here, Johnny, don't yell like I'd hit you with a brick. You
told me to help myself once when I needed it, and I did. You ought to
let me get even. All right, then; be stingy! Where's Sammy?" She had
been feeling in both sleeves with a trace of annoyance, and now she
turned to discover Sammy a few paces back, idly watching a policeman
putting an inebriated man off the track. "Sammy!" she called him
sharply. He came, running and frightened. "I've lost my handkerchief,"
she informed him. "Go get it." Sammy smiled gratefully and was gone.

"Where did you find it?" asked Johnny, indicating the departing
messenger. "Follow you home one cold night, or did a friend give it to
you?"

"Oh, no," she said carelessly; "it just sticks around. I can't get rid
of it, so I've trained it to be handy when I need it."

She fastened upon Colonel Mason just as the horses came to the post,
and she was supplying him with a check blank just as they got away from
the barrier. Gamble turned to the track and distinguished his long shot
off in the lead. He smiled grimly at that irony, for he had seen
long-shot horses raise false hopes before. Mildly interested, he
watched Angora reach the quarter pole, still in the lead. Rather
incredulously, he saw her still in the lead at the half. He was eager
about it when she rounded the three-quarters with nothing but daylight
before her; and as she came down the stretch, with Nautchautauk
reaching out for her flanks, he stuck the ash-end of his cigar in his
mouth and did not see the finish. He knew, by the colossal groan from
the grandstand, however, that Angora had beaten the favorite; and,
though he was not in the least excited, he felt through all his pockets
for his tickets, forgetting that he had taken them out at the beginning
of the race and still held them in his hand; also, he forgot completely
that he was supposed to be escorting Polly, and immediately sauntered
down to the betting shed--to collect the largest five thousand and one
hundred dollars in captivity.

CHAPTER III

IN WHICH JOHNNY MIXES BUSINESS AND PLEASURE

A general desire to bet on the last race had sent all the occupants of
the Boyden box, except Constance, Polly and Gresham, down to the
betting shed when Gamble returned; and he was very glad there was room
enough for him to sit down and enjoy himself. He had evil designs upon
Gresham.

"This is my lucky day," he observed, smiling upon Miss Joy. "I began
this afterno