have no money for training expenses.'

"I studies a minute, 'n' all of a sudden it comes to me. 'You were
just achin' to help this little dame a while ago,' I says to myself.
'Here's a chance . . . be a sport!' The colt _might_ make good, 'n'
she could use a thousand or so awful easy.

"'Miss Goodloe,' I says out loud, 'I might as well tell you I'm in love
with that colt.' She gives me a real sweet smile.

"'Isn't he a darling?' she says, her face lightin' up.

"'That isn't the way I'd put it,' I says, 'but I guess we mean the
same. Now, I'm a race-hoss trainer. You read these letters from
people I'm workin' fur, 'n' then I'll tell you what I want to do.' I
fishes out a bunch of letters from my pocket 'n' she sets down on the
steps 'n' begins to read 'em solemn as owls.

"'Why do they call you Blister?' she asks, lookin' up from a letter.

"'That's a nickname,' I says.

"'Oh,' she says, 'n' goes on readin'. When she gets through she hands
the letters to me. 'They seem to have a lot of confidence in you,
Blis--Mr. Jones,' she says.

"'Stick to Blister,' I says, ''n' I'll always come when I'm called.'

"'Very well, Blister,' she says. 'Now, why did you wish me to read
those letters?'

"'I asks you to read them letters, because I got a hunch that colt's a
winner, 'n' I want to take a chance on him,' I says. 'I got a string
of hosses at New Awlins--now, you let me ship that colt down there 'n'
I'll get him ready. I'll charge you seventy-five a month to be paid
out his winnings. If he don't win--no charge. Is it a go?' She don't
say nothin' fur quite a while. 'I sees a dozen hossmen I knows over at
the sale,' I says. 'If you want recommends I can get any of 'em to
come over 'n' speak to you about me.'

"'No, I feel that you are trustworthy,' she says, 'n' goes to studyin'
some more. 'What I should like to know,' she says after while, 'is
this: Do trainers make a practise of taking horses at the same terms
you have just offered me?'

"'Sure they do,' I lies, lookin' her in the eye. 'Any trainer'll take
a chance on a promisin' colt.'

"'Are you certain?' she asks me, earnest.

"'Yes'm, dead certain,' I says. She don't say nothin' fur maybe five
minutes, then she gets up 'n' looks at me steady.

"'You may take him,' she says, 'n' walks into the house.

"I finds Uncle Jake 'n' eases him two bucks. It sure helps his
rheumatism. He gets as spry as a two-year-old. He tells me there's a
tra