Coogan’s “Killing’

A COMPLETE NOVELETTE

B v

Ben

Willi

a in s

CoRsnn did not nbdent&ad horses. Coogan did not idre the word to

Dot Harris OTtil LOr While was saddled and the little Jockey had been lifted to her back. Then he pallet

ot down sad whiepered to him: “Go get era. This is the day.

A1 Hay?*—MU* upon a - a great Jockey an'', the irf —occasionally tn-.elgles ,wt on the races. 1 hare , . rtutn philosophy In these I no longer hope to win. laid with the mental com , the wssered mon»y U by chanet It comes back Hi,-1, other money added unto it. , ,n t)...: i* clear and ne''*oected gain. ’i;“ u , otormnaWlr that seldom ocn: . Howerar, I am content, for If ifl advice cos' 016 ® on *y- Al ’* con ’ Lotion has enriched my memory Tit, events and incidents of strangely ... 't’V. flavors. I bad never heard of lily White. . .. -Virens Horse." nor cf Moses , , who owend her. till that day il r*r.ie Into my oftce, his round Httle face so like that of a very crinkled cherub, gleaming with high I He looked about, with an exI . f [, 0 f caution leaned aero^ my desk

Ahi-pervd:

-Slip the string off the old B. R. bo for l got the low down on a rod thatV coming out of fickle at Jamaica r-voc don't sayr I exclaimed. “Tell r- :it•out it. Al." -Uly White in the fourth." be told | • od up the morning Aero-f-apl: from my desk to look »t the l .xiPt pickings for the day^ Not one [ of the <lopesters gave lily White an , , chance. -She ought to be at a price.” 1 marked, tlying to appear wise and 1 Million to once,” AT whispered t' £“ri\: "and ab-so-lute-ly sure. •r.iiirht from the owner.’ •tui of yours?" | -Wat: Mooe Coogan." / -Mo* -which?" I Inqulrec’ In mild

-urpti <

\ Al crfnned. *’He came by the ’Mose’ I c-fU 1 guess," he said. "But he 1 trowed tho ’Coogan’ from a cop or

-.’••Mng."

'• \nd the Lily—" I prompted. got her for a badre-taorrt* last sunnier when everybody thought she r; . done for, apd the row. through lh. winter pot her In shape. She’s been eating up th«- mck In her works ar.i now she's lit to mltxle down the stretch ahead of the best of' m." He might have been begging for his life, he was so anxious for me ta share in <he good tiling. 1 handed him a bill. ’ Place thU for me. will you' And h.- did. And Lily v.-hit*. after hading easily to the sl\ furlong pole —it was a mile race—went dead lame

jnn finished last.

V "Price spoiled It." said Al. disgu-t ediy, when he wandered in the next

day “i got cleaned myself.” I suppose Coogan lost heanly.’

Al snorted. “Not him.” he said. “Price was only four to five. Everybody was wise, so he had Dot Harris pull her up at the thrmwjuarters. H« wouldn’t let her win at leas’ll 10 to 1. be says. He tried to get word to me to lay off ot it. tnt he couldn't find We pulled sympathetically at our cigarettes, and finally Al rose wearily

and made as If to go.

"But well clean up on her next

time.’* he promised.

'■You’re broke, you say?" I sake :>nd he grinned sheepishly. When be left me he was In funds again. That was my Introduction to Mose Coogan and Lily White: and since credulity Is my vice, I ventured a bet on her next start, and her next, end her next. Each time the price was short, and each time she wt ' •‘me at the three-quarters and fin-I-hed last. And so I lost Interest: but a long time afterward, when Lily White finally won a race—in a way— I heard from AL and from Coogan ! ‘raself—who told every one often - | and from the Jockey. Dock Harris, interesting story of Coogan’s

for example, soon perceived s chance for profit for himself. !f be neglected fo noUfy his chief that he- had received a wager, and if the maker cf 'hat wager lost, then Coogan could safely pocket the money. If the maker oi the wager won. Coogan would be forced to make up the account from

his own funds.

