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004k#ws SHORT STORY J Fortunatus.

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004k#ws SHORT STORY J Fortunatus. ■" wofa 'e say?- asked Billy. jerking his bead in the direction of the disappearing figure of the doctor. 'E seemed to think," replied Mrs. Elcomb, evasively, that yer mother's very ill." "E said that days ago—wot else?" WelL 'e said that what might do 'er a bit of good would be a change of air. And 'e ftentioned nice things to eat-beef-tea, jelly, boiled chicken, and per'aps a glass of wine now and agen." T didn't mention where they wos to come from by any chance?" asked the boy, with a grim smile. "Anything else?" Yes, something I'd rather not 'av to tell yer, but yer pushes me to it. Unless these things can be got for 'er. yer mother's goin' to die." And with this Mrs. Elcomb, bestow- *feing a deeply compassionate glance on the little cripple beside her, turned away from the street door and went back to her patient —Mrs. Piper, the tenant of her second-floor back. Billy looked up the street, but the outlook somed strangely blurred; but then Tigg- stHèt, Pimlico, is never anything but a gloomy, smoky throughfare. The lad hastily brushed his coat-sleeve across his eyes and, suppressing a violent desire to cough, settled his crutch more comfortably under his arm and boldly tried to look the situation in the face. Change of air-nice things to eat!" The words rang in his ears with a cruelly mock- ing note as. hardly knowing what he did, he began to walk, or rather limp, along the street as rapidly as he could. Turning the comer his course was arrested, for he fell against a youth who was coming in the "ite direction, and who, in consequence af being deeply interested in the perusal of newspaper, did not notice Billy in time to get out of the way. "Halloa, Billy, it's you. is it?" exclaimed the youth. Where are yer orf to in sich a 'urry? 'Ow's yer mother?" i Oh. picking up a bit, thank yer. Joe." This was not the truth, but Billy felt that sympathy was not what he wanted just then. Turning the conversation, What are yer reading?" he asked of Joe. I was jest seeing 'ow the 'orses was a-going for thttDerby, the latest betting, yer know, Joe replied. Trying to find a hun- dred-to-one chance!" he added, with a grin. Biliy gave a start. When is the Derby, Joe;" he asked. Next week, o' course." was the answer. Next week! A scheme—ever so vague a thing-began to creep into Billy's mind. During the next few days Billy thought. dreamed of nothirg else but the Derby and the chances of making untold gold afforded by that historic horse-race. Still, the scheme he had in his mind did not seem to prosper- the chance he looked for never seemed to present itself—but the lad never lost heart. It was the day before the Derby, and he was returning from- his morning round and was delivering his last few newspapers in a large and aristocratic-looking square near Victoria. Adventures are to the adventurous, the proverb says, and although Billy had hardly looked for an adventure, he had certainly hoped and prayed for something to happen; and something was going to happen this morning In the road in front of the door of an imposing-looking house Billy observed a gen- tleman's horse waiting, with a groom at it's head, for its master. As he passed the house the rider appeared-a, young and handsome gentleman. He vaulted lightly into the saddle, and horse and rider were soon some distance away—the horse going at a gentle amble—Billy following the attractive sight with admiring eyes. Suddenly a very strange thing happened; Ftoin out of one of the doorways sprang a man-a wild-looking creature, who, as Billy gazed, ilung himself in the way of the horse, and the next instant had seized the animal by the bridle. In a moment high words were heard, and the gentleman on horseback had raised his riding-whip ready to deliver a blow at the individual at the horse's head. Billy, burning with excitement to learn the Tfteaning of this strange scene, started off at lis best pace, and soon came to the spot where it was being enacted. Several other persons came up and looked on in wonder- Blent. The man who clutched the horse's Bridle appeared to be beside himself with passion, and was shouting awful imprecations at the gentleman in the saddle, who in his Mmhad quite lost control of his temper and was belabouring the other with his whip. All if a sudden Billy gave a cry of horror, for he saw the man at the horse's head had pulled i revolver from his pocket and was levelling it straight at the gentleman on the horse. It was all the work of a few seconds only. Billy was nearest the ruffian's arm, and quick as lightning he lifted his crutch and with a rtrang, well-directed blow knocked the waapon out of the man's hand just as his finger touched the trigger. There was the sound of a loud report, the bullet whizzed past, the horseman's head, and the revolver fell with a crash to the ground. The would-be murderer was seized, shriek- ing and struggling madly, by the bystanders. and the gentleman had leapt from the saddle and was shaking Billy by. the hand. Soon the lad found himself walking to the police- station behind the would-be assassin—now safely in the custody of two stalwart police- men-among a crowd of people who had witneaed his prowess. It transpired from the evidence that the gentleman whose life he had saved was none other than Sir Giles Vetter. Baronet! The man who had attempted the baronet's life was a discharged servant, who had her- boured thoughts of revenge for a fancied wrong until he had become insane. Leaving the court, Billy was conscious of Sir Giles himself taking his arm and asking him to call