Carolyn Judson Burnett

“ Shirley Willing, with flaming eyes and tightly-clenched hands, jumped quickly forward, and with her right hand seized the bridle of a horse that was bearing a strange boy along the road, which ran near the river.
The horse reared back on its haunches, frightened at the sudden halting.
“The dam!” cried the young girl again. “Quick! The people must be warned!”
The face of the rider turned white. ”

“ They had unconsciously walked further and further away from the water’s edge, in among a grove of trees.
“We are lost!” cried Lois.
“Lost!” echoed Mabel.
“Yes. I don’t know where we are. I have never been in these woods before.”
“Oh, I guess we’ll get out all right,” said Mabel confidently.
She moved forward, but in the darkness she had no means of telling whether she was going in the right direction. The girls walked quickly this way and that, but they could find no exit from the grove of trees.
Mabel raised her young voice in a cry for help, and Lois added hers to it. ”

“ He loosened his reins and began to coax. But Gabriel remained on even terms. Jupiter’s jockey stopped coaxing and 242 began to ply his whip, and at the first smart blow, Jupiter leaped ahead.
Shirley let Gabriel out another notch, and then another, and once more the two big black horses were neck and neck. Try as he would, Jupiter could not shake Gabriel off.
Glancing ahead, Shirley saw that the finish was close in front. The crowd had gone wild. With the horses rushing for the wire, bedlam had broken loose. Flags and pennants waved and men and women shouted hoarsely. ”

“ Again he regarded her earnestly.
“Come, Dad,” said Shirley, “you are blocking the way. The people want to get off.”
“I’d like to know,” said Mr. Willing, looking about fiercely, “who is going to tell me to move.”
“I’ll tell you, Dad,” replied Shirley, smiling.
“Oh, well,” said her father, “that is a different matter. You and your mother are alike, both tyrants.”
He stepped aside, and thus allowed the first of the passengers who had been held back by this conversation to descend; and as the next one was Mabel, he caught her in his arms and held her also for a moment. ”

“ Then one boy suddenly came up to Shirley.
“I told you to fight,” he said. “You didn’t do it. I watched you. Now I am going to make you fight.”
Shirley shrank back.
“Put up your fists,” called the boy.
The others gathered round to see the fun.
“He’s a coward,” they said. “He’s afraid to fight. Hit him anyhow.”
They surrounded Shirley with angry gestures.
It was at this moment that Dick interfered.
“Let the kid alone,” he said quietly, moving into the midst of the others. “If he doesn’t want to fight, he doesn’t have to. Maybe he’s not the fighting kind. Let him alone.” ”

“ But she realized that human lives were at stake and she did not hesitate.
To the left of the road down which she sped lay high ground and safety, while coming down the valley, perhaps a mile in the rear, poured a dense wall of water, coming as swift as the wind.
For days the Mississippi and its tributaries had been rising rapidly and steadily. Along the lowlands in that part of the state of Illinois, just south of Cairo, where Shirley Willing had been visiting friends, fears that the Darret dam, three miles up one of these tributary streams, would give way, had been entertained. ”

“ Gabriel rubbed his head up and down against her arm.
“Come, Shirley,” said Mabel at this juncture, “don’t stand there talking to Gabriel all day. We must pay our respects to some of the other horses.”
“All right,” her friend agreed and, giving Gabriel a parting pat, she followed her friend from the stall. 50
All along the length of the stable the heads of other horses appeared above their stall doors as the two girls passed along, and everywhere they were greeted with whinnies of welcome and delight; for there was not a horse there who did not love the two girls. ”

“ She did not cry out, but Mabel’s quick eyes detected her friend’s plight. She uttered an exclamation of dismay and hurried to her aid.
“Shirley!” was all she could say.
With her foot pinned beneath the wheel, Shirley smiled at her.
“I’m caught,” she said simply. “How is the little girl?”
Mabel bent over, and examined her chum’s predicament. Then she laid hold of the wheel and attempted to lift it.
“I can’t move it,” she said, and continued to tug desperately at the wheel and heavy axle.
“You had better call some one to help you,” said Shirley calmly. ”

“ Lois gave a startled cry.
“She will be drowned!” she cried.
“I’m not sure about that,” said Mabel quietly. “You see, I know Shirley a little better than you do. If there is one way by which she can reach safety, Shirley is sure to find it.”
“I do hope she will not be harmed,” said Lois, beginning to cry.
Refugees fled to the highlands in droves, leaving everything behind. Mr. Geddis and his party advanced, just on the edge of the high ground, down the valley. Here they came upon others who had been forced to flee for safety. ”

“ Now darkness, thick and intense, descended over the valley, and neither horse nor rider could see five yards ahead. But neither lost heart, Hero plunging straight ahead and Shirley clinging tightly to his neck and uttering low words of encouragement. ”

“ Others who had heard Shirley’s words followed him. Soon every human being on the place was crowding around the stable.
Mr. Willing arrived first, and bent over the form of his old servant.
“What’s the matter, Frank?” he asked gently.
“Gabriel,” gasped the old negro, whose senses had now come back to him. “Gabriel! He dun kill me!”
“Oh, it’s not as bad as all that,” replied Mr. Willing hopefully. He turned to the crowd of negroes gathered about. “Telephone for Dr. Thompson, quick, one of you. Here,” motioning to two others, “help me carry him to the house.” ”

