housand throats, and I and the
other tardy ones rushed to find a favorable spot from which to view the
race.

I had n't time to hunt up our box; so making for the fence, I forced my
way in next to the rail just as the horses, all in a bunch, swung
recklessly around the first turn.

As the race progressed they began to string out, one horse very clearly
taking the lead.

"The Maid's in front, Senator Irby second," yelled an enthusiast just
beside me. "Where's Sister Mary? Maid Marian 's quittin'. There 's
Flora Thornton. Go on, you Flora. Maid Marian 's out of it. The
Senator 's leadin'. Flora is second. _Just look at Peytonia_.

I leaned over the rail, my heart in my mouth. Down the stretch they
came at a terrible pace; some three were in front, running almost as
one. In a breath they were by us and under the wire, but which of the
three was first I could not determine.

Instantly there was a babel of voices, in which Senator Irby, Peytonia
and Flora Thornton were severally declared to have won, and a general
movement toward the judges' stand was inaugurated for the purpose of
learning "the official."

I had scarcely gone a dozen yards before I ran across Murray, viciously
elbowing his way through the crowd.

There was something so irresistibly funny in the expression of rueful
chagrin which sat upon his good-natured face, that I forgot my
excitement and began to laugh immoderately.

"Now, what do you think of that for luck?" he exclaimed on catching
sight of me; "Senator Irby, a stake-horse, to be beaten out by an old
dog like Peytonia? It's enough to--"

"Peytonia!" I echoed breathlessly, "did Peytonia win?"

"Of course she won. Did n't you see the race?"

For a moment I simply could n't speak, but clasping the tighter my
precious ticket, I swallowed heroically at the lump in my throat, while
Murray, unmindful of my silence, continued.

"You see, Jack, after I left you, I got it straight from a friend of
mine that Maid Marian was out of condition, which left the race, it
seemed to me, a walk-over for Senator Irby. Well, it looked like a
good chance to make a 'killin',' and I put twenty on him at two and a
half to one. Of course I could n't figure on getting nosed out by a
hundred to one shot, but that's the luck I always play in. Well, I 'll
get it back on the third race; I've got a 'cinch' in that. You
understand though, Jack," he added, stopping suddenly, "you have only a
dollar's int