THE "MORAL".

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1920, Page 3

THE "MORAL".

A STORY OP THE TURF. j (By "Moturoa.") The chemist stepped behind the dingy, faded curtain which served as a, dispensing screen, anjJ stood for a few moments like one in a reverie., Then his usually calm, grey eyes; myrowed, and a cunning gleam shone in them. Whatever had« been troubling him Was a thing of the past now; that was certain. The tierce rays of the morning sun pierced the stained cobwebbed dispensary window, and played weakly upon the diiity bottles of tinctures and infusions which lined the wall. A row of greasy ointment pots stood 111 drunken disorder below. l'owdercd rhubarb, senna, jalap, and other mournful looking drugs gazed out from cracked glass jars. Here and. there .a brighter tone wai» struck by bottles of c.upric sulphate, ferrocyauide of potash, and percMoride of iron. But still the place seemed dull and gloomy, and every drug, both organic and inorganic, seemed to look at him with accusing eyes.

The chemist was sorely troubled. He was screwing up his nerves to take some serious step in life, to sink his professional instincts of rectitude, and still lie hesitated.

Three years had he struggled to make a living in this little town, but all in vain. Things had not gone well with him. He had grown disheartened; careless in liis business methods. His stocks had dwindled to a mere skeleton, and now the warehouses were clamoring for their monev.

In front of the dispensing screen sat "Paddy" Leason, the well-known horse trainer. "Paddy'' had eonfided to the Man of Pills his great secret, and to make his coup doubly certain had invoked the assistance of "the dope." "Paddy," it appeared, had two horses, Blue Lightning and Merry Maid, engaged in the Maiden Plate that day. Both were "fliers," and it was a guinea to a gooseberry that the stable's elect would win, and win easily. Xow, "Paddy's" horses were trained privately, and no information of their brilliant track performances had filtered out to the public. Whichever won, for they were running in separate ownerships, would pay a big "price," Paddy was a firm believer in and with the assistance of his pharmaceutical friend had brought off several such coups! But the chemist had never had the pluck to profit by these successes. Pounds were pounds to him, and every shilling was wanted in several places at once. A sick wife and a delicate family had kept his nose (fown to the pill tile, and it was for them that ■he had decided to break all rules—of friendship, professional etiquette, and the lost. Reason wanted Blue Lightning to win. The chemist didn't! One good win, and he would bo able to square his creditors, take bis dear ones to a more healthy climate, and give them the needs and comforts they urgently required. Swiftly opening a tiny cupboard labelled "Poison," the chemist drew'forth a diminutive blue bottle containing morphia. Paddy would not know the difference between the opiate alkaloid and his beloved strychnine- Strychnine would make Pdue Lightning go like the witid.Yut morphia—al\! morphia would make him stagger and sway on the track, and when be had fallen away beaten. Merry Maid would run through and will comfortably.

No doubt yon will wonder why the chemist was not content to dispense the drug required, and hack Bine Lightning. Hilt ho hud visions of a bigger dividend off .Merry ')inid, and lie wanted money, and tons of it., urgently. Kace morning was an exceptionally busy one for the chemist, and when at length be bad cleared the shop he scraped the last 'shilling out of the till, and lifted a .thin little roll of notes from an innocent-looking specie jar (his only "'safe,") and rushed off to the course.

The tote bell was plunging furiously, and the clock allowed but five minutes remained in which to back his "moral," Merry .Maid. Pushing his way towards the commission window lie fed his whole worldly wealth into the greedy machine, and then, grasping Ins tickets firmly, went and sat on a little knoll on "the outer," which commanded a good view of the racing. There were fifteen runners, and they mode a pretty sight as eaeh in turn cantered leisurely past the stands in their "prelims," The field lined np quickly, Merry Maid being close to the rails, and Blue Lightning in the middle of the line. All moved off together, and something in green showed out from Blue Lightning and Merry Maid. At the end of a furlong- the green jacket was still in front, with Blue Lightning and another in red following, and Merry Maid about sixth. For a moment a cold chill ran down his spine; Surely Leason could not have heen wrong in his calculations. Jle had said that either could win easily. But there was plenty of time yet. Merry Maid would make a move very soon.

As the field swept into the straight Blue Lightning, fighting hard for his head, ran up to the leader. The "dope" did not appear to have done its deadly work so far, but the last furlong would tell its tale. But where was Merry Maid? The chemist sprang to his feet aiul feverishly ran his eyas over the approaching horses. Merry Maid was last! She was beaten! The roar from the stands proclaimed the victory of Blue Lightning. He was in front now, but his rider was peeping round cautiously to see where Merry Maid was. Would Merry Maid never come up? The excitement grew intense. "Blue Lightning is a moral," roared one of his leather-lunged backers. The field rushed past, in a jumbled mass, but it was plainly evident that Blue Lightning had won, and Mqrry Maid was a bad last!

'He's only'fainted," said someone, and the chemist gazed stupidly into the faces of a motley ring of mingled men and women. Someone had undone his collar, and sprinkled water on his face. Leason strode through the crowd and gently lifted the prostrate form into a car. Then, giving a short, sharp order to the driver, tlie.y were conveyed swiftly from the struggling, curious mob. The chemist gazed shamod-faeedlv at the hard set faee of his rescuer. ''The dope," he faltered. "did you give it to Blue Lightr ning ?'" "No,'' repli jd the trainer bitterly, "I changed my mind at the finish and backed Merry Maid. T. ga'Ve Tier the dope, hut a darned lot of good it seemed to do her!" Then, as an afterthought lie added. "Of course T know voii don't back horses, so T didn't, look you up to tell you of our change of plans."