CHAPTER X. 



Quarter-racing Old Double S. The Wager The Colt The Race Denver 

 City The Murder. 



LIFE on the frontier brings a man in contact with strange 

 characters, as well as into stirring scenes, of which fact the 

 following sketch of a neighbour will serve as an instance ; 

 and an account of a race run by a colt of his soon after 

 my return from the buffalo hunt narrated, besides being 

 interesting in itself, will afford an opportunity to describe 

 "quarter-racing," a style of " running" horses but little, if 

 at all, practised out of North America. 



Old Simon S was a " leading card " in the young 



Western city near which he resided he was, in fact, one of 

 the " institutions " of the place. He was well off, followed 

 the profession of "gentleman at large," and his chief plea- 

 sure was horse-racing. He was an old bachelor, with a 

 pretty niece who kept house for him, and he had the best 

 stud of horses in the country. Old Double S., as he was 

 familiarly called, was addicted to the "flowing bowl." 

 His flowing bowl was four fingers of whisky straight, 

 taken irrespective of the time of day or when last 

 indulged in. 



