial
beginner's luck. Ah, they're off! By Jove! that's a beautiful start."
"Selling-platers" or not, the second race was a pretty one and I
enjoyed it thoroughly, from start to finish.
Is there any more pleasurable or intensely interesting sight than that
of a well-appointed race between a number of sleek-limbed
thoroughbreds? The multi-colored satins of the plucky little jockeys,
the whitened fences and the trim greensward lend a picturesqueness; the
buzz and hum of the restless, pushing, ill-assorted crowd adds an
excitement to an ensemble, in my opinion, altogether fascinating.