CHAPTER XXIX.--THE DERBY.
All Louisville, it seemed, was at the Derby that day.
From early in the morning until after the races started, crowdscontinued to pour into the grandstand and overflow into the paddock.Thousands of women, in brilliant costumes, gave a picturesque touch tothe scene. It was indeed a gala day.
Gaily decked in bright colors, the grandstand presented an attractiveappearance. Everywhere happiness and light-heartedness prevailed. It wasthe day of the year when Louisville gave itself over to frolic.
The races were scheduled to start at 2 o'clock, and as the winner of thefirst event flashed under the wire the crowd cheered. But in spite ofthese first events--good races though they were--the crowd waitedimpatiently for the superb horses that were to fight for the Derby.
It was a few minutes after 1 o'clock when Shirley, Mabel and Dickreached the track, and hurried to the Willing quarters. Mr. Willing waspacing up and down anxiously when they appeared, and Mr. Ashton andLeonard were beside him.
Gabriel, all ready for the race, stood quietly nearby.
"Well, here you are at last," said Mr. Willing as the three approachedthem. "Where is Shirley?"
"Oh, she will be here soon," said Mabel. "Don't worry about her. Let meintroduce Dick Stanley, Mr. Willing, the boy who came so nobly to ouraid."
Mr. Willing extended his hand and the lad grasped it.
"I am glad to know you," said the former. "Allow me to thank you for theservice you rendered me."
"It was nothing," said Dick and stepped back.
All this time Shirley had contrived to keep her back to her father, forshe was well aware that if he should recognize her he would not permither to ride.
At that moment Leonard approached.
He looked sharply at the supposed jockey, and then stepped back suddenlyand opened his mouth to speak.
Shirley laid a finger to her lips in a quick gesture, and Leonard closedhis mouth without a word. Nevertheless he continued to stare at her inamazement.
Mr. Willing, not suspecting anything of this nature, did not glanceclosely at the jockey, which was fortunate. Shirley kept her cap pulledwell down, and thus avoided detection.
"The Derby will be called a few minutes after three," said Mr. Willing."Are you ready, Jimmy?"
"Yes, sir," replied Shirley, imitating Jimmy's voice as nearly as shecould.
"Are you feeling perfectly fit?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good."
He led the way to the scales, where Shirley was weighed.
"Ninety-eight," said Mr. Willing, stepping back. "Good."
The time came at last, and Shirley, seated firmly upon Gabriel's back,rode slowly toward the barrier. Mr. Willing followed, giving lastadvice.
"Get away as well as you can," he told her, "and give Gabriel his head.Under no circumstances use the whip. Let Gabriel run his own race."
Shirley nodded her understanding of these orders, but made no reply. Mr.Willing stepped back and joined the others.
"I wonder where Shirley is?" he said.
"Oh, perhaps she stopped to talk to some one," said Mabel quietly.
"Well, I guess she is safe enough," said Mr. Willing. "Come."
He led the way to the paddock and the others followed.
After some trouble they succeeded in gaining advantageous places, andturned their eyes toward the track. And at that moment a familiar voicenear Mabel said:
"Great Scott! Gabriel is going to run."
Mabel turned and glanced at the speaker. It was Jones, and even as Mabellooked he turned upon the man beside him.
"I thought you told me you had fixed the jockey!" he exclaimed.
"I did," he declared. "I knocked him cold."
"Then how is it that he is in the race?"
"I don't know. I don't see how it is possible. Maybe they got anotherboy at the last minute."
Jones looked long through his field glasses.
"No. It's the same," he declared.
Again he whirled upon the man angrily.
"You have betrayed me," he cried.
"It's a lie," said the other.
Jones moved toward him, and the other turned and ran. Jones ran afterhim.
In the meantime, Shirley, hunched almost on Gabriel's neck, had riddenforth with the others. The reins she held in her right hand with thewhip, while with the other she stroked her horse's neck.
"You know me, don't you, Gabriel?" she whispered.
