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And the Heathflower thing was a splendid traveler, coming out of her padded stall as ready to run as when she went into it. She had got to the Bay Park only two days back, in charge of her rubber, Amos, and Black Tim, her jockey. Tim stood at her head, Amos was giving her lank sides their last polish, as Allys and her train swept down upon them.
Billy shouted, dropping his glass, and flinging up his head. Up course the rainbow line had at last held steady, then, as the tape flew up, bellied out like a sail in gusty wind, and been rent into flecks and tatters. The lightweights, of course, were in the foremost of the flecks and tatters all, that is, save the Heathflower thing, who came absolutely last.
At the mile there were more counterfeits proven as the race swept down upon the stand the second time there were but seven of the original contenders really in it. The rest were tailing hopelessly. One or two even pulled up. But the Heathflower thing was among the seven, and keeping place right behind the favorites. Allys clutched Billy's arm so hard her fingers half buried in it.
In the crowd a great hushed breath, like the sigh of a forest before the storm, told of tense heartstrings. Almost instantly the sigh changed to a shouted roar as Tay Ho dropped back level with Aramis, leaving Aldegonde and the Heathflower thing half a length to the good.
A horseman born and made, he marked their stride, and understood even better than their jockeys how much the killing pace was taking out of them. It did not astonish him that in the outstretch, before a mile had been run, three of the first flight chucked it up, falling back, back, till even the Heathflower thing showed them her heels.
The Hammond girl flushed that was what she had said of Allys when people laughed over the Rhett mots. But before she could counter, Allys cried joyously: "At last! The Heathflower thing! Really, she hasn't any looks but see her run, will you?" "She does move like a winner but it's impossible she can stay," Hilary said, almost arrogantly.
They were headed for the paddock, although it was not quite time for the saddling bell. The Heathflower thing was still invisible Allys searched the course for her through Hilary's glass, saying the while over her shoulder, with her most infantine smile: "You thought right, Camilla dear. I don't really know anything have only a parrot faculty of repeating what I hear."
By some odd chance, the long shots had been well toward the head of it, leaving the two favorites and the three second choices to bring up the rear. The Heathflower thing was immediately in front of them. She had moved so soberly, plodding with low head and sleepy eyes, the watchers had given her an ironic cheer, mingled with cat calls.
Although the others gave him civil, if formal, greeting, Billy felt their hostility intuitively, and flung up his head like a stag at bay. "You got my note have you done it yet?" he asked, bending over Allys in a fashion that made Hilary's teeth set hard. She laughed back at him: "Have you done it yet? Bet your whole fortune on the Heathflower thing at a hundred to one?" Billy nodded confidently.
Or do you really care to win?" "To win, please, O oracle, if it's all the same to you," Hilary said, supplication in his voice, although his eyes danced. Allys gave him a long look. "Then you must take Heathflower," she said. "I have the Wickliffe boy's word for it he wrote me only yesterday: 'Miss Allys, if you want to get wealthy, bet all your real money on that Heathflower thing." "H'm!
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