But It U not of the fundamental truths In connection with horse-rac-ing that most horses always lose, and all horses usually lose. Coogan began to “stand" on the wagers handed him and in a mixture of luck and canny mathematics—well, aftei a able to branch out as a book-maker on bis own account. And he prospered. His first visit to a race track, the irksome necessity of paying admission and tb« opportunity to avoid that niceasity by buying for a song, a broken-dov > thoroughbred, and thua establishing olmself In tlu- stains of owner, soon brought him into possession of Uly White. But Harris

did the .est.

Dot Harris was a skillful but Indiscreet Jockey. On one or two important occasions he bad casually neglected to carry out the Instruction" of the man for whom be was riding. As a result, engagements were few and far between. When he happend on the stable where Uly White was housed, one day. and saw her morning workout, his eyes bulged, be sought Mose Coogan. and the plot was laid. They might have made their kllUns on Lily’s first race, but Mose talked, the “good thing’ spread, ana the odds went down to lUUo or nothing tin that race 1 lost my first bet—tinder Al Hayes’ advice and counsel. Thereafter followed a long seriee of races. In each of which Uly went lame at the three-qun-ters pole, while Coogan waited for the “price to be right. ill at length the time arrivad. the day dawned, his decision The boy with the telegram found Coognn at Uly White’s stall; and Coogan thrust his thumb under the Pap of the yelloa envelope, read the ard grinned. It was froth Jerry Hart, whom he had left In charge of hla bankbook In New York.

It read

See Lily entered today. Does she

go?

inry of his New York bankbook

but bare.

!e saw a flash In the sun where the horses were pivoting and wheetlm: end mincing at the barrier: then In a welter of dust, ml the tune of a great roar from the crowded stands behind

Th- Jockey turned gray with dls- 8B< i above him. the gleutning forms ppoiniment and disgust. “Aaw. say. lrmpt4 , nto actoln and plurged down boss.” be protested. “Why*n’t you (he , owmn i him.

Coogan yelled. Every man about him yelled. He yelled and screamed.

.' Ccoi

Coogan turned to the waiting boy. “Send this," be directed, and scribbled on the margin of tbc telegraph

blank:

Keep your shirt on. I’ll wise you up when the time comes. Then he counted the words and scratched out “up” and "the" and counted them again. Coogan never wsstod money on extra words in n 1,-lcfinun. Th-boy started away and Coogan called him back. He had d<r ; ded not to be bothered by any more of those pestiferous inquiries from .Terry Hart or any oth-r friends. Coogan didn't mind lying by word of mouth, but he hated to g • on record In a telegram •T«1I ’em not to dellv-r any more message* to me till the fifth Is otT,” he directed curtly. The boy grunted assent snd trudged away. Dot Harris—his nickname was a tribute to his lack of suture—was nibbing down Uly Wblte’e slender In the sUll, and Coogan leaned the door and watched him. and thought of Jerry Hart and grinned. He had promised to let Jeny In on the good thing when Uly go: ready win: and he had made the same premise to other friends. hat’s a promise between friends? If he told Jerry. Jerry would tell seme one else and the price would go head over heels again. To be sure. Jem’, and others who believed Coogan. had lost heavily on Lily's early starts wh*n Coogan’ orders prevented her winning, but that did not disturb Jerry Coogan. That was teulr lookout. “They spoiled the price on me onee. he reminded himself. "Never again” Dot looked up slyly. "Do we ge ’em today, boss?" he asked huskily. Coogan shook his head "Not ripyet.” he said. "Walt till the odds Is

worth It."

