CHAPTER XXV.--SHIRLEY SAVES JIMMY FROM HIMSELF.

Arrived in Paris, Shirley went at once to Mr. Wilson's drug store.

"Yes," said Mr. Wilson, in response to Shirley's question. "Jimmy left me this address."

He drew a card from his pocket and passed it to Shirley. The young girl glanced at it and then uttered an exclamation of surprise.

The address was the same hotel as that in which Jones had stopped when Jimmy fell into his power.

"There was a man with him when he gave me the card," Mr. Wilson continued.

"Please describe him," said Shirley anxiously.

Mr. Wilson did so, and Shirley maintained her composure with difficulty.

"Jones," said Shirley to herself as she made her way from the store.

For a moment she hesitated, but for a moment only. Then mounting her horse, she set out resolutely for the address given. She climbed the dark stairs and went at once to the room Jones had occupied the last time she had been there.

Just as she was about to knock she caught the sound of voices from the inside. One she immediately recognized as Jones' and the other was Jimmy's. Shirley listened.

"Well," said Jones, "I am glad to see that you have come to your senses at last. It's about time."

"I guess you are right," said Jimmy, and to Shirley the voice sounded somewhat listless.

"You will find," said Jones, "that in the long run the only friend you have is yourself. You see how quick Willing jumped onto you--also his daughter. No matter how honest you may be, at the first sign of dishonesty you are kicked out, guilty or innocent."

"You're right," said Jimmy. "I guess I might as well have the game as the name. Now what is it you want me to do?"

"Well," said Jones, "we worked the painted bit trick too soon. The horse will have recovered in time for the race. We must find some other way of getting at him. Do you know when Willing will move him to Louisville?"

"Yes. He will be driven into Paris Monday morning, and shipped that night."

"Good. Then it will be your work to try and slip into the car unobserved. I shall give you a certain powder which you can give the horse. I'll guarantee a dose of it will lay him up for a month."

Jimmy shuddered slightly.

"It seems a shabby trick to play on Gabriel," he said.

"Well, it's a shabby trick Willing played on you."

"So it is," agreed Jimmy. "But suppose there is another guard with the horse? I may not be able to get in."

"In that event I'll take you to Louisville. A chance will turn up there sooner or later. You see the trouble is that no one but you can go close to him."

"Then how will Mr. Willing race him?"

"Oh, he'll find a jockey some place. They'll bridle the horse some way, and once on his back one jockey will ride him as well as another."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Jimmy, "but maybe you're right."

"I know I am. It has been done many a time. Well, how does the plan strike you?"

"And you say," said Jimmy, "that if I am successful, you will pay me $500?"

"Yes; as soon as the race is over."

"Then I accept."

"Good. I thought you would come to your senses."

Shirley had listened in horror to this conversation. She could scarcely believe her ears. She had never dreamed that Jimmy would come to this. And she scolded herself roundly, for she believed it was all her fault.

"I brought him to this," she told herself. "Now I shall have to save him."

With a sudden movement she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Jones, who had sat with his back to the door, jumped to his feet and faced the intruder. Jimmy, at first sight of Shirley, had turned white; but he kept his seat.

"Jimmy," cried Shirley, rushing up to him, "surely you do not mean what you have said."

Jimmy did not reply.

"Of course, he means it," declared Jones, striding forward. "Why shouldn't he, after the way you people have treated him?"

Shirley ignored Jones, and again spoke to Jimmy.

"We have done you a great injustice," she said simply, "and Dad and I are both as sorry as we can be. I have come to take you back home."

Jimmy looked at her in great surprise.

"Take me home?" he repeated. "Has Mr. Willing discovered his error?"

"Frank has confessed," said Shirley quietly. "He is dead."

"Frank dead!" echoed Jimmy, springing to his feet.

"Yes. Gabriel killed him."

Jimmy bowed his head.

"It is retribution," he said slowly. "The same thing might have happened to me."

