EOOKS AND PIGEONS. 157 



she would not come in, and contented himself 

 with a pull out of Stuhson's heartily proffered 

 mug. 



" Dear, dear me ! If that Star of the West 

 don't win — and Jupiter does!" poor Garrett 

 exclaimed. " I half wish I hadn't done it ! It's 

 very foolish, and yet I should be sorry if I 

 hadn't. The boy '11 be here soon. I wonder 

 what he'll bring ! " 



" Mr. Capper has a very strong fancy for 

 Jupiter, Parker, and the rest of us prefer Star of 

 the West's chance," Swaynton explained. 



" Yes, sir ; I've given it all up myself. It 

 didn't pay, I found," Frank said, with a 

 sigh. 



And there was silence in the room for a few 

 moments, Swaynton smoking quietly, Frank 

 gazing thoughtfully into the fire, and Capper look- 

 ing fixedly at the pocket-book in which he had 

 inscribed the bets, while Garrett went out to 

 the door to hear the first sound of the pony's 

 hoofs. And he had not long to wait. Down 

 the road the hoofs came tapping, the boy pulled 

 up at the door, and in another moment the 

 expected paper was in Eutters's hand. 



''Now we shall know our fate. Oh, dear! 

 oh, dear ! If it should be Jupiter ! " Garrett 

 cried in an agony of excitement. 



