AND OTHER SKETCHES 227 



the challenge, the patent medicine vendor expressed his 

 willingness to take up the offer, only as he was not a 

 resident of Montreal he did not like to interfere. He 

 was told that he would be accepted as a citizen if he 

 desired to take a hand in. He, however, upon being so 

 promptly made eligible apparently backed down and 

 allowed the evening to pass without expressing any 

 further wish in the matter. A night or two later, most 

 of the same persons being present, the Montreal owner 

 of the western horse, bantered the traveller as to the 

 speed of their respective horses. This time it resulted 

 in a match for $200 a side (the stranger mentioning his 

 black horse as his representative), the match to be trotted 

 the following week, Mr. Decker being appointed stake- 

 holder. During the few days that intervened before the 

 race was to be decided many wagers were made, the 

 Montreal-owned horse being a strong favorite. The medi- 

 cine man made one or two small bets on his horse, but 

 did not appear at all anxious to put much money up on 

 the result. On the day before the race, when matters 

 livened up at the hotels mostly frequented by horsemen, 

 much money was wagered. 



On the day of the race a big crowd was in attendance 

 and pool-selling on the result was brisk. The Montreal 

 horse was a steady first choice, selling for $20 against 

 $10 and $12 for the outsider. The latter was persistently 

 supported by a well-known Quebecker, and another per- 

 son, who was a stranger to those present. 



When the horses were called for the first heat the Mon- 

 trealer showed up decidedly the best looker. He was a 

 hands, and in his preliminary brush down the stretch 

 rangey looking bay gelding, standing nearly sixteen 

 showed considerable speed. In fact, so impressed were 

 his backers that they eagerly snapped up every bet 

 offered. There was very little scoring indulged in. The 

 peddler did not appear anxious to obtain the best of the 

 start, and at the second attempt both horses went away 

 head and head on their journey, the local horse having the 

 pole. There was no perceptible advantage gained by 