Shirley now drew a roll of bills from her purse--the five hundred dollars she had picked up in her father's bedroom when it fell from Uncle Frank's pocket. She had brought it with her unconsciously.

She threw the roll of money on the table, and turned to Jones scornfully.

"There," she said, "is your blood money. Come, Jimmy."

Slowly Jimmy rose to his feet.

But as the lad started to follow Shirley through the door, Jones sprang forward.

"No you don't," he said. "I have had enough of this foolishness." He stepped back quickly, and from his hip pocket produced a revolver.

"Now," he said, "you sit down in this chair, or I'll use this."

Jimmy was a lad of discretion. He sat down.

Shirley turned back from the door.

"Now," said Jones, "I want you to understand that I am not to be trifled with. You are not going to ride Gabriel in the Derby, not if I have to shoot you. Is that plain enough?"

"It's plain enough," said Jimmy.

Jones leaned back in his chair and laughed; then he laid the revolver on the table.

"Good," he said. He turned to Shirley and waved his hand. "You see," he said, "Jimmy elects to remain here."

"I don't believe it," declared Shirley.

"No, Miss Shirley," said Jimmy, "I don't want to remain here, but it looks as though I should have to."

"You don't want to, eh?" said Jones angrily. "Well, I'll make you want to remain."

Leaning suddenly forward, he threw out his right hand and clutched Jimmy by the collar. With a violent jerk he pulled him from his seat clear across the table.

Jimmy squirmed and wriggled, but he could not shake himself free. His kicking feet sent the revolver from the table to the floor, but Jones did not notice it.

Holding Jimmy high in the air with his left hand, with his right he deliberately struck him three heavy blows in the face. Then he let him drop to the floor, where the lad lay unconscious.

"There," said Jones, "I guess that will settle you."

"And I guess this will settle you," came Shirley's low voice.

Turning suddenly, Jones stepped back. Shirley stood facing him with one outstretched arm, and in her hand she clutched the revolver, which she levelled directly at Jones' head.

Jumping quickly around the table just as Jones had dropped Jimmy to the floor, Shirley pounced upon the revolver and rose with it in a steady hand, as Jones turned.

"Now," she said quietly, keeping the weapon levelled squarely at the man's head, "pick Jimmy up and walk out of here ahead of me."

Jones hesitated and Shirley's finger tightened upon the trigger.

"I would advise you to do as I say without delay," she said.

Jones hesitated for only a second longer; then, stooping over, he lifted the boy up in his arms and walked out the door.

Keeping the revolver ready, Shirley followed him.

Shirley had left the horse just outside the hotel. Jones stopped near the animal.

"Put him across the saddle," Shirley commanded.

Jones obeyed.

"Now," said the girl, "take yourself away from here just as quick as you can."

Without a word Jones turned and walked rapidly down the street.

Shirley climbed to the saddle, and taking the reins in her right hand, she clutched Jimmy's inert body with her left.

The girl had no means of telling how badly the lad was hurt, and her one thought was to get him to a doctor as quickly as possible. It was getting late now, and dusk was coming on.

"I guess I had better take him to Mr. Wilson's," said the girl to herself.

She turned her horse in that direction.

Mr. Wilson himself came running out of the door as Shirley dismounted, and lent a hand to carry Jimmy's unconscious body into the store, where they laid him down gently on a sofa in the rear.

Shirley bent over Jimmy anxiously.

"Is he badly hurt, Mr. Wilson?" she asked.

"I am afraid he is," was the slow reply. "His face is badly battered, as you can see. He must have been struck a terrible blow. How did it happen?"

Shirley explained.

"I'll call a doctor immediately," said Mr. Wilson and hastened to the telephone.

The physician arrived a few minutes later.

"He must be taken to the hospital," he declared. "His condition is serious."

"Can I do anything, doctor?" asked Shirley.

"No, not now," was the reply.

"Then I shall go home immediately," said the girl.

She left the store quickly, mounted her horse, and headed homeward through the rapidly gathering darkness.