A Rank Outsider.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7330, 7 June 1913, Page 6

A Rank Outsider.

BY E. BUB. ROWES.

HE was considered a rank outsider by tho county. You see, lie was poor, and possessed of no influence or great position, whilst Avery, his nival in more ways than one, had more than enough of all these good things. Besides, wasn’t it generally known that it had always been a settled thing that Avery should marry Betty Wilton when she would consent to say yesp Therefore, tho mere idea, which someone spread about one fine spring, that young Jim Otway was paying attentions to Betty, was simply absurd. Ho hadn’t a chance; for what was there to see or admire in him when Avery, the rich, tho magnificent, tho all-conquer-ing, was in the field ? Certainly no girl in her senses would ever dream of comparing the two for a moment, and that was just what Betty was thinking; only from perhaps a dilfcrent point of view to that taken by the neighbourhood, as she and Otway walked towards the stables together one fine May evening. Avery they had left playing croquet —he was a past master in that game as in everything else—with handsome Juliet Brandon, and so absorbed had they been in their scientific game that neither noticed the slipping away of Miss Betty and Otway. “ Who is going to ride Sultan for you. Miss Wilton P ” Otway was asking. Betty shook her pretty head. “ You are the fifth person to ask me that to-day,” she said, “ and to you as to the rest I must say, I don’t know. I’d ride him myself if I dared, but—well, you know what people say. Not that it isn’t safe; I could hold him anywhere.” “ Not in a race,” said Otway with decision. “ I —l shouldn’t allow it for a moment.” Betty stared at him, then a smile lit up her blue eyes, and Otway all of a sudden flushed beneath the healthy tan of his honest face. What right had he to use such words to her?

“ I bog your pardon,” ho stammered. “ I—l had no right to say that, but I am sure that no one Mxnlld like to think of your running such a risk. Why, Avery ” “ Oh! I don’t care what he thinks,” said Betty perversely. “ Why should I? But I suppose the whole country would bo shocked if 1 did ride my own horse in the race. Isn’t he a beauty? ” They had reached the stables now, and were standing looking in at the handsomo bay On whom ail Miss .Wilton’s hopes were fixed for the coming race meeting. He mus considered a rank outsider; ho and Jim Otway M - ero companions in misfortune there, for no one thought much of Sultan as a racer M-hen compared M'ith Avery’s chestnut Stella, M-ho mus tho first favourite, and mus to carry all before her next M-eek. “Hois a handsomo folloM - ,” said OtMUy admiringly; “ It’s a thousand pities Avery can’t ride him for you. He’s the best gentleman jockey about here, I suppose.” “ Mr. Avery has his own mount to ride,” said Betty; “ besides I suppose you M’ouldn’t ride Sultan for me, Mr. Otway ? ”

Otway started. “Do you mean ’ that? ” ho asked eagerly.

Betty nodded. "Of course I do. I know what a good horseman you are, and I should ho glad—we should both bo glad, wouldn’t wc Sultan, old boy?—if you would ride on the fifteenth. He’s hot tempered, but. nothing to matter, and he has a beautiful mouth.” “ We'll both do our level best, Miss Wilton,” said Otway, “ to bring you homo tho prize. It’s awfully good' of you, for there’s nothing I’d like better than to ride Sultan for you.” “ Then that’s settled,” said Betty with a smile. “ You can come in any day you like and gallop him in the long meadow, and I hone you’ll win.” “ I hope so indeed,” said Otway, with his heart in his eyes, and there seemed more in the simple words than one would have expected. Anyway, tho pair were oddly silent as they'went back to the oroquot lawn. * * * « v; “ I suppose you’ll : marry George Avon’,” said Miss Brandon abruptly’. Betty looked up with a start from tho note sho was addressing to J. Otway, Esq. Her face flushed pink all over. “ What a question! ” she said lightly. “My dear Juliet—l must wait till I’m asked.” Miss Brandon made an impatient movement. “Don’t hedge,” she said; "you know as well as everyone else that tho wretched man is only waiting til! you give him a chance. But if you many him, what about young Otway? ” Dotty got up and rang the bell. “ My clear girl, don’t ask me riddles on suck a hot day,” she said. “ I simply can’t and won’t answer them. Take this note to Mr. Otway at once,” sho added as tho servant entered the room. Miss Biymlon eyed her curiously. “ If you take my advice,” sho said in a softer tone, “you’ll follow your heart—-not the dictates of tHc country. You’U never find happiness any other way. Good-bye, Betty! We shall meet to-morrow at the races. By the way, yon’vo never telcl me who is riding Sultan for you!” “ Mr, Otway,” said Betty with n blush, and Miss Brandon nodded and went out of the room laughing. So that was the way tho wind really blow! Her words bad stirred Betty more than a little, and long after her visitor had gone she sat and examined her wayward little heart. ,Everyone expected her to marry Avery, who was rich, and a man of importance in tho neighbourhood, hut- ■ It was a very big “ but ” too, consisting as it did of Jim Otway. The race should decide it all. She had promised to give Avery his answer when that great event was over, and then—sufficient unto the day was tho evil thereof. * * x- x- “ Sultan ? My dear chap, a rank outsider! Take a tip and put all your money on Avery’s Stella. Bound to win.” “ Avery’s riding himself, I see. By Jove! so Sultan belongs to Miss Wilton! And young Otway's riding. I say, I did hoar that there was something in that.” The reply was a laugh. “ My dear fellow, only another rank outsider! Avery’s favourite then. Put a fiver on for me while you're about it, will you?” Betty, overhearing theso scraps of

■ Betty’s face was scarlet with excitement and her eyes shone like stars; but still it was on Otway her thoughts were fixed. What did Sultan matter as long as his rider—won the prize! She leant forward eagerly as they swept on to the winning post, and a little cry of triumph broke from her lips.

