"LORD VALLON'S DAUGHTER,"

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXX, Issue 14579, 1 June 1916, Page 7

"LORD VALLON'S DAUGHTER,"

(By ARNOLD YOEKE.) I Author of "Brought to Judgment," "The Lord, the Lady, and the Ledger," "A Eomance of the Stock Ex change," etc., etc. • (COPYRIGHT.)

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued.

Smcdley handed him La ngridge's letter to Million. .Mi- Parker read it and whistled again.

"We're up against a tough proposition, as the Yankees say," he remarked. "It looks to mo very much as it the major and your jockey had made up their differences. The major would never dare to lay' Bacchante to the extent he has unless he was very confident. If I were you I should send lor Dalkeith and give him a piece of my mind." Sinedley took tho advice. The .jockey received au urgent but courteous invitation to dinner for the following evening, at the Cafe Koyal, to discuss matters of great importance. He presented himself in due course, aud was rather surprised to find that Mr Parker was also a guest; indeed tho only other one. Mr Sinedley had decided that the time for concealment a« to who was Mr Parker's principal had gone by. Nothing of moment was spoken of during the meal. But the money-lender noted that the jockey was eating and drinking without stint. He waited until the coffee was on tho table, and then said quietly: "Do you always dine in this fashion, Dalkeith. ' "Whenever I choose," responded the other insolently. He had drunk heavily and was not inclined to be dictated to.

''I should think you'd find some difficulty in keeping your weight down, thou.'"

'•'Weight be hanged," was tho retort. "I can't go to scale under seven stone •-*- this moment. If you want me to ride that old crock of yours you'll have to declare live pounds overweight at tho least." Neither of the others answered him. It was clear to each other that he __ l been "got at." It. was far better that, ho ami "his confederates think their plan was unsuspected. The jockey was allowed to drink as he pleased'without further protest, but he gave away no further information. Mr Sinedley instructed Mr Parker to put on all he could at anything over nine to one. The next day he started for Vienna. The morning of the day on which the great race was to be decided broke bright and summer-like. The crowd was almost of Derby proportions, and the famous hill was'black with people. The ring was packed, and. the betting was fast and furious. Hopeful Boy was now first favourite at four to one. But, despite the amount that had been put on Bacchante she had hardly shortened a point- in price. "Ten to one Bacchante." "A hundred to eight Bacchante." "Fifteen to one Bacchante," yelled the "Leviathan" savagely. "Here, Mr Teetotal Barker, can't I oblige you/ Sixteen to one, in thousands, oh!" "If you please," the quiet and unexpected answer. "For a little time the price grew less, but the rally was only momentary. "What does it mean. Mr Sinedley."'" asked Miguon excitedly, as she listened to the ominous lengthening of the odds. "1 have just looked her over, and she was never in such perfect condition. She's a picture. She's lit to run for her life." .Mr Sinedley laughed. "Don't worry yourself," be said. "There was something wrong, but I have put it right. Ah! Dalkeith, howdo you do'/" "1 suppose you know, M_ Smeldey, that. I shall have to declare (Jib overweight/" answered the jockey. "How does that affect me/" came the bland answer. •'Well, as I'm riding for you 1 thought it might affect me a good bit." "You are not riding for me." "What d'you mean/ You've given me a retainer to ride Bacchante." -I know I have, but I'm not going to exercise my retainer. A jockey who can't keep his weight down is no use to me." •' You'll had some difficulty in getting a substitute at this time of day." "I've already got a substitute. I've en .raged Kington. He's been riding in Austria lately. But he won the raceten years ago, so he knows the course."' The other's jaw dropped. .He turned away without a word. If Sinedley needed to have his suspicions eonlinned he had not long to wait. Xo sooner was it known that Dalkeith would not be "up" than a panic came over the ring, in twenty minutes the mare had been rushed to cv. n money. .Major Barker wiped his brow, as Dalkeith whispered to him. Then he rushed out ot the enclosure,Jieedlcss of the frantic signs of half a dozen bookmakers who wanted to speak to him. He threaded his way quickly among the mass of people, and directed his course always towards a certain point. At hist, "some distance behind the stands, at a spot which, by comparison, was almost deserted, he came upon a man who was seated upon an upturned packingcase. His powerful frame was clothed in a largo check suit. He wore an immense Panama hat. At his feet lay ahuge umbrella. He obviously belonged to Unit class of bookmakers who are always willing to lay a shade over tho right odds, and who generally leave the field in the middle of a race. ''What's the game'/" he said huskily as the major came up. ••Here's the first race over and I haven't been able to book a bet. What do you want to keep me fooling round like this for?" "Because, my dear Corker, I never take any chances," answered the major, clapping him jovially on the back. '"I thought it just possible I might want you. As events have turned out I do want you. There's five minutes' work to do which will pay you better than welshing all day long. There's two hundred pounds to be earned, m short.'' "H'm! Sounds as if you wanted murder done, by tho price," grunted fcLo other* "Not auite!—listen!" The two talked together in undertones. They apparently were not agreed, but at length the major appeared to carry his point. "Well, I suppose if you say it's got to be done, it's got to be done," said the man in the check suit. "All I can saj' is, that for you to put the screw on me like this is playing it very low down. If anyone had,told me that you would threaten to 'put me away' I wouldn't have believed it." "■l'm sorry, my boy. But necessity knows no law. Besides, I'm giving you two hundred pounds." "You might go to Jericho with your two hundred pounds. It's fear of tho

