CHAPTER XXVII.--MABEL PROVES HER COURAGE.
The following afternoon, in the touring car, the entire Willing partywas driven to the track. They went immediately to Gabriel's quarters inthe training field, where, after a sharp knock upon the door, Leonardadmitted them.
"Anything new?" asked Mr. Willing, as he entered.
"Not a thing," replied Leonard with a smile. "Everything's quiet andserene."
"Good. I've brought you some visitors."
Leonard stepped back, and Shirley, Mabel, Mr. Ashton and Jimmy steppedinside.
Although somewhat weak and a trifle pale Jimmy seemed to be almosthimself again. He walked slowly, but said he was feeling splendidly.
"Where is Gabriel?" he asked.
Leonard pointed and Jimmy hurried forward as fast as his weakenedcondition would permit.
Gabriel received him with a whinny of delight, and throwing his armsabout the big black horse's neck, Jimmy talked to him long and lovingly.
Then he rejoined the others.
"Gabriel has promised he will win the race," Jimmy whispered to Shirley.
"Then it is just as good as won," declared the girl.
"Jimmy," called Mr. Willing at that moment, "would you like to have alook at the course?"
"Yes, sir," replied the boy, and went forward.
"I'm going too," declared Shirley.
"And I," said Ashton.
"I'd like to have a look myself," said Leonard. "I haven't had a chanceto get out and look about since I have been here."
"But who will stay with Gabriel?" asked Mr. Willing.
"I'll stay," Mabel volunteered.
Mr. Willing hesitated for a moment, then consented.
"I think it will be all right for a few minutes," he said.
"Mabel, don't go too near Gabriel," said Shirley. "He might not likeit."
"Don't worry," was the laughing rejoinder. "I won't go in his stall. Iknow as well as you do that he wouldn't permit any one but you and Jimmyin there."
Mabel sat down in a chair to await the return of the others, who nowwent out the door.
Gabriel, with his head out of his stall door, eyed the girl searchingly;and looking up suddenly, Mabel caught his eye and smiled. Gabriel's earstwitched, and he didn't seem half as ferocious as usual.
"Strange," mused Mabel. "He never let me get that close to him before."
At that moment the door behind her slammed with a bang. Turning quicklyMabel started back with a cry. She was face to face with Jones.
"So," said Jones with a sneering smile, "we meet again! Now you listento me, and do as I say. I haven't much time and I don't want to wasteany. You get out of here just as fast as you can. Do you hear?"
Mabel made no reply, but backed toward Gabriel's stall. Jones took astep forward.
"Do you hear me?" he cried angrily.
Mabel was badly frightened, but tried not to show it.
Raising her hand, she pointed to the door.
"Leave here at once," she commanded. "Mr. Willing will be back here in afew minutes and he will attend to you."
Jones smiled again.
"I have plenty of time to do what I came for," he said. "Get away fromthat stall."
Mabel only shrunk back closer.
Gabriel, his head protruding from his stall, watched this scene withdilated eyes and quivering nostrils. He stamped angrily, and utteredseveral snorts.
As Jones took another step forward, Mabel advanced, as though to meethim. Then, as Jones halted, she put her hand behind her and opened thecatch to Gabriel's stall. Quickly she pushed the door back, and leapingsuddenly inside, she closed it again.
Jones, with a cry of rage, leaped forward, but as he did so Gabrieltossed his head angrily and the man stepped back in fear.
"Now," said Mabel quietly, "unless you leave here immediately I shallopen this door and let Gabriel at you."
"You wouldn't dare," sneered Jones.
He glanced quickly about him, his face alight with an evil smile. Hetook a few steps back, and stooping, came up with a gun in his hands.
"You had better get down out of the way," he said. "I'll take a shot atGabriel with this. It won't kill him, but I guess it will do enoughdamage to keep him out of the race."
He brought the revolver to his shoulder and took deliberate aim.
"Get down quick!" he commanded. "You might get hurt!"
Mabel glanced about her.
