SHORT STORY. "THAT ASS, PETER."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19179, 19 November 1925, Page 5

SHORT STORY. "THAT ASS, PETER."

"I say," said Jerry Don, "the Amalgamated Agricultural and Pastoral Societies of New Zealand are offering a Cup and £IOOO in cash to the winner of a point-to-point! " He jumped up excitedly, and waved tho paper at Marian Lethbridge. "It's to be held at. Palmerston North, on May 1; over a corking, stiff course, and its object is to improve and encourage the breeding of a really good class of—£1000! Why, Marian, we could get married if we had a thousand !" "Exactly! If pigs had wings!" "Well b-but," said Jerry—most phlegmatic of men as a rule—stuttering in his excitement, "b-but we might as well have it as the next chap!" "I suppose we could steal it," agreed Marian, thoughtiutly. "Steal it nothing!" returned Jerry. "Our horses ain't so dusty, either!" "If," said Marian, " if you're thinking of that gangling, awkward mare of yours, I'd advise you not to be an idiot!" '•'Carrisima," h<j replied, loftily, "has won races, and is, therefore, ineligible; also she is far too valuable. As a matter of fact, I was thinking of that fat, useless, over-grown, spavined bay brute of yours." Marian ignored the insult- "Who would ride him ?" she demanded, devastating!}-. "Me, of course." "Me would not!" retorted the girl, with unexpected vigour. "Why not?" "Because." "Because what?" "Just because." "You'll have to think of a better reason than that, old darling. You can't start that 'because' stunt on me and get away with it. Because why ?" "Because—Peter's so silly," murmured tho girl, unhappily. "Shucks!" mocked Jerry, "don't you think I could manage him—little silly?" "I'd be afraid," said the girt, "horribly afraid. Peter's just a mass of nerves —that's how I camo to get him; he went mad at race meetings and no one could manage him." "But he's older now, dear. He's got heaps more sense," objected Jerry. "All the same, he still gets all 'het' up and silly directly he sees a crowd," persisted Marian. "Oh—please Jerry—please don't make me let you do anything so mad !" "Look here, dearest," said Jerry,' sitting down on the arm of her chair, "your old man refuses all assistance; Uncle Dick, for some unknown reason, is decent enough 'til I suggest getting married — and then he gets nastyj if I could pay off that back £ISOO, he could get just as nasty as he liked—and we'd get married." "Ride Carrisima," suggested Marian, hopelessly. "Don't be silly," begged the man, She's won races, and that puts her 6ut. Anyway, she's no good over big fences." Marian Lethbridge sighed. "You're bent on making me a widow, before I'm a wife," she said, "but if you're crippled I shan't marry you, so there!" He squeezed her shoulder gently. "It's a bargain, then, sweetheart. Your old Peter jumps like a stag —and he can't fall —so there's no danger when you understand him like we do." The first of May. A gay crowd thronged the starting place of the great point-to-point. Black horses, brown horses, grey horses, white horses, bay horses, chestnut and cream, piebald and skewbald, walked and danced, plunged or pranced, according to "their several dispositions. Simon Peter did neither. It was a sunny day, but the wind was cool; yet Peter's bright, red coat was damp with sweat. He stood quite still, reaching uneasily at his bit. His ears flicked back and forth incessantly, and he nuzzled Jerrv Don with nervous impatience. Jerry was more than a "little nervous, too, for he knew the signs; as to Marian. s;he was frankly frightened, but beyond an anxious touch on her man's arm, she gave no sign. "He'll be all right once he gets started," said Jerry reassuringly, "They're mounting now—give me a lucky kiss, sweetheart." He bent his head, and, Marian, regardless of the crowd, flung her arms about his neck, and clung to him. "Oh," she said "I'm so frightened—don't ride, Jerrv!" Then before he could answer, "Get up—quick—don't take any notice of me—l must be fey, I think!" Still blushing, Jerry mounted. Peter heaved a huge trembling sigh, and walked oil quietly—too quietly. They lined up, 20 odd—beautiful creatures—all of them—their glossy coats shining in the sunlight; but Marian Lethbridge had eyes only for the big, splendid bay. She wished" he'd plunge —buck— rear—do anything but walk sedately, or stand quietly—with all his excitement pent up in his madly-racing heart. Jerry Don wished it too; he even touched the bav sharply with the spur, j Peter didn't even start. A friend called out to Jerry; "Mind he doesn't get you off, old man!" Jerry laughed. "I like them quiej ! ' he retorted as he swung Peter into line. There was confusion for a. minute, and then the starter called "Ready?" Jerry Don rammed his hat down over his eyes, got a firmer grip of his reins, and prayed. "Go!"* Peter hung uncertainly as the spurs went home; then as the thunder of hoofs smoto his flattened ears, he jumped 15ft. from a stand, and ,bolted matily among the rear-most horses. He reached for the bit, tearing it. from Jerry's desperate hold, and flung himself forward in huge, resistless leaps. . .i Jerry, sweating and swearing, fought the panicy bay with brawn and brain, the ground flew beneath him, and the horses that raced with them seemed to be standing still. Jerry cursed and wrenched at both reins, "and then one rein, with no effect. Bevond a Virked hound sideways, Peter took no notice. They collided violently with a grey colt, whose rider cursed back again, as the huge bay crashed past. A post and rail, solid and ugly, came into view, but Peter, crazy with nerves, hardly saw it—and Jerry stopped cursing, and sat down and rode. A black filly, three lengths ahead, proved their salvation, for as she jumped high and clean, she seemed to catch Peter's eye, and lie, hardly knowing why, jumped too; but tie rose too soon, and though he managed, by an immense effort to clear it, he crossed his legs as he landed and pitched to his knees, hurling Jerry over his floundering head. They were up together, and the shock seemed to clear the big horse's excite-ment-fuddled head; for though horses swept bv on either side, he stood while Jerry mounted; and though he shook his head from side to side, at the man's restraining hands, he did not try to take the bit; and his frantic plunging stride settled into an immense steady swing, that ate up the ground with tireless swift- j ness. „ But three minutes is Three minutes, even in miles, and Peter at the very beginning was covered with sweat, ana frothing at the mouth. True, most of it was nerves, but nervousness suppressed is as exhausting as hard work, and Jerry knew that the big bay had but half his usual strength for the gruelling lace . ahead.