Dot grinned In comprehension Coogan undo-stood the Jockey, end Dot thougf ’ *e understood Coogan But he was wrong: for this was ti" day. Coogan had laid hl« plans, hi) money was placed, be wait ready foi

lae me up* Here 1 mint got down on her." “Thass all right." Coogan reassured him hurriedly. “There - a bundled riding for you—in Chi." “On the square?" "Ain’t I always been on the square ith you. Dot**’ The jockey's face lighted with relief. "You’re on. boss” he promised. And Coogan left him and made for the betting ring. What he saw when he arrived was pleasing, for on the blackboards around the ring the price Uly White ranged uniform —15 to But almost at once he was stirred by a momentary alarm. From some outside source mceeqr was beginning to come In on Uly White. Coogan saw a man whom he knew as the agent fot a pfttshnrg bookmaker place $200 on the horse; and the man who took that bet swept that fifteen tc *®e down to twelve to one. and others in the ring forthwith following suit. A moment later another flood of Uly White money knocked the price to ten. and then to eight to one Coocan’s mind "ougnt an expedient, found one. and took heroic measures. He drew from hla pocket wnat funds he had with him. strode openly the ring to that bookmaker who set the pace for the others, and with some ostentation placed $500 on Black Nose, the favorite, to win. The crowd saw him. Men nought his elbow eagerly, clamoring for Information. He shook them ngrily. w.th well-simulated disgust. And they were satisfied, each with his owe Interpretation of the Incident. 4 bet was enough for them. The track money that had wavered -ward Uly White flooded to Black Nose again, and the flood Increased, and the PMsburg bookmaker - * agent studied Coogan. then hurried telegraph o ce. The price on Uly Whit© crept back to ten to one. but the crowu ignored her now. In the final rush before post time she was forgotten save for - utsidc money that came In and failed to break the price. The gieat bulk of the money was on Blaci - Nose to wln. The 'looks closed with Uly White at ten to one—and that price would rule the paying off of wagers throughout the country. Coogan computed his fortunes In his mind as he brushed through the crowd toward the rail. And "SI ought* been twenty to one,” be gru

bled.

He figured to win dose to $50,000. he decided: and Uly White would win -of course. Coogan trembled witn a sudden rush aprel.enslon, reassured himself, and turned a steady gambler’s face toward where the homes were bunching for the start—a sixteenth of a mile down the track. They were prancing at the barrier: In a mon-ant they would be off m that Aral whirlwind rush. Ten to one on fire thousand—fifty thousand—minus hi* five hundred on Black Nose—forty-hvc thousand clear. Coogan's heart like water, and his Ups were moist as he considered that goodly had taken some scrap.ag to raise the monuj he had bet; It had left the

He did not feel the tug at his eltmw till the horse* had flashed past the stand md begun to turn. Then be gave mention to the boy standing there. The boy banded him three telegrams. "They said they was important. Mr. oogan.” the boy announced. But I waited like you said." Coogxn did not even hear. Eye* on the horse* rounding the first turn, he ripped open the envelope pulled one message and gave It a s

glance.

Chicago wants to play off thousand two hundred dollars Uly.” it read. It was signed "Jerry" —Jerry Hart. Jerry was running Coogan’s book In New York. The purport of that brief message e heme to Coogan suddenly, and his heart all but stopped. He forgot the horse* beating down the track for s and looked at the second

, f a thousand In Pittrbur Cincinnati, a third In r - .urth in 8f. L/mi«. nnd n Francisco. In each cai y U would be played lit

Conga

< • ogan was under a handicap from ' ih'- moment he became an owne. - of i nri-horr-os- or of one raoe-bot^e. There are three kinds of men iw-r-tand horses: white men born ' "Uth of Mason and Dixon’* line, yie--roi .- and Irishmen, who understand •' -Othing Scattering Instances outI' these classes only go to prove t !*'* rule. Coogan, ’spite of bis name,

";o. not an irishman.

In 'hat field of human endeavor H e : closely re’, .ted to horse-racing, namely, the making of book*, men of th ' oocaa’e v*ce find a securer place, j I from among them Coogan sprang. | at beginning was obscure. At a, cs ' rrain age he attached himself to|t'f ’ outrage of th- king of New York i »fc I -U-ook men. and became a collector, j In Ifunctions were these; At noon, st 'hereabout*, he began to a round

of <•( rtaln Wlliard-rorms. cigar at ore*. | N _ ^ ^ lu>■ her shops and bars, where he was j Jockey groom Lily lor rcrr-i.oi •. •••- handed sums of money and memo-1 sidered his plans ana ‘ ^ • „r m.» o, nu —pit® 1 •>■> ™ - d. nrcr.^ (t, moc.-y •«« -h- I™—. »»-' >•* '"“ M , lC m* n-'iranda to big iMef. :,rd the next I rich. Uly White was gol'C to wi.t «u>> b distrlbjted .tiuu.ig ills patrons] Coogan had never considered 'ha •-hat in '»ey »> «t might chnno to win. I if a horse is continually persuaded to i*. -L ' hut ea- ‘ go dsud lame at Urn end of six fur-

