Evening star., 1902-08-09
CHAPTER w.


name in the unjust suspicion of the un-
thinking public
Touched in its pocket. the public respond
ed in unsavory references to Lueretias
race.
Porter loved a good horse. and liked TO
see him win. The confidence Of the public
in his honesty was great reward as the
stakes. The avowed principle of racing
that it improved the breed of horses was
but a silent sentiment with him. He be-
Iicved in it but not being rich, raced a
profession. honestly and sQuareiy. He had
asserted more than once that if he were
wealthy he would never race two-year-
old. But his income must be derived from
ms horses, his capital was in them; and just
at this time he was sitting in particularly
hard streak of bad luck; financially. he
was in hole; morally, he stood i'll with the
public.
His reason told him that the ill-fortune
could not last; he had one grand little
mare, good enough TO win. an honest
trainer-there the inventory stopped short;
his stock in trade was incOmplete-he had
not a trusty jockey.
In his dilemma he threshed it out with
Dixon.
,,Hows the mare doing. Andy?" he asked.
What did the race do to her?'
She never was better in her life" the
trainer answered. proudly. Then he added
to ease the troubled look that in the
time out, sir-IIl gamble my shirt on that
Not with another Mckay up"
Il think she's good enough for the
Eclipse. sir. dashed if / don't. / worked
her the distance, and she shaded the time
they made last year"
Whats the use" said Porter dejectedly
"Nherell we get a boy?'
"Oh. lots of the boys are straight"
Il know that, Porter answered. but all
the straight ones are tied hand and foot to
some big stable"
haau in
Dixon, Observation-Disclosures Bits got a
good lad-there's none of them can put it
over him, an his boss amt got nothin' in
the Eclipse l know
That means the same old game. ANDY:
We nurse the horse, get him into condition
place MIN where he can win, and then turn
him over to plunger and take the small
era "L the divide Boston Bill would back
her off the boards
The stake'd mount up to seven or eight
thousand. an the win would square the
Iltte mare with the public"
ANA IA do that if l didn't land a dol
ldr- SAID Porter. Andy. it hurts me more
10 see the flly banged about there In the
FGch than It did giving up the money!
The trainer smiled. With him this Uas
unusual; there was a popular superstition
that he never smiled except when one of
MS horses won. But his heart expanded
az P0rters words, for ne, too was fond Of
the little mare
Then Porter spoke again. abruptly, and
iaSt' as though he feared he might change
! guess I'm getting a bit slow in nv
PAGES; and you do just as you Iike-arrange
with Boston Bill If you think it's good
business. He makes a speciaIty Of win
ming races-not pulling horses and we
need a win, too. l guess"
Thank, you. sir. Well land that stake.
an raps the sharp division IL take a
tumble III bet dollar they'll go for the
Dutchman-he ran q great race the other
day. an he's in the Eclipse-if they start
nm Lucretia's right on edge she's Iookin'
TOT the keyhole. an may go back If we
don give her a race. We'd better get the
money for the oat bill while it's in sight.
She oughter be a long price in the bettin'
700, continued Dixon, meditatively; "the
public soon sour on a beaten horse You'll
have chance to get even"
don Ike that part of It," muttered
Porter, II m in the black books now Peo-
PIE nave no reason at all-no sense: they've
got II into their heads that dirty Job was
of my making. and If the fflly starts at ter
70 one, and | win bit. they'll howl"
" ou can't make success of ractn' sir
an run your stable for the public-the,
don't pay the feed BILL
Porter
For immediate financial relief Porte,
Knew that he must look to Lucretia: n,
other horse In his stable was ready to win
Dut more Immediately he must arranp.
certain money matters with his banker
who was Philip Crane
To Porter Crane had been a toleran
hnancier. taking the mans honesty liber
had been called upon as a tangible asse,
so that day, following his conversation
with Dixon. the master of Ringwood ha,
an interview with his banker
Ii was natural that he should sneak n
his prospects-his hopes Of winning tn
Eclipse with Lucretia. and. corroboratively
mention her good trial
Il think that's a good mare Of vours
MT Porter. said Crane. sympatheticaIl,
only race, myself, in a small way ius
Tor tne outdoor relaxation It gives me, yo
O@
other horse you bought-the winner of th
race. L mean. Lauzanne-wil also help pu
you right. l should say"
Porter hesitated, uneasily He dislits
10 talk about a man behind his back IN
ne knew that Langdon trained for Gran,
and longed to give the banker a friendI
word OF warning; he knew nothing of m
latter's manipulation Of the trainer
With touch of rustic quaintness he sal,
with seeming irrelevance to the subiec
Have you ever picked wild strawberrI.
in the fields. Mr.. Crane?"
have. answered the other man. show
Ing no surprise at the break, for like
jointed deals VII
Did you ever notice that going dow
"lnd YOU could see the berries better?''
Crane thought for a moment Yes
tnats right; coming up wind the leay,
ride them
Just so.'' commented Porter: "and VIII,
mans got a trainer he's nearly alwa.
working up wind with him
The trainer hides things?" queri,
Crane
Some do. But the outsiders walkir
down wind see the berries
Again the banker pondered for a minut
then he said Whose garden are the be
ries In, Mr.. Porter. yours or mine?"
Well, you've always been a good friel
OF mine. Mr.. Crane" Porter answere
svasvely-
Il see." said the other meditatively
understand. I'm much Obliged. II thoug
for an instant that any trainer wasn't de,
Ing perfectly straightforward with me-
have nothing more to do with him-nothi
whatever"
Crane sat looking through the open WI
dow at John Porter. the latter We
down the street. About his thin-lipps
square-framed mouth hoyered an expr,
sion that might have been smile or
intense look Of interest. a touch of a,
ricious ferocity. The gray eyes peeped o,
the wall OF their lower lids. and In the
too. was the unfathomable something.
YES" he repeated. as though Porter s
stood beside him. IF Langdon tried to
ceive me. I'd crush him. Poor old Port
with his story Of the strawberries! If
were as clever as he is honest, he would