BY E. MARY GUR2TEY.

< (COPYRIGHT.)

Peter was going quietly enough now, but he was fretting and tossing his foamflecked head, wasting his strength in useless eagerness; so reluctantly Jerry gave him rein. The bay flung his out nervously, lost his stride, picked it up again, and redoubled his pace, passing horse after horse, gaining confidence with every siride. Another fence—brush this time. Simon Peter pricked his ears enquiringly, and Jerry sighed with relief. Peter took it in his stride, high though it was. They overtook, for the second time, the friend who had jeered. "Hullo!" he called, "I thought you were down." I like 'em safe." retorted Jerry, as Peter hopped a 10ft. creek. The friend spurred his chestnut and drew alongside Peter upsetting him slightly. Jerry cursed the fellow silently. " Going the whole way at this pace ? " queried the friend, genially. "No," snarled Jerrv, evilly, and gave .Peter a gentle, touch with the spur. Peter responded in a way that left the swift chestnut staggering. An ugly hedge and ditch swept to meet them. Peter confident, and invincible, jumping as Jerry had said "like a stag," made light of it. Then wire. Peter, cool in spite of his sweat, checked warily, and went over like a bird. " Two miles," said Jerry, " two more to go—so —" He pulled Peter in till the huge bay was hardly more than cantering. Far ahead Peter spotted the black filly—and a skewbald horse nearly as big as himself. He fretted again, reaching for tho bit, but Jerry was not to be caught again, so Peter flattened his ears and kicked in his stride. Jerry laughed and let him out again. More jumps small and large. Peter, his eyes on the distant filly and her mate, flew them gloriously, and Jerry began to enjoy himself thoroughly. Presently, as they overhauled, slowly but surely, the riders ahead, a thunder of hoofs in the rear, warned Jerry that others were now bent on making the pace. Peter, too, heard them, and flung himself forward against the bit, but a gentle touch of the spur sent him racing aw v ay, over hedge and ditch, and post and rail, fleet as a new-roused fawn. The black filly seemed to reel back toward them as did the skewbald; and a huge hedge, five feet high and three feet through, rushed to meet them. Four feet of ditch this side—Peter's enquiring ears flicked forward. This evidently was the jump of jumps, and Jerry for the first time urged the willing bay. He wanted to get over that formidable object before the filly or the skebald mucked it; but luck was against him. The skewbald, obviously spent, suddenly rocked in his stride, and, a hundred yards from the hedge, as Peter drew up, he swerved, boring the flying bay over in the filly's wake. They w : ere too close to turn out — could only pray., and take off a yard behind the filly. She rose magnificently; but Jerry and Peter heard an ominous splash as she landed. Peter heard, and lengthened his strid#. When Peter" couldn't see he never left anything to chance. Jerry felt him tensing, and .prayed again, as he clung with knee and '-thigh. Then, Peter, took off, and he jumped as high and wide as muscles of steel and whipcord, and the courage of a great fearless heart, could take him. Just for a second it seemed that Simon Peter would perform the impossible. Four feet of glassy water; that was easy. But directly in front* lying half in, half out of the water, lay the gallant black filly. Her rider, pinned beneath, was holding her down, fearful that she would trample on him if she struggled to rise. If he had held on, Peter had cleared them all; but the sight of the huge bay's descending bulk, was too much for her, and even as Peter was over, she plunged to her feet. It was all over in a few seconds, for she rose literally beneath him, and they were all down in a sickening heap of screaming horse and shouting men; for Peter landed across the filly, his huge weight crushing her down and breaking her back.

