by Rex Beach
CHAPTER VII
Berkeley Fresno was devoting himself to Miss Blake.
"What do you think of our decorations?" she inquired.
"They are more or less athletic," he declared. "Was it Mr.Speed's idea?"
"Yes. He wanted training-quarters."
"It's a joke, isn't it?"
"I don't think so. Mr. Fresno, why do you dislike Mr. Speed?"
Fresno bent a warm glance upon the questioner. "Don't you know?"
Helen shook her head with bland innocence. "Then you _do_dislike him?"
"No, indeed! _I_ like him--he makes me laugh." Helen bridledloyally. "Did you see those medals he wore yesterday?" the youngman queried.
"Of course, and I thought them beautiful."
"How were they inscribed? He wouldn't let me examine them."
"Naturally. If I had trophies like that I would guard them too."
Fresno nodded, musingly. "I gave mine away."
"Oh, are you an athlete?"
"No, but I timed a foot-race once. They gave me a beautifulnearly-bronze emblem so that I could get into the infield."
"And did you win?"
"No! no! I didn't run! Don't you understand? I was an official."Fresno was vexed at the girl's lack of perception. "I'm not anathlete, Miss Blake. I'm just an ordinary sort of a chap." He ledher to a seat, while Jean enlisted the aid of Larry Glass andcompleted the finishing touches to the decorations. "Athleticsdon't do a fellow any good after he leaves college. I'm goinginto business this fall. Have you ever been to California?" MissBlake admitted that she had never been so far, and Fresnolaunched himself upon a glowing description of his native State;but before he could shape the conversation to a point where hishearer might perchance express a desire to see its wonders, StillBill Stover thrust his head cautiously through the door to thebunk-house, and allowed an admiring eye to rove over thetransformation.
"Looks like a bazaar!" he exclaimed. "What's the idea?"
"Trainin'-quarters," said Glass.
"Mr. Speed goin' to _live_ here?" inquired the foreman,bringing the remainder of his lanky body into view.
"No, indeed," Jean corrected, "he will merely use this room totrain in."
"How do you train in a room?" Stover asked her.
"Why, you--just train, I suppose." Miss Chapin turned to Glass."How does a person train in a room?"
"Why, he--just trains, that's all. A guy can't train withouttrainin'-quarters, can he?"
"We thought it would make a nice gymnasium," offered Miss Blake.
"Looks like business." Stover's admiration was keen. "I rode overto Gallagher's place last night and laid our bets."
"How much have you wagered?" asked Fresno.
"More'n we can afford to lose."
"But you aren't going to lose," Miss Blake said,enthusiastically.
"I got Gallagher to play some records for me."
"_Silas on Fifth Avenue?_"
"Sure! And _The Holy City_, too! Willie stayed out by thebarb-wire fence; he didn't dast to go in. When I come out I foundhim ready to cry. That desperado has sure got the heart of awoman. I reckon he'd commit a murder for that phonograph--he's sofull of sentiment."
Fresno spoke sympathetically.
"It's a fortunate thing for you fellows that Speed came when hedid. I'm anxious for him to beat this cook, and I hate to see himso careless with his training."
"Careless!" cried Helen.
"What's he done?" inquired Stover.
"Nothing, so far. That's the trouble. He's sure he can win, but"--Fresno shook his head, doubtfully--"there's such a thing asoverconfidence. No matter how good a man may be, he should takecare of himself."
"What's wrong with his trainin'?" demanded Glass.
"I think he ought to have more rest. It's too noisy around thehouse; he can't get enough sleep."
"Nor anybody else," agreed Glass, meaningly; "there's too muchsingin'."
"That's funny," said Stover. "Music soothes me, no matter how badit is. Last night when we come back from the Centipede Mr. Fresnowas singin' _Dearie_, but I dozed right off in the middle ofit. An' it's the same way with cattle. They like it. It's part ofa man's duty when he's night-ridin' a herd to pizen theatmosphere with melody."
"What I mean to say is this," Fresno hastened to explain. "Wekeep late hours at the house, whereas an athlete ought to retireearly and arise with the sun. I thought it would be a good schemeto have Mr. Speed sleep out here until the race is over, where hewon't be disturbed. Nine o'clock is bedtime for a man intraining."
"Oh, I don't think that is at all necessary," said Miss Blakequickly.
"We can't afford to spoil his chances," argued the young man."There is too much at stake. Am I right, Mr. Glass?"
