MATCHED. 77 



There would have been murder if Floyd had found 

 Oiney that night ; but Oiney knew it and kept out of 

 the way, while he told those whom he knew would 

 carry it to Floyd that if he did not change his ways 

 he would "ride on a horse that was foaled of an 

 acorn." This was one of Oiney's favorite expressions. 

 A few days after this altercation a friend of 

 Floyd's met Oiney on the road. They stopped and 

 talked. He told Oiney that Floyd was wild and that 

 he had better keep out of his way. Oiney only 

 laughed and said he would race him three-quarter- 

 mile heats with a green colt, and told him to go and 

 tell him so. Floyd would not accept; but as his blood 

 was up and he felt that a slur had been cast on his mare, 

 he offered to split the difference, or, in other words, 

 make a race for $200 a side at five furlongs. This 

 was what Oiney was waiting for, and after fighting 

 shy in order "to make the betting good," as he said, 

 the race was made. It was to be run on a straight 

 piece of road about five miles from where the O'Shea's 

 lived and where nearly all of the races in that section 

 were decided. From that time Oiney put in all of 

 his time on Conquering Billy. He had been galloped 

 regularly all spring with Spangle. As he was not a 

 very quick beginner the bay could always beat him for 

 half a mile, but at the end, when Spangle would be all 

 in, Billy was full of running. His rush came too 

 late to reach, and it was this fact that made Oiney 

 believe Billy could do better over a longer distance. 

 I also learned afterwards that the morning I saw the 

 pair worked, Spangle was sent away five or six 

 lengths in front of the gray and Billy caught him at 

 the finish, but the dash was three-quarters of a mile. 