Poor gallant little horse. Her first and last race over, and she so well on the way to victory! Miraculously Peter was unhurt, and scrambled from the reach of the dying filly's thrashing hoofs. He got to" his feet, and looked about for Jerry. Strangely enough he gave no heed to the horses that were passing now; seeming to know that without his rider the race was useless. Jerry lay in a strangely grotesque attitude, some distance from the now still filly. Peter went to him and nuzzled him gently. Then as there was no response, he stood quietly waiting, his proud head drooping, his sweat-dark flanks heaving; and paying no attention to the flying ruck. Horses balked, horses jumped and ' fell, or got over and sped away. Peter was indifferent. Once a horse crashed into him, but he braced his huge bulk to the impact and the animal passed, leaving the unconscious Jerry by the cruel iron shod hoofs. . * The last horse over fell, turning a dozen somersaults before finally regaining his t feet. His rider landed in the water, to scramble out dazed and cursing. He mistook huge Peter for his mount until Peter with vicious teeth, enlightened him. Then he saw Jerry and the filly's dead rider, and the dead filly, and a dead grey horse, and another pretty little cream thing, trying to raise itself on three legs, with the blood _ streaming from a horrible jagged gash in its side; and being young and very shaken ho sat him clown and wept- at the horrible shambles. The ambulance arrived and collected the injured and ah!—the pity of it—the dead, but before they were well under way, Jerry sat up and asked for Peter, who was trailing disconsolately in the rear. On being assured that Peter was in good order he said, "Curse the brute!" and fainted again. Nothing serious being wrong with the disgruntled Jerry they turned him over to Marian, who got him to the car and took him home; leaving a scornful grcom to 'attend the unhappy Peter. A week later, Simon Peter met Carrisinta outside the stable at Lady Lake, and she didn't look at him. Relieved of saddle and bridle he strolled over to her. "I say," he protested. "It wasn't my fault—dash it all." " It was." retorted Carrisima, flattening her ears and turning her back. " J jumped," said Peter, morosely. "I jumped like a stag—Jerry said so," " If you hadn't played the fool to start with," returned the mare viciously, " you'd have been well in the lead, at that big jump—don't talk to me." She tossed her head and cantered away, leaving Simon Peter standing disconsolately by himself. Upstairs, in the study, Marian was fussing over Jerry Don, who was able to sit up for the first time —though he still felt dizzy. " When vou are reallv better," said Marian, " I shall say ' I told you so. " Yes dear," said the invalid, meekly- " Well, didn't I?" persisted the girl. " Yes dear," humbly. . j " And you won't do it again ever, \ vou Jerry ?" " "Yes dear," said Jerry Don. Meekly she stooped and kissed him.