Gabriel's reply was a low whinny.
Shirley patted him gently.
"And we are going to win, aren't we, Gabriel?"
Again the big horse whinnied.
At the post Shirley turned in alongside the others. Upon her right,nearest the rail outside, was another great black horse, and Shirley didnot need to be told that this was Jupiter, the animal upon which thebookmakers were depending to win the race.
He was a wicked-looking brute, and his eyes were fiery red.
"I'll have to watch him," thought the girl.
She gazed at the other eight entries. Noble-looking animals they were,the best of Kentucky stock. She noticed several of the jockeys eyeingher queerly.
"Yes, I shall have to be careful," she said.
The signal to line up at the barrier was given.
The high-strung horses moved about nervously. A pistol cracked, and theywere off down the track. But the starter called them back. It was afalse start.
Shirley showed superb horsemanship. She maneuvered for position as wellas any of the rest, and just before the pistol cracked the second time,she was but two removed from the inside rail.
Next to her, closer to the rail, was Jupiter.
"They're off!"
The cry came from the grandstand, and was followed by a prolonged cheer.
Shirley found herself slightly behind the leaders at the first jump, butshe did not worry. She knew what Gabriel could do, and she was perfectlysatisfied with her position.
In a bunch the field swept down the track. Shirley found herself wedgedin between Jupiter and a powerful sorrel on her other side. In this waythey continued for the first half-mile.
Gradually the three leaders, Jupiter, Gabriel and the big sorrel forgedahead of the field, and at the three-quarter mark the sorrel droppedbehind. He was unable to keep up the terrific pace.
Jupiter was still running slightly ahead and going easily. Not once hadhis jockey used his whip or urged him to greater effort. Nor had thereas yet been any attempt at unfairness.
Shirley held a tight rein upon Gabriel, and the animal had not yet lethimself out. In spite of her father's instructions, Shirley was ridingher own race. She believed that she knew more about Gabriel than eitherher father or Jimmy.
And now, with the finish a quarter of a mile ahead, Shirley let Gabrielout slightly, and he came up on even terms with Jupiter in a fewstrides.
Then Jupiter's rider got busy. He loosened his reins and began to coax.But Gabriel remained on even terms. Jupiter's jockey stopped coaxing andbegan to ply his whip, and at the first smart blow, Jupiter leapedahead.
Shirley let Gabriel out another notch, and then another, and once morethe two big black horses were neck and neck. Try as he would, Jupitercould not shake Gabriel off.
Glancing ahead, Shirley saw that the finish was close in front. Thecrowd had gone wild. With the horses rushing for the wire, bedlam hadbroken loose. Flags and pennants waved and men and women shoutedhoarsely.
But of this Shirley neither heard nor saw anything. Her eyes were fixedupon the wire and she knew nothing but that Gabriel must be the firstunder it.
And now, as the two great horses thundered down to the finish, Shirleyleaned forward on Gabriel's neck and whispered to him. The noble animalresponded, and with a tremendous leap forged ahead of his rival.
At the same moment, Jupiter's rider, realizing that he could notovertake his opponent, lashed out with his whip.
The blow caught Shirley squarely across the face, and she reel
ed, andfor a moment Gabriel was almost thrown off his stride. But the gallanthorse recovered quickly, and with a last desperate effort, leapedforward under the wire--a winner by a neck.
Shirley, in great pain, still had the presence of mind to pull Gabrielin, and sick and faint, she headed him quickly for the Willing stable.
But Mr. Willing and the others, as well as the rest of the crowd, hadseen the cowardly act, and a great cry of anger rose in the air. Mr.Willing made for his stable at top speed, the others following.
At his stable, Gabriel stopped.
Shirley swayed in the saddle and toppled over; and Mr. Willing, runningup at that moment, arrived just in time to catch her in his arms.
Gently he laid her on the ground. Her cap fell from her head, and herlong hair came tumbling down.
Mr. Willing stood still in his surprise.
"Shirley!" he cried, and gathered her up in his arms.