“ Again Gabriel whinnied.
Gabriel took the lump of sugar from the girl’s hand and munched it contentedly. Then he pleaded for more.
“No, sir,” said Shirley, stepping back. “One lump is all you get; you should know better than to ask for more. If Dad knew I had given you even one, he wouldn’t like it.”
She stepped farther back and surveyed the animal with a critical eye.
“And so,” she said, speaking to Gabriel, “you are going to win the Derby for Dad and me this year.” ”

“ A moment later the top of the stall door swung inward.
The light from a lantern flashed into Jimmy’s face, and he saw a hand stretched forth to open the catch of the bottom door. He saw two faces, one of which he recognized as that of Jones. The other man he had never seen before.
Without stopping to think, Jimmy raised his revolver 121 and fired, even as Jones, having caught sight of the lad, uttered an exclamation of dismay.
A groan followed the shot and then Jimmy heard Jones cry:
“Quick, Dick! He is armed. Put out the light!” ”

“ A moment more and complete darkness enveloped the stable.
Jimmy dropped to the ground, keeping as close to the wall as he could, for he did not want to get in the way of Gabriel’s hoofs. Frightened by the shot, Gabriel was rearing and plunging about. Several times his forefeet came down close to Jimmy’s head, but fortunately the lad was untouched. ”

“ Shirley was slight and slender, with a wealth of auburn hair and cheeks like roses. All her life she had been athletically inclined, and for the past two years—ever since she had been attending the Blue Grass Seminary—she had indulged in outdoor sports continually.
The Blue Grass Seminary was one of those schools in which the chief object was to produce not only cultured and educated young women, but 22 physically perfect ones as well. ”

“ She walked quickly along in the darkness, Hero following her like a dog.
At last, in the distance, she made out a dim light and hurried on toward it. Soon she was close enough to make out that she was approaching a little house, through a window of which the light twinkled. She broke into a run, and without stopping to knock, dashed inside. ”

“ In a secluded corner in the railroad station, when there was no one near, Shirley quickly stripped off her dress and stood revealed in her boy’s clothing. Donning wig and cap, she handed Mabel the discarded dress to put into the satchel brought for that purpose.
“Now,” said Shirley, “go back to Clara’s and, under some pretext or other, wait on the porch for me after every one has gone to bed. I’ll not come until I am sure they have all retired.”
“All right,” Mabel agreed, “and, Shirley, be very careful.” ”

“ The boat stood still in the middle of the stream for perhaps half an hour, and then both became conscious of a faint chugging far down the stream. “Some one coming,” said Mabel, “maybe they will give us a lift.”
“Perhaps it is Jones,” said Shirley uneasily.
“Dear me! I hope not!” sighed Mabel.
“So do I. We have had enough trouble for one day.”
They continued to gaze down stream.
A few minutes later a second launch came into view around the bend in the creek. The girls were able to make out several figures. It was apparent, also, that the men in the boat had seen them. ”

“ Gabriel gave a low whinny, and the fire left his eyes. Shirley opened the stall door and stepped inside. And she drew back with a cry of fear.
In the far corner of the stall lay a human form, 200 twisted and out of shape. Shirley ran quickly toward it, and started back with a cry:
“Uncle Frank!”
There was no reply from the silent form. Stooping hastily, Shirley laid hold of the shoulders and dragged the body from the stall, closing the door behind her. Then she bent over the still figure. ”

“ Leonard and the two girls darted through the door and down the steps after the fleeing man, but when they reached the sidewalk Jones had disappeared.
“We’ve lost him,” she cried.
“Yes,” said Mabel, “and he’ll hurry to the place where Jimmy is being held, and take him some place else. It was a mistake to show him that note, for he is aware we know that Jimmy is confined some place on the creek.”
“Then the best thing to do,” said Leonard, “is to get down by the creek. We may be fortunate enough to hit the right direction.”
“Let’s go at once then,” said Shirley. ”

“ Both girls heard Jimmy give a slight gasp.
“Five hundred dollars,” he repeated slowly.
“Yes,” was the reply, “then your sister, who is so ill, may receive the proper medical attention.”
“How do you know of my sick sister?” asked Jimmy in surprise.
“Oh, we know many things,” was the reply. “For instance, we know that your employer is paying you very little, because he hasn’t anything to pay you with. He has lost practically everything playing the races.”
“Yes,” said Jimmy, “that is true. He told me that everything depended upon Gabriel’s winning the Derby.” ”

“ Mr. Wilson himself came running out of the door as Shirley dismounted, and lent a hand to carry Jimmy’s unconscious body into the store, where they laid him down gently on a sofa in the rear.
Shirley bent over Jimmy anxiously.
“Is he badly hurt, Mr. Wilson?” she asked.
“I am afraid he is,” was the slow reply. “His face is badly battered, as you can see. He must have been struck a terrible blow. How did it happen?”
Shirley explained.
“I’ll call a doctor immediately,” said Mr. Wilson and hastened to the telephone.
The physician arrived a few minutes later. ”

“ Each morning and afternoon Jimmy put him through a stiff run along Willing’s trial track, and Mr. Willing, after examining the racehorse carefully, announced that he was in fine condition.
“He’s on edge right now,” he declared. “We mustn’t train him too fine, but we must give him enough work to keep him from growing stale.”
The date for the big Derby was fast approaching. Experts and racing men from all over the country came to the Willing farm almost daily, seeking to have a look at Gabriel, who had been picked almost unanimously to win the big race. ”