egs would carry him.
There, J. Rufus' automobile was to be waiting, all cranked up and
trembling, ready to dart away the moment Blackie should jump in. Just
as Blackie and the others joined Wallingford and Beauty Phillips,
Larry Teller came breathlessly up from the betting-shed.

"There's something doing on that Whipsaw horse," he declared
excitedly. "He opened at twenty to one--and in fifteen minutes of
play--either somebody that knows something--or a wagonload of
fool-money--had backed him down to evens. Think of it! Evens!"

There was a sudden roar from the crowd, more like a gigantic groan
than any other sound. They were off! One horse was left at the post,
but it was not Whipsaw. Two others trailed behind. The other five were
away, well bunched. At the quarter, three horses drew into the lead,
Whipsaw just behind them. At the half, one of the three was dropping
back, and Whipsaw slowly overtaking it. Now his nose was at her
flanks; now at the saddle; then the jockeys were abreast; then the
white jacket and red sleeves of Whipsaw's rider could be seen to the
fore of the opposing jockey, with the two leaders just ahead. At the
three-quarters, three horses were neck and neck again, but this time
Whipsaw was among them. Down the stretch they came pounding, and then,
and not until then, did Whipsaw, a lithe, shining little brown streak,
strike into the best stride of which he was capable. A thousand hoarse
watchers, as they came to the seven-eighths, roared encouragement to
the horses. Whipsaw's name was much among them, but only in tones of
anger. Men and even women ran down to the rail and stood on tiptoe
with red faces, shrieking for Fashion to come on, begging and praying
Fashion to win, for Fashion carried most of the money; and the
shrieking became an agony as the horses flashed under the wire,
Whipsaw a good, clean half length in the lead!

[Illustration: Beauty Phillips discovered she was on her feet]

As the roaring stopped in one high, abrupt wail, Beauty Phillips, who
never knew emotion or excitement, suddenly discovered, to her vast
surprise, that she was on her feet! that she was clutching her throat
for its hoarseness! that she was dripping with perspiration! that she
was faint and weak and giddy! that her blood was pounding and her
eyeballs hurt; and that she had been, from the stretch down, jumping
violently up and down and shrieking the name of Whipsaw! Whipsaw!
Whipsaw! Whipsaw!

A frenzied hand