d."

"Yes, it'll give him a fair trial--it's a mile, an' there ain't no good
horses, that is, stake horses, in the race. I'll put Redpath up on
him, an' you might have a talk with the boy, if you like. You're onto
Lauzanne's notions better'n I am."

Allis gave Jockey Redpath the benefit of her knowledge of Lauzanne's
peculiarities.

"I'm afraid he won't take kindly to you," she said, regretfully; "he's
as notional as most of his sire's line. But if he won't try he won't,
and the more you fight him the sulkier he'll get. I wish I could ride
him myself," she added, playfully; then fearing that she had hurt the
boy's feelings by discounting his ability, added, hastily: "I'm afraid
I've spoiled Lauzanne; he has taken a liking to me, and I've learned how
to make him think he's having his own way when he's really doing just
what I want him to do."

Redpath's admiration for Allis Porter was limited to his admiration
for her as a young lady. Being young, and a jockey, he naturally had
notions; and a very prominent, all-absorbing notion was that he could
manage his mount in a race much better than most boys. Constrained to
silent acquiescence by respect for Allis, he assured himself, mentally,
that, in the race his experience and readiness of judgment would render
him far better service than orders--perhaps prompted by a sentimental
regard for Lauzanne.

The Chestnut was a slow beginner; that was a trait which even Allis's
seductive handling had failed to eradicate.

When the starter sent Lauzanne off trailing behind the other seven
runners in the race that afternoon, Redpath made a faint essay,
experimentally, to hold to Allis's orders, by patiently nestling over
the Chestnut's strong withers in a vain hope that his mount would
speedily seek to overtake the leaders. But evidently Lauzanne had no
such intention; he seemed quite satisfied with things as they were. That
the horses galloping so frantically in front interested him slightly was
evidenced by his cocked ears; but beyond that he might as well have been
the starter's hack bringing that gentleman along placidly in the rear.

"Just as I thought," muttered the boy; "this skate's kiddin' me just as
he does the gal. He's a lazy brute--it's the bud he wants."

Convinced that he was right, and that his orders were all wrong,
the jockey asserted himself. He proceeded to ride Lauzanne most
energetically.

In the horse's mind this sort of thing was associated with unlim