"'Mr. Tuttle,' he says, 'if your connection with this business is as
innocent as it seems, you should be protected against a further
appearance on the turf. On the other hand, if you have acted a part in
this little drama, the turf should be protected against you. In either
case the judges desire to bring your career as an owner to a close; and
we hereby bar you and your entries from all tracks of the Association.
This is final and irrevocable.'
"Three years after that I'm at Hot Springs, 'n' I drops into McGlade's
place one night to watch 'em gamble. There's a slim guy dealin' faro
fur the house, 'n' he's got a green eye-shade on. All of a sudden he
looks up at me.
"'Blister,' he says, 'do you ever tumble there's two ringers in the New
Awlins deal? Me 'n' Buck Harms has quite a time puttin' it
over--without slippin' you five hundred.'
"It's Elsy! 'N' say!--_his voice ain't any squeakier 'n mine_!"
WANTED--A RAINBOW
At our last meeting Blister had told me of a "ringing" in years gone by
that had ended disastrously for him. And now as we idled in the big
empty grand-stand a full hour before it would be electrified by the
leaping phrase, "They're off!" I desired further reminiscences.
"Ringing a horse must be a risky business?" I ventured.
"Humph!" grunted Blister, evidently declining to comment on the obvious.
Then he glanced at me with a dry whimsical smile. "I see that little ole
pad stickin' out of your pocket," he said.
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