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"They want to play off seven thouxand three hundred dollar* on Lily." "Shall 1 take It? And the signal are—“Jerry"—again That figure wrote Itself Indelibly Coogan - .- mind In the barest fraction el time. He had had five thousand they were offering seven thousand Uiree hundred dollars. That must Include his money, and there must be other bevy betting on Uly in th' He felt cold drop* trickle down oehind his ears ana Into his eye*. “If sb- win* now." he gasped ander hi* breath. “I’m out over twenty thousand—busted.” The wind went out of him. he collapsed against the rail, his staring eyes sought the horses across the

field.

Uly White was far In the lead and passing the half mile. She would win. He knew she would win: and the dreadtul completeness of his ruin paralyxod him. Automatically he looked ax the third telegram. “Do 1 take them plays?" It asked. Coosa went mildly insane. He consigned Jerry, with a burst of vivid language, io eternal fires. Then the ani,er went out of him and be pitied himself so that he wept. He felt all nkne In the world—helpless stripped of friends funds, everythin s:. Then a louder roar from the great throng the stands caught him out oi himself, captured his attention, forced him to watch the nice again. Uly White was a clear five lengths the lead and going strong. Coogan became sick. He groaned. Those beside him, even while they screamed entreaties to the ho:*e that carried their hopes, edged aside to give him air; and he clung to the rail like a drunken man. Also, he prayed, urthertnore, he cursed. He beat the ait with bis fists. His lamentations ere terrible to hear. He called on Dot Harris to pull uo Uly. He urged Uly to drop dead in her ktride. He besought Providence

tc knock her on the head with an ax. He begged the other horse* In the race, by name, to come on and beat her. He commanded her lew to break beneath her. Ant as a last resort he suggested to the earth that i: open before her and swallow her for-

ever.

But Uly sped smooth^ on. seven, eight lengths in the lead. u- nearing the s * furlong role, where In so many olhit races f he had faltered, limped, end drooped hack In the rush. Coogan never never thought of that: but he beard beside him tell his n-ighbor: r she’ll go lame, and Black Nosell come through." Coogan stiffened In sudden hope, and broke into frantic bellowing*. "There she goes! There’s the end! her drop back! There she goes Come on you Black nose! Look at What'd I tell you ? He clapped Coogan tremendously between the shoulders. The crowd kbout and above them 'n the stands were howling, singing, shouting hello g like maniacs. And the burden of their song was— Black Noae! Black Nose! Come on you! Come on." Coogan lifted up his voice and joined the chorus, and his sc res ms lopped all the others. He ••leaded, he begged and he Implored. "Drop dead! Drop dead! be commanded bis Uly. Come on you Black Nose!" he shouted Uly flashed past the six-furiong pole; and again a bov tugged Coogan’s elbow. Another telegram, pressed it Into Coogan's hand. Coogan scarcely knew; he was watching

Uly.

Three strides past the pole she pulled up with a terrific limp and dropped back toward the others as a stone drops down a well. “Ol-yol!" screamed Coogan In utter Joy. then held his breath. Back went Lily, and bark and hack. Coogan did not ask himself how the thing was happening. He had never heard that a horse may acquire a habit He only saw Uly White a? she had done so often before, stumbling and limping along, while Black Nose {•oiled up on her and passed. Dot Harris seemed to be using the .whip like mad, ^nt then Dot always seemed to be doing that when Lily went lame Coogan. In overwhrln. Ing relief, saw only that Uly waa nov third, now fourth, in the scurvy of horses rounding the far turn. Continued on opposite page:

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