Page:Fighting blood (IA fightingblood00witw).pdf/234

 Rags. "You bet he's got somethin' to show 'at you owe him 'at jack—he's got me! I heard every word you said, d'ye get that, you crook? I know Gale—he'll never cuff you, but it's different here! You're laughin', hey? Well, laugh this off!"

With that he knocks Rags fat on his shoulder blades, and then ducks through the crowd which comes running up. I continue on up to the grand stand and Judy.

I guess she knows something is wrong the minute she sees me, though I try to act natural.

"Gale, what's the matter?" she says que, "Did you lose on that race?"

I nod my head, it's buzzing like a bee-hive.

"How much?" she wants to know, pulling me around till I face her.

"Oh, just a few dollars," I says, with a synthetic grin.

I should of knew by this time that I can't fool Judy. In a few minutes she draws the entire box score from me, with the slight exception of what Rags has did. I see by her pale face that it's a terrible blow to her to hear I have lost my last dime on this horse race. But instead of bawling me out, a thing I confidently expect, why, she is just full of sympathy, squeezing my arm and telling me never mind I'll soon have it all back and more. Coming at a time when I never needed it worse, her sweetness is more than a tonic and does wonders for my peace of mind. Ain't she a knockout, no fooling?

I sit there just looking at her and I find the view a