Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-14

copyright. 1902, by Mcclure, Phillips & Coz
Lansdon was a consummate trainer, a
student Of horse character. He knew that
while biniodide Of mercury would blister
and put right a bowed tendon, or the hring-
iron take the life out Of a splint, that a
much finer knowledge than this was
requisite to get full-hearted work out Of a
thoroughbred. Brain must be pitted against
brain: so he studied his horses, and when
Diablo CANE into his hands, possessed OF a
mind disease, he worked over him With
considerable intelligent patience.
On the day that Langdon had said he
would try Diablo and the Dutchman Crane
went down to Gravesend.
Crane was not skilled in the anatomy OF
q horse, beyond as II worked out in winning
races and money. That a horse had toes
had never quite come into his knowledge
and Langdon's gurgle Of mirth he put down
20 a suspicion that the trainer was taking
a rise out Of him in what he had said.
II was thinking Of Paddy Caramagh when
he shod Diablo the other day, ! think
you've heard Pat swear-he holds the belt
for cussin' in this part Of the country. Well,
he let 1t ali out Of him before he'd finished
with the black. Ha! ha! ha! ha! I can hear
him still, with the sweat running off his
AhAt IN boAo oPAAAAhb ~" % ANNN 80 .
says to Paddy: Rub his nose a Bit for I
could see It was more nervousness with the
horse than sheer d~eviltry. with what?
says Paddy, the hammer? Be gor! you're
right, though says he, and with that he
tries to put a twister on Diablo's nose.
Holy Mother! Diablo reached for him and
lifted the shirt clean of his back. Say,
there was a scared Irishman. II you ever
saw one in your life. He threw down the
plates, cussln' as only Paddy can, and swore
the brute could run till he'd wore his hoofs
of. for all Of him.
well. / takes hold Of the blacks head
an kids him a bit. only firm like. and we
shod him right enough"
He is bad tempered, them" asked Crane.
mo. Just wants a fair deal, that's all.
; You make him believe you're on the square
an he'll do what's right. But he hasn't
got no use for any Of the guys that gets
a cranky play in on him-he won't stand It.
I'm going to put Westley upon him today"
what about the Dutchman?"
"Colley'l do-any kid can ride him II
they sit still. He's just the easiest-tem-
pered horse that ever looked through a
bride; he knows what's doin' all the
time. But Colley amt no good on Diablo
an IL he can smell Shandy, that settles it
III . all ONtIs III put ntSlltg up IL
takes a man to ride that horse"
what about this gallop?" asked Crane;
''there'll be spies about, trying to find out
things. won't there?"
Bet yer life there'll be somebody, sir.
ITS just like when l was out in Colorado.
You couldn't see a vulture IL you travelled
forty days, perhaps, but plant q dead thing
anywhere and in an hour the sky simply
rained 'em down. These touts is most like
vultures Of anything ! know; you've Just
got to work your stunt to give 'em the
go-by, that's ALL
Crane took but an apathetic interest in
the matters that held full sway over the
trainers mind; looking after these incl
dents was Langdon's part of the contract,
That was why they we're so strong to-
gether. Lapgdon could do 1t. Just how
the trial was to benefit them alone with
the inevitable tout at hand, Crane knew
not, neither did he investigate; that was
up to the trainer.
They drove into the paddock. Wesley,
Colley and the two stable lads were there.
shall we bring out the horsesT" asked
Wesley, as Langdon sat swinging a leg
loosely over the end Of the buggy seat.
ANY Of the talent about, Bill2'
quite likely. though l haven't seen
none
well. well slip 'em now. Just saddle
up careless like. and no preliminary. mind
you. The sharks won't look for a brush
till you've gone around once. Take your
mounts down the stretch to the quarter
post, an then come away the FIRST break;
II there's anyone toutin' you of. they'll
think II Just a pipe opener an won't catch
the time. Run out the mile an a quarter,
make a race OF II, but don't go to the bat.
Diabalo an the Dutchman don't need no
whip to give us about the best they've got
"All right, ~" answered Wesley. "If
I'm a Judge, when the blacks through pullin'
he's done racin'. cause he's a keen one,
so there won't be no call to put the bud to
him. II any OF the railbirds Is lookin'
they'll think we're goin' under a strong
rap, even when we're all out"
Langdon nodded his head. He was a
man not given to sxuberant appreciation.
The boys averred that when Dick Langdon
didn't curse at them they had done pretty
well. indeed.
Whats your weight" he asked Of West
ley. abruptly.
I've Just tipped the scale at 1903 in my
sweater"
"1oS." unused the trainer, making a men
tai calculation. whats .Colley's weight -
Hes as near a hundred as you can make
e."
"Did you bring over a saddle?"
Eyes. two OF EN-; one apiece for the
horses"