upon him that same evening, giving him as he spoke a card from his case, and with it a coin-" to take him home." Derby Day had come. It was about midday, and approaching Epsom town the throng was densest; it was with difficulty that horse or man could move along; the racing would be commenced very soon now, and every one 'was possessed with a feverish anxiety to secure a good place on the course. Hobbling along on his crutch, with the rest of the crowd afoot, dusty and tired, but with grim determination in his eyes, was Billy. His scheme was nearing fruition-be was carrying out the idea he had had in his mind for days past. Immediately after leaving the police-court the day previous he had started off to walk to Epsom; he "hoo slept out that night on a Surrey common, with hundredl of others to Heep him company, and had felt no hard- ship. trp. betimes, and though, the journey ttAd. been quite tiring enough for the little sripple, it was now nearly at an end. All at once there was a complete block in the• traffic; everything and everybody came to a standstill. Billy employed the few moments in ldokiag around him. There was a beautiful eqtripage by his side—a four-in- hand -laden with a company of laughing ladies and equally merry gentlemen. How happy they looked! He was in the act of turning his head away when he suddenly caught the eye of the gentleman who was driving. Yes, there could be no mistake, the recogni- tion was mutual—it was none other than Sir Giles Vetter, who now hailed Billy by his full name! Every one on the coach and every person around looked at him in wonder, and. indeed, wonders would never cease, thought Billy-the extraordinary sequence of events was quite beyond his comprehension. A (errant had quickly dropped off the four-in- land and had evidently been instructed to tift the lad then and there up to a place oiade ready for him beside Sir Giles himself, and soon after that the coach was moving .again, but not before the baronet had duly Introduced Billy to all the elegant company as the "boy who had saved his life." And now Sir Giles was plying him with questions. He was astonished to see him at the Derby-what on earth could a lad like him be doing there? And why had he not kept the appointment of the previous even- jug? To all of which Billy gave confused and incoherent replies. The baronet was non- pins Sed and wondered greatly. goon they were upon the course and in a splendid position on the hill. After a little while Sir Giles had to leave with some of the members of the party to go to the paddock. Billy would have liked to have slipped away as well but found it impossible. WTiat was lie to do? He must tell the baronet all. Great was that gentleman's surprise to hear that Billy wanted to have a bet on the Derby. He could hardly believe his ears, but the lad ffcewed that he was in deadly earnest, and thus the whole story came out. I wante," concluded Billy, "to put that them -?arf-go-yereigm yer giv' me yesterday on &be winner of the Derby, sir; then, don't yer we, mother can 'ave the fresh air and the things to eat and drimk what'll make her git well. That's all as I've come 'ere for, sir!" There were tears in the baronet's eyes, and he turned away to recover his composure, When next he looked at Billy a. bright smile tit his face. And what horse is going to win--wbich one would you like to bet upon?" he asked. -if there's a '01"88 at a '-undred to ooe. sir Giles laughed outright. "I shouldn't advise a commission in that direction, my little sportsman," he said. "Here, give me your half-sovereign; I'll promise to lay it out to the best advantage. The odds won't be so long as you wajft, but the bet will be more satisfactory, I Wieve- and hope. MUy banded the haS^orereiga. over and asked the name of the borBe he was to look to to bring him his fortune. Sir Giles handed him a race-card, op which he had marked a certain horse—Sir Giles Tetter's Fortunatus-colours, black, cherry sleeves. "Here they come! Here they come!" shouted the multitude, and Billy felt an unwonted thrill of excitement within him as he saw the beautiful thoroughbreds tearing towards the winning-post, and those on the coach beside him were no less excited than he. 'The favourite wins!" rang out from a hundred throats. Purely, yes! The colours of the jockey were black, with cherry sleeves! His heart gave a great leap. Amid the frantic shouting he seemed to distinguish the words-from those on the coach—" Giles has it—Giles wins: bravo, Giles!" What could those words mean? He felt dizzy and faint. A mighty roar went up as Fortunatus passed the post a gallant winner. He saw the crowd sweep across the course and a gentleman come out from the grand-stand and lead tle horse in. It was Sir Giles Vetter. Then Billy began to understand. The excitement had not subsided when the baronet came over to the coach, all smiles, and received his meed of congratulations from his friends. Sir Giles returned thanks in a little speech. "I am glad to have won tie Darby," he said, but I am more glad that my little friend here has won his bet, for he has backed my horse. I. approving his judgment, added a little to his stake, and he has won the £5() he came down to win—like the true little sportsman he is. Billy Piper, give me your hand. I owe you more than I can ever repay. Had it not been for you I should not be here to-day. and Fortunatus would never have won the Derby." At a delightful watering-place on the south coast Mrs. Piper is gradually being nursed back to health and strength. Thanks to the boundless generosity of Sir Giles Vetter. she wants for nothing, and Billy is at hand always to comfort and protect her.

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