The Portland daily press., 1893-08-16
A TWO EDGED SECRET.


racing stables, training courses. pad.
docks, etc., at Viroflay. Absorbed all
day long in business in Paris, he had
fallen into the habit of visiting his stud
of evenings, in order tc be present at
dawn during the speeding Of his horses.
Baron Karl SLIDER, an Austrian bank
OF and fnancier, was an unknown no
body 10 years before. Now you could
not open morning journal of COM
MERGE, sport or anything else without
running across some mention Of his bust
ness, his races and racers, his dinners or
his wifes beauty.
Above all, his wife's beauty, for SLIDER,
who denied himself nothing, had in
duaead himself at 40 in the dangerous
luxury of marrying charming Marguerite
de Francznont, with whom all Paris had
danced during four successive seasons,
but whose poverty had reserved her for
, marriage of this kind.
They lived happily enough, and SLIDER,
recognizing his'wife's really uncommon
intelligence, did nothing-save in mat
ters of finance without consulting her
with frank and tender Difference.
4Then," said he presently, rolling
last strawberry to sugar, "Guerin did
Gomez
Eyes, last night, just after you had
startedfor Virofay. saw him and ex-
planned to him fully how you were the
victim of indiscretions that brought sus-
picion upon you. Everything that passes
at the stable said I, is reported straight
way to the bookmakeEs Of the Rue Vivi-
enne. They know in advance what
horse viii run or be Withdrawn; what
horse carries the stables money or is
meant to win; briefly, daily and regu-
Larry, We are betrayed by some one. But
by whoms Know this we must, for they.
are beginning to accuse us Of dishonest
practices /"
Sand he saidp''
Nothing, but asked If You suspected
any one of your menp"
mo special enc, by Jovel simply
suspect them ALL"
Precisely what told him, where
upon he took notes and his departure,
assuring me that special agent would
be at once put in charge of SO delicate a
matter. He will report SO soon as he
discovers anything"
(Which will be soon, I hope. You
have had no other visitor, my dearF
ssNot one. I dined alone and spent the
evening with mother. But you, Karl,
what did you do at virofay?"
'sAlways the same thing &C
owe fha
colts, and by O'Clock was out with the
trainers speeding the racers. Kronstadt
is not doing as well as he should. We
shall have hard pull to keep him in
shape for the 25th. Why, hello, it's 10
O'Clock. must go. It's time for bust
ness"
aBut you seem SO fatigued, my poor
Karl"
ssZonnds! / ought to be. Twas up
before the sun"
~But need you go to virofay SO often,
Kar1s"
'sEvery day if could, my dear. The
eye Of the MASTER you know-above all.
In the care Of race horses. And / have,
praise heaven, an eye that sees clearly"
Undoubtedly, my DEAR Marguerite
assented calmly. tracing the tablecloth
with the tip Of her rosy nail. ''But
Guerin, trust, will see clearer still. 1t
is really as amusing as play to me,
dearest, to have anything to do with
detective whom they talk so much Of as
they talk Of this Guerin."
\ u
Two hours later Karl SLIDER, lying
back in an easy chair in bis Office in the
Eue Richelieu, smoked with half closed
eyes the puresb products of the Havana
tobacco fields. Near him in chair no
less luxurious and with wsed drawn
from the same source between his lips,
young De Paygac--wish somewhat
doubtful past--lolled and talked with
wide open syss, making the 1nosG OF his
position Of intimate frsead Of SO 11ch and
renowned naan BIS the Rszsna a5ahsr.
stg.he fact Is, baron," said he, cnntin-
ting the subject upon which ne was
launched, 'syou are or ought TO b. the
happiest man in Paris today. Just shrink
Of it. the pot of money you've lsade ut 81
single stroke--more shan / would need
20 anuSS Hs y WAolo, IoHS JSc4.
Sons would say that fact annoyed
Won" SLIDER returned lazily, without
stirring himself.
..Annoye1 me? Not the least in the
world, baron. I'm too much your friend
for that. Bat when / contrast our two
dessiaies! Why, everything in the world
succeeds with you. Your business, look
at it. It goes like confagration. Your
racing, too, which heaven knows why
eon took it into your head to try-wheth-
er your own horses win Or lose. it mat
ters not you find way to win with
tho horses of others
.'In q word" SLIDER interrupted, with
some show Of temper, ''you mean to i'm
ply, Ike the rest, that purposely allow
my own horses to be beaten?
Payzac continued with an imperturb-
able calm and alightly shrugged shout
der.