Hanging on a nail from the side of the stall she saw a curry comb andbrush. With a quick leap she seized them, and then, running forward, shethrew them with all her strength.
Her aim was perfect, and true to its mark the heavy brush shot forward,catching Jones squarely in the forehead.
Jones staggered back and dropped his weapon.
But the blow was not hard enough to knock him down, and he sprang upagain with a cry of rage and stooped to pick up the gun.
At that instant Mabel opened wide Gabriel's stall.
With an almost human cry, Gabriel, who had been jumping about angrily,charged through the door straight at Jones. The latter saw him coming,and leaped aside, and Gabriel, striking out with his forefeet, missed.
Jones ran quickly toward the door and laid hold of the knob.
But before he could turn it the horse was again upon him. Snorting, heshoved out his head, and his teeth met in Jones' arm.
Jones shrieked with the pain of it.
Mabel, cowering down in the stall, began to cry.
Three times Jones, his arm dripping blood, dashed around the place withGabriel in pursuit. The man was badly frightened, but fear lentfleetness to his feet. He avoided Gabriel's teeth narrowly several timesand so far had succeeded in dodging the flying hoofs.
But such a struggle could have but one outcome.
Suddenly Jones found himself in a corner from which there was no escape.
Gabriel reared high in the air, and his forefeet, in their descent,struck Jones squarely upon the head. The man went down in a heap.Gabriel, seeing his foe prostrate on the floor, stood off and made readyto leap upon him again.
But at that moment the door opened and Jimmy dashed inside, closelyfollowed by Shirley and the others.
Jimmy leapt for Gabriel's halter, but missed.
Once more the animal reared high in the air, and his heavy feet wouldhave crushed out Jones' life had it not been for Shirley's promptaction.
She jumped in front of Gabriel and into the air, caught him by thehalter; then, springing aside, she drew herself clear of the heavy hoofsjust as they came down with a crash.
But she had succeeded in her object, and Gabriel's feet missed Jones'head by the fraction of an inch.
Shirley clung tightly to the halter.
For an instant Gabriel's eyes continued to flame, but after one quickglance at the girl who had him, he became quiet. His nostrils stillquivered with anger, but the fire had left his eyes. He stood perfectlystill.
Leonard bent over the still form of Jones. Stooping, he lifted the man'shead to his knee, and at the same moment Jones' consciousness returned.
He took in the scene before him, and staggered to his feet, bloodcovering his face. He glanced once at the faces about him, and then madefor the door.
Mr. Willing intercepted him.
"I have had enough of you. The next time you cross my path I shall turnyou over to the authorities. I have a notion to do it right now. Get outof my place, and stay out!"
Without a word, Jones slunk to the door and disappeared.
"Where is Mabel?" demanded Mr. Ashton in great anxiety, at thisjuncture.
Mabel was not in sight.
All glanced about, and then, from the direction of Gabriel's stall, camea faint moan.
Shirley ran forward ahead of the others, and in an instant had herfriend's head in her lap.
"Water quick!" she commanded.
Leonard hastened forward with a bucket of water.
"Is she hurt?" asked Mr. Ashton, excitedly, pushing the others away.
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Shirley made a careful examination of her friend.
"No," she replied. "I don't see a mark. She must have fainted."
Mabel moaned again, and a moment later opened her eyes. Seeing Shirley,she threw her arms around her friend's neck and broke into tears again.The excitement had been too much for her.
A few minutes later, however, the flow of tears ceased and Mabel sat up.
"Tell us all about it," said Shirley, stroking her chum's hair.
In a few words Mabel complied.
"You are a brave girl," Shirley told her. "Gabriel might have killed youwhen you entered his stall."
"No, he wouldn't do that," was Mabel's reply. "We had already becomefriends."
She rose, walked over to the big horse and threw her arms about hisneck. Gabriel submitted to the caress.
"Well," said Mr. Willing, "let's get back to the hotel."
Shirley led Gabriel back to his stall, and leaving Leonard once more onguard, the others set out for their hotel.