As they led the big black stud out the door and up the ramp, Lonny got a lump in his throat. Helen watched until they started to load him, then turned and went back into the office. Dr. Greely was standing next to Alex Bartlet and they were talking in low tones which Lonny could not overhear. Mr. Bartlet patted the doctor on the back and said, " I believe you’ ve made a wise decision, Doc. We can really get the mares for this horse.” Without looking back at Lonny, Mr. Bartlet yelled at his driver and helper and said, " All right, boys... let’ s get started. Take it easy. We don’ t want anything to happen to this one.”
I TV QUEST
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YV HEUE by Charles Barry Sanderson
In assessing his situation, Lonny Barnes had about decided that there was no use worrying... " nothing would turn out all right anyway.” Since his accident he had been virtually dependent upon Helen for his personal activities and upon M. L., his young ground man. for his horse activities. He felt that he really shouldn’ t be too despondent, however, as he had found out just how many friends he really had. What worried him was the fact that he would be in a cast for at least another four weeks and would be hardpressed to get his first string of horses ready for the big middle-of-the-season horse shows.
It was a balmy spring afternoon and Lonny had gone to the barn to make out bills for April. He sat in his big chair behind his desk with his leg propped couch. His crutches lay on the floor beside rbk. He was engrossed in his figures, punching v ions on his old hand-crank adding machine,
, phone rang. He made a half-turn to his right n; hcked up the receiver. It was Dr. Greely.
- a brief and somewhat frustrating conversation ^or. ny banged the receiver down without so much as o ioyc. Mumbling to himself, he banged his fist on the desk. M. L., hearing the obvious com mown in into the office and looked at Lonny. The voung colored boy didn’ t know what to say as he saw that his boss was obviously shaken. " What’ sa matter, Mirfta Lonny? You all right?” Lonny cleared his throat and looked at the boy and said, " M. L.... we’ re going to lose BEAU GENTRY. Dr. Greely says that he got such a good deal from Alex Bartlet that he couldn ' t turn it down.” Without thinking, the young horseman said,’’ Why, that s— of a b-—! He already got two of the top studs in the business. Why he want to take somepin away from you?” Lonny looked up, smiled, and said, " Remember when I told you about the time Mr. Bartlet wanted me to tie a particular horse at a show back in 1967? Well, he told me then that he would get even with me and I guess he just
did.” There was a small crowd at the Lonny Barnes Stables when the truck came to get BEAU GENTRY.
Lonny stood in the doorway and watched the truck as it wound its way out the drive toward the road. He noticed that Dr. Greely stood motionless where he had been when they loaded his horse. As he turned toward the office, Helen Barnes came out and walked right up to him. She was flushed and obviously had been crying, and her anger could be held no longer. " Let me tell you something... I’ ve heard of raw deals before, but this beats anything I’ ve ever heard of. I...” Lonny put his hand on her shoulder and said, " Now, sugar. I’ m sure Dr. Greely did what he thought was best for all of us. You know we couldn’ t handle a big breeding program with me on crutches and, besides...” Helen brushed his hand aside and said, " Besides, nothing! I’ m damn’ tired of you knocking yourself out for other people and ending up with the short end of the stick.” Dr. Greely stood listening, and reached inside his pocket and handed Lonny a sealed envelope. " Read this before you make up your mind about anything, Lonny.”
At supper that evening, Lonny looked at Dr. and Mrs. Greely and said, " Why didn’ t you tell me about the contract before you loaded up your horse?” Dr. Greely laughed and said, " Well, I thought it would be a welcome surprise. I really didn’ t count on you two getting so mad. Besides... I didn’ t know there was anything between you and Alex Bartlet.” Helen sat down and picked up the contract that Dr. Greely had drawn up between himself and Alex Bartlett for standing BEAU GENTRY for the 1969 season. " He really wanted him, didn’ t he?” she said as she took a sip of coffee. Lonny said, " I’ m surprised that he would go for such a contract, especially since you put a limit on the number of mares that he could breed.” " Well...” Dr. Greely added, " he knew all along that we plan to show him again this year. You don’ t suppose he believes that we WON’ T show him, do you?” Lonny said, " You never can tell what that man is thinking. He is ' way ahead of us most of the time.” Spring had finally arrived and Lonny was fairly active around the barn, despite his cast and crutches.
26 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse