A GREAT HORSE 



to gain. Cresceus had swung wide on the lower turn, 

 and Geers, who dearly loves to steal in next the rail, 

 watched for him to do so again coming home. The 

 Abbot was fairly skinning the inner rail, but the chance 

 he hoped for, of coming through there, never came. 

 The three-quarters was reached in i 132^, and then, as 

 they straightened out, Geers pulled quickly out and 

 began his drive. The ex-champion's flaring nostrils 

 flanked up to the flying stallion's wheel and got no 

 further. It was the supreme moment. Ketcham drew 

 his whip and flicked it lightly over Cresceus's back, 

 and he sprung away and opened up a gap of daylight 

 on the instant. Then Geers, too, drew his gad, and 

 The Abbot felt it twice. He responded, and for a 

 fleeting instant looked once more to be gaining ; but it 

 was for that instant only. 



Ketcham was driving and rousing Cresceus with all 

 his art, and he kept on like resistless fate. It was no 

 use, and Geers gave in and stopped driving twenty- 

 five yards from the wire. 



The applause which had broken forth when Geers 

 pulled out and made his bid with The Abbot had 

 swelled into a perfect pandemonium as the chestnut 

 champion shot past the winning post, with Ketcham 

 already easing him, in 2 103^-, a half length of daylight 

 between him and The Abbot. 



As the figures went up and the horses returned to 

 the stand there was a storm of applause. But at that 

 it was not what it would have been had the result been 



132 



