t watches
a mouse, and it was very lucky for Blake that we did so. The horses were
now quite near us, and we could see Murphy plainly, and noted how white
and drawn his face looked. Suddenly Simms pulled a large white
handkerchief from his pocket, but as he did so the doctor snatched it
from his hand and at the same instant Mike seized him in his powerful
arms, and dragged him from the fence.

Mad with surprise and rage, he struggled and kicked like a wild animal.
"Damn you," he yelled, "let me go; let go, I say! What in hell do you
mean?"

"Let him go, Mike," said the doctor. Mike pushed Simms from him, and he
staggered back against the fence. The man was crazy with rage, and I
believe for the moment he was really insane. He half crouched as if to
spring at us, snarling and showing his teeth like a savage dog, then his
hand went to his hip pocket.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you, Simms," said Watson quietly. "You
will get the worst of it if you do."

Watson's right hand was in the pocket of his sack-coat, and his eyes
said, "I'll shoot," as plainly as if he had told Simms so in so many
words.

"See here, you," cried Mike, "if you pull a gun I'll smash your jaw!"

Simms looked from one to the other of us, with the expression of a
madman. His face was ghastly white, and the scar on his cheek stood out
livid, in contrast with the white skin. I thought for a moment he was
about to draw his revolver, but suddenly he turned and ran toward the
crowd, and in a moment was lost to our view.

The shouting and cheering still kept up, and, as we hurried toward the
Grand Stand, Watson asked a man which horse had won.

"Emperor, by a length,--a great race!"

We found Blake in front of the stand. He came to us and shook hands. His
face was beaming with the joy of success.

"Do you know," he said, "I do believe that something is the matter with
Murphy. He was as pale as a ghost after the race. He said he could
remember nothing about it until he found himself in the home stretch
running neck and neck with Nettie B. Then he seemed to wake from a
dream, and sat down and rode Emperor for all he was worth. You know the
rest. He won out all right, but I tell you it was a confounded sight too
close for comfort."

THE STRANGE POWDER OF THE JOU JOU PRIESTS.

Dr. Watson carefully opened the little antique silver box, which was
about the size and shape of an ordinary watch, and showed that it
contained a gray powder an