home."

"Why must you take the horse, father, if you don't want him? I don't
understand."

"I suppose there's no law for it--I said I would, that's all. The whole
thing is crooked though; they stole the race from Lucretia and planted
me with a dope horse, and hanged if I don't feel like backing out. Let
Langdon go before the Stewards about the sale if he dare."

"Did you give your word that you'd buy the horse, father?"

"I did; but it was a plant."

"Then you'll take him, father. People say that John Porter's word is as
good as his bond; and that sounds sweeter in my ears than if I were to
hear them say that you were rich, or clever, or almost anything."

"Lauzanne gets it!" called the eager grating voice behind them. "There
go the numbers, Ned--three, five, ten; Lauzanne, The Dutchman, Lucretia.
I knew it. Dick don't make no mistakes when he's out for blood."

"He drew it a bit fine that time," growled Ned, still in opposition; "it
was the closest sort of a shave."

"Hurrah, Lauzanne!"

Again there was more hurrying of feet as the Chestnut's backers who had
waited in the stand for the Judge's decision, hurried down to the gold
mart.

"You'll take Lauzanne, father," Allis said, when the tumult had stilled;
"it will come out right somehow--I know it will--he'll win again."

John Porter stood irresolutely for a minute, not answering the girl,
as though he were loath to go close to the contaminating influence that
seemed part and parcel of Lauzanne, and which was stretching out to
envelop him. He was thinking moodily that he had played against a man
who used loaded dice, and had lost through his own rashness. He had
staked so much on the race that the loss would cut cripplingly into his
affairs.

"I guess you're right, Allis," he said; "a man's got to keep his word,
no matter what happens. I never owned a dope horse yet, and unless I'm
mistaken this yellow skate is one to-day. I'll take him though, girl;
but he'll get nothing but oats from me to make him gallop."

Then Porter went resolutely down the steps, smothering in his heart the
just rebellion that was tempting him to repudiate his bargain.

As he reached the lawn, a lad swung eagerly up the steps, threw his eye
inquiringly along row after row of seats until it stopped at Allis. Then
he darted to her side.

"Hello, Sis--been looking for you. Where's Dad?"

"Gone to get Lauzanne."

"Lauzanne!" and the boy's eyes that were exactly like her own, op