“THE BRUNDAGE PLOT”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7282, 9 October 1933, Page 9

“THE BRUNDAGE PLOT”

V CHAPTER XVII.— (Continued). "Sit still,” Brundage instructed. “He’ll only win by a nose, maybe, but •he’ll win. But if you try to tell him anything, then—good night." “Ay’ll sit and suffer,” the Jockey promised. “If you will see me right with Lall, you kneovv. She’s quaite all raight, If a. thing is put to her in the proper way. And she thinks a lot of you, you kneovv.” “I’ll see about that at once.” CHAPTER XVIII. Marise was surrounded by her friends, including several of her film colleagues. Her brother was there, and Keegan; for she made a studio holiday of the two-day race meeting. When she saw Brundage coming, she put aside the rather -abstracted air she had worn, and greeted him with her most charming smile. “So here you are nt last," she said, with a proprietorial air of which she alone was conscious. “W’herc have you been all the afternoon? We had a good winner for you that Lall had from George W-interbrook." “So lie told me," Brundage said. “I hope -lie’ll ride another one presently. I’ve just engaged him for my horse, Winsome Hoof.” “But (he horse went back to Swctherton last -night,” Marise -said. “Didn't you know? We agreed that he shouldn’t run to-day, you remember; and 'I told Mr Goclscll to send him home.”

“So my fellow, White, informed me, on the telephone, this morning,” Brundage said. “And I started him back here in a motor box. He runs all right, Miss Formby; he arrived not ten minutes ago,” “But you mustn’t do anything of the sort,” Marise ■ declared Imperiously. “It .will be impossible to back -him. And you said.he was not to run.” • ■“Excuse me," Brundage. said. “It was you who said that he ought not to run. I had other views myself; hut it did not >scem necessary to discuss them with you. I’m sorry that you ■should have so far misunderstood rriy silence as to Issue instructions to my trainer. Fortunately, no harm, has been done.”

He had lapsed into the very formal and polite way of speaking which he employed when angry; and the little group of people who heard him had no doubt that he was very angry indeed. “1 want to speak to you,” Marise said, calling him apart. "Don’t you understand," she asked, in a low, hurried voice, “that I shall be very much hurt if you run this horse, after what I have said? There is still time to scratch him.”

Brundage smiled, as he shook his head.

'“lt’s no good,'Miss Formby,” he said. “You must stop meddling with my business, you'.see. Then you and I will he good friends, fjobody could help having a'-snekkiiig"liking for you, In my opinion. . But this stage queen business Is no go; not with me, at least. Tell me why I should run my horses at your pleasure.” “That will he enough from you," Marise- said, two red - spots in her cheeks betraying the high pressure under which she controlled an outburst. ,

“I thought you’d see it, in lime," he replied agreably. “And I don’t want my name ,in tho papers any more, if you -can -put a stop to it.” lie turned hack, to keep his promise to George Wlnterbrook. “You broken-hearted/ Lall?" he asked. “Young George told rue I was ruining your doubles,' and he didn’t want to ride for me. But I said that so-ipebody would rid? the horse, and that you Were too good a sportman to hold it against him.” “What’s it all ..about? Marise?" Lall asked.

Brundage explained just what had happened. “That’s Marise all over," Lall lamented. “No, I don’t mind, of course, and It was nice of you to explain. ■ It serves her right, Mr Brundage, and she knows it. -She’ll want to make it up with you presently, if you stick around." .... .

“Oh, yes?” Brundage .asked. “It’s a pity I’ve got business somewhere else.”

“But Marise will be furious,” Lall taid in alarm. “She’ll take it out of me for letting you go." "Listen, sister," Brundage said. “It isn’t her fault that she'-s got the way she is.- It’s your fault, and the fault of everybody else who lets her think she owns the earth. Why doesn’t that fat rascal Keegan take Ms own way and marry her out of hand? S.ave a. lot of trouble.”

. Having- imparted this advice, Brtmdage strode away in search of Jane. “Here he is!” Jennifer exclaimed. “Is it true, Mr Brundage? Does your horse run, after all?” “Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin combined couldn't stop him running now,” Brundage said. “What are you laughing at, Jane?" “I know," Jane said, beating her gloves together. “It was Marlse who sent him home, not you. That’s what comes of engaging yourself to marry film stars.” "Don’t rag him, Jane,” Jennifer commanded. “Do you think your horse will win, Mr Brundage?" "If his rider can carry out instructions, he ought to win. But they’re not easy orders to execute. Let’s go and see him saddled.” There was a rush when Winsome Hoof’s number was .shown In the frame, to hack the horse at any reasonable rate of odds; but the bookmakers were not disposed to take risks. - “They’re asking for odds in a field of twenty,” Derek Talbot grumbled. “Is that good enough, do you think, for my tenner?” "Not for mine,” Brundage said. “And hardly • for yours, I should think." .. w “I’d accept evens," Taloot said wist- “ Could I' turn bookmaker?” . Jane asked. “My double ticket ought to be worth more than, ten pounds.’ ■ “A lot more.,” Talbot agreed. An even tenner, Jane; and your bet is wen hedged.” And so it was arranged. Winsome Hoof fulfilled his owners forecast, by dashing away from the gate, and taking a lead at the start. This lead he increased, until exclamations arose from all sides at the strong olaim he held on The race. “Any odds on Wlnso-me Hoof, they shouted.

