“Out of our barn,” said the boy. “And no one has touched it except myself, the stable boys, and the owner.”
“Who are the stable boys?” demanded Mr. Curtis.
“Who’s the owner?” asked Charley.
“Do you know what you are saying?” warned Mr. Maitland sharply. “You had better be careful.”
“Careful!” said Charley indignantly. “I will be careful enough.”
He went over to Heroine, and threw his arm up over her neck. He was terribly excited and trembling all over. The mare turned her head towards him and rubbed her nose against his face.
“That’s all right,” said Charley. “Don’t you be afraid. I’ll take care of you.”
The two men were whispering together.
“I don’t know anything about you,” said Mr. Maitland to Charley. “I don’t know what your idea was in dragging me into this. I’m sure I wish I was out of it. But this I do know, if Heroine isn’t herself to-day, and doesn’t run as she has run before, and I say it though my own horses are in against her, I’ll have you and your owner before the Racing Board, and you’ll lose your license and be ruled off every track in the country.”
“One of us will,” said Charley stubbornly. “All I want you to do, Mr. Maitland, is to put some of that stuff in your pocket. If anything is wrong they will believe what you say, when they wouldn’t listen to me. That’s why I called you in. I haven’t charged any one with anything. I only asked you and Mr. Curtis to taste the feed that this horse was to have eaten. That’s all. And I’m not afraid of the Racing Board, either, if the men on it are honest.”