On the observation car women hung over the rail at the side, waving
handkerchiefs at the rider's back; along the fence the inhabitants of
Misery broke away like leaves before a wind and went running toward the
depot; ahead of the racing horse and engine the mounted men who had
taken a big start rode on toward the station in a wild, delirious
charge.

Neck and neck with the engine old Whetstone ran, throwing his long legs
like a wolf-hound, his long neck stretched, his ears flat, not leaving a
hair that he could control outstanding to catch the wind. The engineer
was peering ahead with fixed eyes now, as if he feared to look again on
this puny combination of horse and man that was holding its own in this
unequal trial of strength.

Within three hundred yards of the station platform, which sloped down at
the end like a continuation of the course, the Duke touched old
Whetstone's neck with the tips of his fingers. As if he had given a
signal upon which they had agreed, the horse gathered power, grunting as
he used to grunt in the days of his outlawry, and bounded away from the
cab window, where the greasy engineer stood with white face and set jaw.

Yard by yard the horse gained, his long mane flying, his long tail
astream, foam on his lips, forging past the great driving wheels which
ground against the rails; past the swinging piston; past the powerful
black cylinders; past the stubby pilot, advancing like a shadow over the
track. When Whetstone's hoofs struck the planks of the platform, marking
the end of the course, he was more than the length of the engine in the
lead.

The Duke sat there waving his hand solemnly to those who cheered him as
the train swept past, the punchers around him lifting up a joyful chorus
of shots and shouts, showing off on their own account to a considerable
extent, but sincere over all because of the victory that the Duke had
won.

Old Whetstone was standing where he had stopped, within a few feet of
the track, front hoofs on the boards of the platform, not more than
nicely warmed up for another race, it appeared. As the observation car
passed, a young woman leaned over the rail, handkerchief reached out to
the Duke as if trying to give it to him.

He saw her only a second before she passed, too late to make even a
futile attempt to possess the favor of her appreciation. She laughed,
waving it to him, holding it out as if in challenge for him to come and
take it. Without wasting a prec