(By E. C. BULKY)

Instalment 17.

Jane glanced at Brundage, who ha not troubled to make use of m glasses. ~ “'lt looks all. over,” she said, docsn

it?** , “Count ten,” Brundage “and then watch him curl up.’ Twelve seconds later somebody yelled: # ... “He’s had enough of it I ue ° playful old goat,” Brundage said genially. “Now, watch joung George suffer.” The gap between the leader and tne rest of the held began to close. •Winsome Hoof, conspicuous in his bum jacket with the white stars of the Southern Cross, seemed to roll ike a. tired horse. But George Winterbrook, sitting crouched forward with a loose rein, stirred neither hand no. IICCI a’chestnut horse ran to his very neck, but seemed able to get no farther. A big bay on the other side, put in a claim, and Winsome floor moved forward from the chestnut, a neck to the good of the new challonger. . . n “Watch a good bit of race-riding, Jane,” Brundage commented, amid al the shouting. “George is winning, by doing the hardest thing of all—and that’s nothing at all. He need on j raise his whip hand to lose the race. Jane watched them run past tne winning post, Winsome Hoof apparently just about to lose. But the judge declared that he had won by a head. “Lucky to win?” Brundage asked, repeating a suggestion made by Talbot. “Maybe; but that horse is a deceptive rascal, Mr Talbot.” “Like his owner,” Jane murmured. “But you’ve brought, off the double, Jane," Jennifer exclaimed, rernembeiing this detail, now that the excitement was over. “I wonder bow much you will get, It ought to be a lot. They had to wait for twenty minutes or ' thereabouts before the dividend was declared. Talbot went across to the notice, when it was displayed a, the totalisator booth, and returned with a solemn face. , . , „ “Jane held the only winning ticket he said. “Jane collars a trifle-of £l2 less a tenner she owes me. Not naci for a ten shilling gamble.” “We’ll celebrate,” Jennifer decided, “Come-along, Derek; we’ll find some people for dinner and dancing. Jane •shall foot the bill. Wo can -count on you, Mr Brundage?" • “You certainly may, Brundage said. ~ , . , “I don’t know. Jane said doubtfally as her Impulsive friends hurried away. “Jennifer will broadcast the news all over the place. Mandn t l better stop her?” . “Why shouldn’t she, if it pleases her?” Brundage asked. , “I see," Jane -said with a wise nod and a sidelong look at him. She had- begun to understand him now, and reasoned that it was his desire that- -Marise Formby should get the benefit of Jennifer’s gossip. _ “Do you really want to come m this dinner to-night?" Jane asked. She noticed - that he hesitated for quite an 'appreciable -moment. “Yes,”'he said briefly. .

CHAPTER XIX.

They dined at a fashionable restaurant, a dozen or .more of them, and Brundage was the only member of the party to whom the place was not familiar. Jane sat next to him, and soon discovered that ‘there was a Brundage whom she had not yet met. One brief glimps she had gained, when Marise had interrupted their picnic party on the .downs; but now Jane was rather wondering. He had laid -aside bis open-air speech -—easy-going, idiomatic, and even ungrammatical. His open-air -manner was also replaced by a more formal bearing. It seemed to Jane that ho was amused by the conversation and behaviour -of her friends, hut this amusement was gently tolerant. Just,a little,nervous,, she asked him to dance at trie first possible moment, and then discovered that there had been no ground for her fears. His arm about her suggested steel, proteoted by the softest silk; she could let herself go. “You know it ■■'ll,” she said, when they sat down again. “I don’t know •why I should be surprised because you dance so well." "We dance every night In the bush, he said, “gramophone going; and nothing else to do.” “And partners?"'“The ladies are known by handkerchiefs round their arms,” he explained gravely. “You dance with male partners? “Not I myself. I happen to be The Boss. I said that we dance that way. We dance very well, loo; you’d he surprised.” “Go and ask Jennifer,” .lane urged. “She wants to dance with you, I know.”

Jane had almost begun to feel herself neglected, before he asked her to dance again. “Let’s not dance this one,” she suggested, when they had risen. “I know a place; I want to talk a bit. “Better dance,” Brundage said. “But if you’d like to talk, we can talk at the table.” “That hurt, rather,” Jane said, as she sat down. “What is it? I know that It isn’t Marise. Have you—perhaps you are married?” “Good God, no 1” he cried, with startled emphasis. “No, Jane; there wa3 never anybody until I met you—if it- is- any satisfaction to you to know it.”

“Well, then?" “There’s a lady at the other end of the room —your -sister, I fancy—trying to attract your attention.” Jane followed his glance in the direction lie mentioned. Yes; Melissa, of all the inconvenient people possible. And throwing out urgent signals. “Will you come with me, and meet her?” Jane begged. Jane realised that she made a mistake, Melissa was one of a'party of four-who had just come in; and b ei manner when Brundage -was- presented to her was- almost frigid. ."Sit down, Jane,” she said, without another glance at the -standing man. “Where have you been? • I have important news for you.” “You will excuse me?” Brundage -said, with a smilo for Jane, and a bow for Melissa and her friends. .(To be Continued.!