; conversation on the stand, bit her lips. I So that was what they were all saying! Two rank outsiders! Who looked eagerly at the horses who uere just coming out for tho start, She had seen Sultan .a few minutes since in the paddock, and had exchanged a few words with Otway, -wishing him success, and then M-ent back to her seat in the stand with Juliet Brandon. It was a perfect day, bright sunshine and a turquoise blue sky overhead, and as Oo nay cantered slowly by ou Sultan ho naved his cap cheerfully to her, while Avery smiled gravely as he too came past to the starting post. Five minutes later they were off, and Betty .seized her glasses and eagerly turned them on the line of horses speeding away doivn the course. It was easy to iteop an eye on Otway, with his bright colours of crimson and pale blue, and oddly enough it was more of”the rider she was thinking than of her gallant Sultan. For a time Avery led, then gradually Otway crept up till the two were racing neck and neck. Betty felt her breath coming quick and hot as she Matched the struggle which lay between just those tM'o. The rest of the field had dropped behind, and were straggling m well to the rear, and everyone recognised that the favourite had a formidable adversary in the outsider. Perhaps Betty realised that it was go in more than one sense. Twice they sM'ent round the course, then as they raced to the finish Sultau perceptibly drotv a little ahead. There were shouts from the crowd; “Sultan M-ius! Sultan wins!” Betty’s face was scarlet with excitement,, and her eyes shone like stars; but still it M - as on Otway her thoughts Mere fixed. What did Sultan matter as long as his rider—won the prize 1 She leant forward eagerly as they Swept on to the winning post, and a little cry of triumph broke from her lips. For Sultan passed the poet winner by a length and a half, and then—no one kneu- Ikhv it happened—whether the gallant horse stumbled, or what it M as, but doM-n he went, unth a sickening thud, and Otnay M-as flung out of his saddle, but not clear enough, for Sultan in his struggles - rolled over his rider. . ' And Avery, as he dashed to the rescue, found hie arm caught by a small hand. , : He looked down into Betty's white face. “ Take him to my house,” she &aid quite calmly. “ I am afraid he must bo badly hurt.” In her eyes and her quiet words ho knew ho had received his answer. *** . # Otway was badly injured. Concussion of the brain and a- brokCtt-arm kept him an unconscious prisoner at the Manor Ho us 3 for nearly a mouth, and all that time Betty Wilton -went about like a ghost, fearing what 6a'cij day might bring forth, for Otway had a tough struggle to get back from tho gates of death to M-Jnch he had slipped so perilously. What was it to her that" her good -Sultan had won the race, and come out of the accident without serious injury, M'hen Otway was so nearly killed!' Oh! she knen- her om - u heart at last. Avery found that out with duo glance; he had gone away since, as soon as he learnt that his rival—he kiiCM- him for that now: —was out of danger. He could not stay to look at happiness through another man’s eyes. It Mas more than a month after "the lateful race that Otway was allowed to crawl out to a Murmly sheltered scat iu the old garden. He "had been struck dumb when a Meek or so ago he had come back to consciousness and asked surprisedly nhere he was. That he should have been all this time in her house! So near to her, and that she should have cared for him, and seen to his well-being and comfort through it all! His heart swelled M-ith love and gratitude. That she could have done so much for—a rank outsider! He had heard himself called that before; why, M-ith Avery in the field, what chah.ce had ho? Ho closed his eyes as ho sat there in a well-cushioned chair in tho sun, and then opened, them with » start. He had heard a gentle step— Llie rustle of a dress, ’And there was Betty beside him her eyes shining, he r cheeks faintly pink, her smile a ray of gladness. " So you are reallv better at last,” she murmured shyly, her hand in his —she let it stay there too. She was sorry for him, of course, he told himself M-eakly. “ Thanks to you and your goodness,” ho said. “ They Mouldn’t let mo see you before to say tliahk you; but; I say it now with all my heart. And I’m glad old Sultan won the race for you, though I did make a fool of myself at the end.” “ Nothing mattered,” she said a little incoherently, “ as long as you wero uot killed. And—and you might have been. I can’t forget it! ” Otuay looked at her incredulously: be caught tho bright glimmer of tears in her eyes. ." Why. M-ould you have cared?” ho said M-oakly, thou remembering ho caught himself up with an effort. How is Avery?” he asked abrupt.y, and sqm- the hot colour that ran to her cheeks and then died away again. ‘ I don’t know. He has gone away.” Gone aMuy? •” les. Big game shooting somewhere in Africa, I think. You know ho ’s a great sportsman.” feo, 1 IcnoM - ; but I thought ” Betty hung her beau. , Then you M-ero just as stupid ns everybody else,” she said softlv. “ I never thought you believed that ” Otway raised himself an his chair and put Ins hand on her shoulder as she sat beside him on a rustic bench. “ Then. Betty, darling heart, is them 0. chance ior mo? I know I’m a rank outsider—do .you know that wan what T mus called.'—hut I l.jvo you so, dear.” - AMiy, what they called a rank outsidoi mon the race, she whispered; “so them would be nothing so very wonderful in another— not that sou ever More, tou know—vrinnuif* >f The rest Mas silence. And (hat M-as hmv riv o rank outsiders won their hearts’ desires.