ly. The crowd hung silently on the track.
"Lu-Lu" and "Mascot" were neck and neck, getting in splendid work.
Half-way round the course "Lu-Lu" forged half a neck ahead, and her
backers went mad. But one woman dropped her head in her hands and
dared look no more. One man with white face and set lips watched the
track unswervingly.

Again "Mascot" crawled up, inch by inch. They were on the home
stretch, they were equal, the cheering broke out, then silence, then
another terrific burst, shouts, yells and clappings--"Mascot" had won
the free-for-all. In the front row a woman stood up, swayed and shaken
as a leaf in the wind. She straightened her scarlet hat and readjusted
her veil unsteadily. There was a smile on her lips and tears in her
eyes. No one noticed her. A man beside her drew her hand through his
arm in a quiet proprietary fashion. They left the grand stand
together.

Lilian's Business Venture

Lilian Mitchell turned into the dry-goods store on Randall Street,
just as Esther Miller and Ella Taylor came out. They responded coldly
to her greeting and exchanged significant glances as they walked away.

Lilian's pale face crimsoned. She was a tall, slender girl of about
seventeen, and dressed in mourning. These girls had been her close
friends once. But that was before the Mitchells had lost their money.
Since then Lilian had been cut by many of her old chums and she felt
it keenly.

The clerks in the store were busy and Lilian sat down to wait her
turn. Near to her two ladies were also waiting and chatting.

"Helen wants me to let her have a birthday party," Mrs. Saunders was
saying wearily. "She has been promised it so long and I hate to
disappoint the child, but our girl left last week, and I cannot
possibly make all the cakes and things myself. I haven't the time or
strength, so Helen must do without her party."

"Talking of girls," said Mrs. Reeves impatiently, "I am almost
discouraged. It is so hard to get a good all-round one. The last one I
had was so saucy I had to discharge her, and the one I have now cannot
make decent bread. I never had good luck with bread myself either."

"That is Mrs. Porter's great grievance too. It is no light task to
bake bread for all those boarders. Have you made your jelly yet?"

"No. Maria cannot make it, she says, and I detest messing with jelly.
But I really must see to it soon."

At this point a saleswoman came up to Lilian, who made her small
purchases an