Now, like most fat men, Lawrence Glass was fond of his rest, andsince his arrival at the Flying Heart his sleeping-hours had beenshortened considerably, so for once he agreed with theCalifornian. "No question about it," said he. "And I'll sleephere with him if you'll put a couple of cots in the place."
"But suppose Mr. Speed won't do it?" questioned Miss Blake.
"You ask him, and he won't refuse," said Jean.
"We don't want to see him defeated," urged Helen's other suitor;at which the girl rose, saying doubtfully:
"Of course I'll do my best, if you think it's really important."
"Thank you," said Stover gratefully, while Fresno congratulatedhimself upon an easy victory. "I'll ask him at once, but you mustcome along, Jean, and you too, Mr. Glass."
The two girls took Speed's trainer with them, and went forth insearch of the young man.
"It's up to you fellows to see that he gets to bed early," saidFresno, when he and Stover were alone.
"Leave it to us. And as for gettin' up, we turn out at daylight.I don't reckon he could sleep none after that if he tried."Stover pointed to the striped elastic coils of the exerciseragainst the wall. "I didn't want to speak about it while they washere," said he, "but one of them young ladies lost her garters."
"That's not a pair of garters, that's a chest-weight."
"Jest wait for what?"
"Chest-weight--chest-developer."
"Oh!" Stover examined the device curiously, "I thought a chest-developer came in a bottle."
Fresno explained the operation of the apparatus, at which thecow-man remarked, admiringly: "That young feller is all right,ain't he?"
"Think so?"
"Sure! Don't you?"
Fresno explained his doubts by a crafty lift of his brows and ashrug. "I thought so--at first."
Stover wheeled upon him abruptly. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing."
After a pause the foreman remarked, vaguely, "He's theintercollegit champeen of Yale."
"Oh no, hardly that, or I would have heard of him."
"Ain't he no champeen?"
"Champion of the running broad smile and the half-mile talkperhaps."
"Ain't he a foot-runner?"
"Perhaps. I've never seen him run, but I have my doubts."
"Good Lord!" moaned Stover, weakly.
"He may be the best sprinter in the country, mind you, but I'lllay a little bet that he can't run a hundred yards withoutsustenance."
"Without what?"
"Sustenance--something to eat."
"Well, we've got plenty for him to eat," said the mystifiedforeman.
"You don't understand. However, time will tell."
"But we ain't got no time. We've made this race 'pay or play,' aweek from Saturday, and the bets are down. We was afraid theCentipede would welsh when they seen who we had, so we framed itthat-away. What's to be done?"
Again Fresno displayed an artistic restraint that was admirable."It's none of my business," said he, with a careless shrug.
"I--I guess I'll tell Willie and the boys," vouchsafed Billapprehensively.
"No! no! Don't breathe a word I've said to you. He may be acrackerjack, and I wouldn't do him an injustice for the world.All the same, I wish he hadn't br
oken my stop-watch."
"D'you think he broke it a-purpose?"
"What do you think?"
Stover mopped the sweat from his brow.
"Can't we time him with a ordinary watch?"
"Sure. We can take yours. It won't be exact, but--"
"I ain't got no watch. I bet mine last night at the Centipede.Willie's got one, though."
"Mind you, he may be all right," Fresno repeated, reassuringly;then hearing the object of their discussion approaching with histrainer, the two strolled out through the bunk-room, Stover aprey to a new-born suspicion, Fresno musing to himself thatdiplomacy was not a lost art.
"You're a fine friend, you are!" Speed exploded, when he andGlass were inside the gymnasium. "What made you say 'yes'?"
"I had to."
"Rot, Larry! You played into Fresno's hands deliberately! NowI've got to spend my evenings in bed while he sits in the hammockand sings _Dearie_." He shook his head gloomily. "Who knowswhat may happen?"
"It will do you good to get some sleep, Wally."
"But I don't want to sleep!" cried the exasperated suitor. "Iwant to make love. Do you think I came all the way from New Yorkto sleep? I can do that at Yale."
"Take it from me, Bo, you've got plenty of time to win that dame.Eight hours is a workin' day anywhere."
"My dear fellow, the union hours for courting don't begin until 9P.M. I've got myself into a fine mess, haven't I? Just when Nightspreads her sable mantle and Dan Cupid strings up his bow, I mustforsake my lady-love and crawl into the hay. Oh, you're a goodtrainer!"