BY SPECIAL ARRA_X_BM_N_.

'tecs,' and yon know it. It's my belief you're wanted yourself for something. It J. could only lind out what for!" " Yerv likely, sonnie. Meantime, two hundred pounds are not to be sneezed at." "If I'm alive to draw 'em. They'll tear the clothes off my back." "Tut, tvt —a few scratches, nothing more! The police '11 be there to protect you! Ha. ha! Come along! There is no time to lose." Outside the weighing room, Mr Sinedley and Mignon were deep in conversation Avith a wizened obi man who ; in spite of the heat, wore a thick overcoat. * Xow, you understand, Kington," the money-lender was saying, "you're to come right away. Get off with the lead at any cost, and never let them calch you. You're to ride without a whip," The old man looked surprised. "Of course." he said, "you know best, but — " "Xo whip," said Mignon lirmly. "She can win without it. If you hit her she might refuse to gallop at all." •'And remember," said Sinedley, "you "re on two thousand to nothing. Don't let them hustle you. Hullo, what is this /'' "This" was the 'Major's friend — Corker. Before anyone could stop him he had Hung himself upon the jockey. Seizing the lingers of the hitter's right hand he bent them back. The crack of the breaking bones was heard even above; Kington's piercing scream. Before the echo of the cry .ad died away the ruffian had disappeared in the crowd. A dense throng gathered round the fallen man. Brandy was poured down his throat and in a few - minutes he recovered consciousness. But all idea of his riding that day was seen to be impossible. "It's all over," groaned Sinedley, " I'm done." "Xot so," she said, stamping her tiny foot with anger. "We'll not be beaten like this. I'll ride Bacchante." "You!" "Yes, 1." "Do this for me," cried Si.-iediey, with a choke in his voice, "aid I'll — I'll " he passed his hand acr.ss his eyes. '!t was the first and Ja_-, time in his life, he had ever been sea to shew cn-ouon. Mignon laughed lightly. Her blood was up. She felt, at the moment, as if sho could not lose. In the midst of tho excitement caused by the assault on Kington, a fresh rumour ran through the crowd. A newjockey had been found, and ihe jockey was a _irl, Bacchante's owner. The report w : as laughed at, accepted., denied a,a in, Then the horses . a.me rut for the para.lo. A great shout iv>U; up us it was seen that Mignon was in the saddle. But Major Harker was not yet done with. A ' i'cAV hurried words to the owner of a great slashing colt —Thunderbolt — (who was being started more to see what he was made of than with any hope of his winning), and the horse had changed hands. He belonged, henceforth, to the major. The latter pushed through the crowd and went up to the -jockey—Findon —to give him his "riding" orders.

(To he Continued.)