He staggered as he got out of the saddle, and in a mechanical way unbuckled the straps. Then he walked into the weighing-room with his father and Dr Tom, one on each side. He scaled all right, and there was another deafening cheer. When the tension relaxed, and he knew everything was right, and that he had done what had been asked of him, he fainted. It quickly got about that Willie Dennis was in a bad way, and some people said the race had been too much for him, and that it was a shame for his father to let him ride. When Dr Tom heard such remarks, he could no longer refrain from speaking out, and said indignantly,— 'If you knew the cause of this fainting fit you would not talk like that. There's been foul play somewhere, and I don't care who knows it now the race is over.' 'Foul play? What do you mean, doctor?' said Aaron Hyam. 'Listen, and I will tell you. Last night Jim Dennis and myself went to your place and left Willie at home. When we returned, we found him insensible on the floor, and he had received a violent blow on the back of the head. Some scoundrel, I suppose, who had laid against Neptune, did it, but we mean to find out the culprit.' There was an angry murmur at this, for the Swamp Creek people knew and trusted Dr Tom, and they hated foul play. They were standing inside Aaron Hyam's booth, and Abe Dalton heard what passed, but he knew he had little cause to fear, because no one had seen him enter Dr Tom's. Constable Doonan was also there, and said to Dr Tom, 'Have you repeated this to Sergeant Machinson?' 'No, but the police magistrate knows; and he saw Willie Dennis early this morning and felt the lump on his head.' Sergeant Machinson, seeing the crowd gathered in the booth, came up and asked what was the matter. 'Matter enough,' said Dr Tom. 'Willie Dennis was attacked last night and hit over the head. I hope you will make inquiries into the matter.' Then, catching sight of Abe Dalton, Dr Tom said, 'Perhaps Dalton can lay his hand on the man who did it. He's about as likely a person as anyone I know for that job. They have some shady fellows hanging around Barker's Creek.' 'You let me alone,' said Abe Dalton, menacingly. 'What right have you to make such accusations against me?' 'The right every honest man has to think ill of a thief,' said Dr Tom, boldly. 'You shall pay for this,' said Dalton. Constable Doonan put his hand on Abe Dalton's shoulder and said,— 'I saw you coming from the direction of Dr Sheridan's house last night. Be careful what you say and do.' 'And who the devil are you that I should be afraid of you? Can't a man walk about the street without being suspected of such a thing as this? Wait until your betters speak to me,' said Dalton. 'I think you had better let the matter rest for the present,' said Sergeant Machinson to Dr Tom. 'I will see every inquiry is made.' 'Mind you do,' said the doctor, who had a temper when it was roused. 'Mind you do, and don't forget to call at Barker's Creek for information.' 'I know my work, and need no instructions from you,' said the sergeant, and walked away. The doctor's statement was soon known, and sympathy was expressed for Jim Dennis and his son. Willie, the hero of the town, was taken to a comfortable buggy, and Jim Dennis was about to remove him 'Are you better now?' asked his father. 'Yes,' said Willie, faintly. 'Please do not take me home; it will do me good to watch the other races.' 'If you think you can stand it, we will remain.' 'I'll be all right, dad. It was more the excitement of the race than anything else upset me.' When Sal saw Neptune battling out the finish with Distant Shore she rushed down towards the crowd to find out which horse had won. As she did so she encountered Rodney Shaw, who stopped her and said,— 'Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry, Sal.' 'Has Willie won? Has he won? Please tell me, Mr Shaw.' 'Yes, he has beaten me and won the race; at least the judge says so. I think my horse won,' he replied. Sal clapped her hands in delight, and her eyes sparkled. She really looked a handsome woman at that moment, and so thought Rodney Shaw as he saw her hurry away in her eager desire to find Willie. 'I'll have her,' he muttered. 'Abe Dalton must do the trick. He can manage it, and he shall.' The look on his face was not pleasant to see. Sal knew nothing of race-courses, and had only been to Swamp Creek three or four times. She was helpless, and blundered about in the crowd until, by good chance, she came across Constable Doonan. She at once recognised a friend, and recalled what Willie had told her Doonan had said about her. The constable recognised her, and was surprised to see her in such a place. 'Where is Willie?' she asked. 'Please tell me where I can find him. Mr Shaw told me he had won the race.' 'Mr Shaw!' said Constable Doonan. 'Have you been with him?' 'I met him a few minutes ago. He said Willie had won.' 'I hope you do not have much to say to Rodney Shaw,' said Doonan. 'No, I do not like him. I am afraid of him. He is a bad man, and he is no friend to Jim Dennis,' she said. 'I will take you to Willie,' said Doonan. 