“No, no!” he cried aloud, springing to his feet, and pacing the room as before. “I know not what to think, what to do!” And thus, his mind torn by a thousand contending feelings, he passed the hours till dawn.
CHAPTER X.
FALSE COURAGE.
Emory was finishing his toilet the next morning when his servant knocked at the door, and, on entering, informed him that a man, giving his name as Jess Peleg, was waiting in the ante-room to see him. Emory soon joined him, and, leading him into the reception-hall, motioned Peleg to a seat.
“Thank you, sir, I won’t sit down. I’ve but a few words to say, if I only knew how to put them up. I never was much of a talker, and I guess I’d as well come to the point at once.”
“Very well,” said Emory, opening a desk behind him and drawing a check book towards him, as he dipped his pen in the ink. “You remember, it was two thousand dollars; and here is the check made out in your name.”
The man took it, saying:
“Yes; and here it is in no name!” and he tore the paper into pieces and scattered them on the floor. “I didn’t come for no pay, Mr. Emory, I only is here to ask that you keep to yourself what you found out yesterday. I wouldn’t tell her for the world; anyhow, sir, not yet awhile. She has her own reason, bless her heart, for the ride she took. I might as well make a ‘up and up’ of it, sir, for fear you’d be gettin’ things wrong. You know—if I tell you so—that she raised that stallion herself. The mother belonged to her father, and I was the blacksmith on the place. So you see it weren’t no great things for her to do, considering as how the horse knowed her so well, and them sort is always gentle like with a woman. I’ve been raised in the ‘blue grass’ country and so has she, and what we don’t know about a daisy cutter, ain’t worth knowing. She come to me, just after she found out your jockey was dead, saying she knowed your stallion was her old Notos, and says she:
“‘Peleg, I can ride him! Peleg, I can’t abide for him to be beat! I feel, old fellow, as if I must kick off my satins and silks, and get astride of my darling again. Oh! I thought he was dead and gone forever! When I saw him come on the track that day, I wanted to go down and kiss him as I used to do!’
“And then she just begged me to help her do what she did. I was not afraid of her gettin’ hurt, but found out. I don’t know if she had any other reason than just to be on his back, and run him, as I used to see her do, a comin’ down the pretty roads of our old home, her bright hair a-flyin’ behind her. I don’t know if that were the only reason; but she pleaded, with the tears in her eyes, for my help to win your race, sir! And now please keep your money and our secret.”
He took up his hat, and without another word bowed low to his listener, whom he left dumb-founded.