thing unusual about the mare, the boy
declared most emphatically that he had not. Then, suddenly remembering
an incident he had taken at the time to be of little import, he said:
"Two mornin's ago when I opened her stall and she poked her head out, I
noticed a little scum in her nose; but I thought it was dust. I wiped it
out, and there was nuthin' more come that I could see."

"What's the row?" asked Mike Gaynor, as he joined Dixon.

When the details were explained to him Mike declared, emphatically, that
some one had got at the mare. Taking Dixon to one side, he said: "It's
that divil on wheels, Shandy; ye can bet yer sweet loife on that. I've
been layin' for that crook; he cut Diablo's bridle an' t'rew th' ould
man; an' he done this job, too."

"But how could he get at her?" queried the Trainer. "The stable's been
locked; an' Finn and Carter was sleepin' in the saddle room."

"That divil could go where a sparrer could. How did he git in to cut th'
bridle rein--t'rough a manure window no bigger'n your hat. He done that,
as I know."

"Well, if the mare's got it we're in the soup. Have you seen Miss Porter
about, Mike?"

"I did a minute ago; I'll pass the word ye want to see her--here she
comes now. I'll skip. Damn if I want to see them gray eyes when ye tell
about the little mare. It'll just break her heart; that's what it'll do.
An' maybe I wouldn't break the back av the devil as put up this dirty
job. It isn't Shandy that's as much to blame as the blackguard that
worked him."

Dixon ran over in his mind many contorted ways of breaking the news
to Allis, and finished up by blurting out: "The mare's coughin' this
mornin', Miss; I hope it ain't nothin', but I'm afraid she's in for a
sick spell."

Coming to the course, the girl had allowed rosy hope to tint the gray
gloom of the many defeats until she had worked herself into a happy
mood. Lucretia's win would put everything right; even her father,
relieved of financial worry, would improve. The bright morning seemed
to whisper of victory; Lucretia would surely win. It was not within the
laws of fate that they should go on forever and ever having bad luck.
She had come to have a reassuring look at the grand little mare that was
to turn the tide of all their evil fortune. The Trainer's words, "The
mare's coughin'," struck a chill to her heart. She could not speak--the
misery was too great--but stood dejectedly listening while Dixon spoke
of his suspicions of foul