"You'd better can some of this love-talk and think more aboutfoot-racin'."
"It can't be done! Nine o'clock! The middle of the afternoon.It's rather funny, though, isn't it?" Speed was not the sort tocherish even a real grievance for any considerable time. "If ithad happened to anybody else I'd laugh myself sick."
Glass chuckled. "The whole thing is a hit. Look at this joint,for instance." He took in their surroundings with a comprehensivegesture. "It looks about as much like a gymnasium as I look likea contortionist. Why don't you get a Morris chair and amandolin?"
"There are two reasons," said Speed, facetiously. "First, ittakes an athlete to get out of a Morris chair; and, second, amandolin has proved to be many a young man's ruin."
Glass examined the bow of ribbon upon the lonesome piece ofexercising apparatus.
"It looks like the trainin'-stable for the Colonial Dames. What ayelp this place would be to Covington or any other athlete."
"It is not an athletic gymnasium." Speed smiled as he lighted acigarette. "It is a romantic gymnasium. As Socrates onceobserved--"
"Socrates! I'm hep to him," Glass interrupted, quickly. "Itrained a Greek professor once and got wised up on all thatstuff. Socrates was the--the Hemlock Kid."
"Exactly! As Socrates, the Hemlock Kid, deftly put it, '_In hocsignature vintage_.'"
"I don't get you."
"That is archaic Scandinavian, and, translated, means, 'Lovecannot thrive without her bower.'"
"No answer to that telegram yet, eh?"
"Hardly time."
"Better wire Covington again, hadn't you? Mebbe he didn't getit?"
"I promised Mrs. Keap that I would, but--" Speed lost himselfabruptly in speculation, for he did not know exactly how tomanage this unexpected complication. Of one thing only was hecertain: it would require some thought.
"Say, Wally, suppose Covington don't come?"
"Then I shall sprain my ankle," said the other. "Hello! What inthe world--" Still Bill Stover and Willie came into the roomcarrying an armful of lumber. Behind them followed Carara with ahuge wooden tub, and Cloudy rolling a kerosene barrel.
"Where do you want it, gents?" inquired the foreman.
"Where do we want what?"
"The shower-bath."
"Shower--I didn't order a shower-bath!"
"No; but we aim to make it as pleasant for you as we can."
"If there is anything I abhor, it's a shower-bath!" exclaimed theathlete.
"You just got to have one. Mr. Fresno said all this gymnasiumlacked was a shower-bath, a pair of scales, and a bulletin-board.He said you'd sure need a bath after workin' that chest-developer. We ain't got no scales, nor no board, but we'll toggleup some sort of a bath for you. The blacksmith's makin' asquirter to go on the bar'l."
"Very well, put it wherever you wish. I sha'n't use it."
"I wouldn't overlook nothin', if I was you," said Willie, in evenmilder tones than Stover had used.
"You overwhelm me with these little attentions," retorted Mr.Speed.
"Where you goin' to run to-day?" inquired the first speaker.
"I don't know. Why?"
"We thought you might do a hundred yards agin time."
"Nix!" interposed Glass, hurriedly. "I can't let him overdo atthe start. Besides, we ain't got no stop-watch."
"I got a reg'lar watch," said Willie, "and I can catch you prettyclose. We'd admire to see you travel some, Mr. Speed."
But Glass vowed that he was in charge of his protege's health,and would not permit it. Once outside, however, he exclaimed:"That's more of Fresno's work, Wally! I tell you, he's Jerry.He'll rib them pirates to clock you, and if they do--well, you'dbetter keep runnin', that's all."
"You can do me a favor," said Speed. "Buy that watch."
"There's other watches on the farm."
"Buy them all, and bring me the bill."
Before setting out on his daily grind, Speed announced to histrainer that he had decided to take him along for company, andwhen that corpulent gentleman rebelled on the ground that the daywas too sultry, his employer would have none of it, so togetherthey trotted away later in the morning, Speed in his silken suit,Glass running flat-footed and with great effort. But once safelyhidden from view, they dropped into a walk, and selecting afavorable resting-place, paused. Speed lighted a cigarette, Glassproduced a deck of cards from his pocket, and they played seven-up. Having covered five miles in this exhausting fashion, theyreturned to the ranch in time for luncheon. Both ate heartily,for the exercise had agreed with them.