'Come with me.' Sergeant Machinson saw Sal speak to Doonan, and when they walked away together he intercepted them, and, drawing the constable aside, said,— 'You know very well you ought not to be walking about with that woman. That is not part of your duty. Do you think it is?' 'Yes. She asked me where Willie Dennis was, Sergeant Machinson laughed. 'Housekeeper, eh! He seems to pick out the best he can find. Does she come from about here?' 'Yes, I believe so, and she has been with him for some years.' 'Well, take her to Dennis, and be quick; but remember it's not the sort of thing to do here—people notice it,' said the sergeant. 'You go to the deuce,' said Doonan as he walked off, but the sergeant did not hear him. He took Sal to the buggy, and when she saw Willie she looked frightened, he was so pale. 'What's the matter, lad?' she asked. 'What ails you?' 'He is over-excited,' said Jim, 'and something happened him last night.' 'Happened him!' she exclaimed. 'Yes, he was knocked on the head, but we mean to find out who did it,' said Jim. The woman's eyes blazed angrily. 'Let me help you to find out,' she said eagerly. 'What can you do, Sal?' asked Jim, surprised. 'I'll find him out. They shall not hurt you, Willie, for nothing.' 'Where are you going?' called Jim as she walked away. Sal did not look round, but went straight on to where she saw Constable Doonan standing. 'Here again!' exclaimed the constable. 'Why have you left Willie?' 'Do you know what happened to him last night?' she said, answering him with another question. 'You mean at the doctor's place? Yes, I know about it; I wish I knew who did it.' 'You'll find out,' she said. 'Have you any idea?' He looked at her doubtfully. He was very fond of Sal, but he did not know whether he ought to communicate any suspicions he might have to her. She saw him hesitate, and said,— 'Can't you trust me? I might be able to help you.' 'You?' 'Yes, why not? They say blacks are more cunning than whites.' 'But you are not black, Sal; you are a woman of quite another colour,' and he smiled at her. 'You do suspect someone. Tell me who it is.' 'I met Abe Dalton, alone, coming from the direction of the doctor's house. I thought it strange he should be there when all the people were at the Gum Tree, and wagering going on,' said Doonan. 'Where is Dalton?' 'I saw him last in Hyam's booth. You must not question him about it.' 'Leave that to me,' she said. Then, placing her hand on his arm, she added, 'Find out who did it. You will; I am sure you will.' 'All right, Sal, I'll do my best, but Sergeant Machinson may take the matter out of my hands.' A contemptuous look came over her face. 'I don't think much of the sergeant,' she said. 'You are worth a dozen of him.' Constable Doonan felt satisfied with himself, and thought Sal a woman of much discernment. He determined then and there to do what she asked, sergeant or no sergeant. Wandering around, Sal saw Abe Dalton after the next race, and he also saw her. 'This will be a good opportunity of speaking to her,' he thought. 'I would like to do this bit of business for Rodney Shaw; he's rich, and a rich friend is always handy, more especially if he happens to be a partner in a suspicious transaction.' He put himself in her way, little thinking she was also intent upon seeing him. Sal was a woman of more than average intelligence and strength, and quite equal to Abe Dalton in cunning when desirous of pitting herself against such a man. Jim Dennis was the only one who knew her worth and of what she was capable, and when she left him sitting with Willie in the buggy he had not the slightest doubt she had some scheme on hand for discovering the perpetrator of the assault. 'So you came to see your pet lad win?' said Abe Dalton, as he stood in front of her. 'He beat you and that fellow Jackson,' said Sal, exultingly. Abe Dalton was still boiling over this defeat, and he had not much faith in Sal's sagacity, or in that of any man, woman, or child, with black blood in its veins. 'He never ought to have won. The horse won. Neptune is a good one, I can tell you. The little ass was half dazed at the finish,' snapped Abe. 'So would you have been had you been struck on the head like he was the night before,' she retorted. 'So you believe that story, eh? Well, let me tell you, it's a lie, an undiluted lie, not a single thing to redeem it. Struck on the head! Well, I'm blessed! And you believe it?' 'I not only believe it, but I know who did it,' was the unexpected reply. In spite of himself he started, and she noticed it. He laughed harshly. 'You think yourself——clever, I suppose?' he growled. 'Some of your men did it because you wanted The Captain to win,' she said. He felt a sense of relief. She did not think he had done it. 'Who are my men?' he asked. 'Shall I tell you?' was her fierce answer. 'Go on, let's have it.' 'Your men are the worst lot yet unhung. They are the lowest of the low, and had not Jim Dennis taken me in I might have been herded with those outcasts from the tribe at Barker's Creek. Beware, He left her without another word. |