Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-07
Thoroughbreds
by ". A. FRASER
Author Of "The Outeast," ''MOOswa," and other Stories.

Shandy's escapade with DiaDlo nau
brought a new trouble to Mike Gaynor.
The boy had been discharged with a
severe reprimand from Mr.. Porter, and q
punctuation mark Of disapproval from the
trainers horn-like hand. He had departed
from Ringwood inwardly swearing revenge
upon everybody connected with that place;
against. Diablo he was particularly %virulent.
Mike tried to secure a boy in the Brook
field neighborhood to ride Diablo In his
work, but shandy's evil tongue vagged so
blatantly about the horses bad temper that
no lad could be found to take on In the
stables.
Ned Carter might have ridden Dlablo to
work, but the big black was indeed a horse
OF many ideas. He had taken a notion to
gallop kindly while accompanied by Luz
cretia and Lauzanne; worked alone he
sulked and was as awkward as a broncho
OF the plains. Also Diablo disliked Carter
he seemed to associate his personality
with that Of shandy's.
Mixes discomfort over the hitch spread
to John Porter. 1t was too bad, the horses
had been doing so well.
For three days Diablo had no gallop.
On the fourth, Porter determined to, ride
the horse himself; he would not be beaten
out by an ungratetul whelp like shandy.
IN ulN uhy 10 y bNNh ~ AahA1A1 $3.50
man Jock, and still was light enough to
ride work.
II don't like the idea, SIR; It's not good
enough demonstrated Mike.
But his master was obdurate. II Allis
rode Lausanne, why shouldn't he ride
Diablo3
Gaynor would have ridden Diablo him
self rather than have his master do so,
but he had a bad leg. Once upon a time
II had been crushed against the rail. Some
body must ride Diablo; the horse, naturally
high strung, was becoming wild with nerv-
BUSINESS through being knocked out of his
work.
During the time Shandy had been in the
Porter stable he had received money from
Langdon for keeping the latter posted as
to the work and condition Of the Derby
candidate, Lucretia.
For three days after his discharge he SAT
broodfng with the low cunning of a forest
animal over his supposed Ill treatment.
God drat 'eml" he muttered; III get
even. or know why. They'll put Ned up on
Diablo. will they? The sneak! He split
on me for beltln' the black, / know, d-n
him They amt got another boy an they
woR't. I'll Ak that stir. Carter, too, then
they won't have no boy"
ne oThuh UtOIt anu 40
ferret mind, a devilish plot came into his
being and took possession Of him, a plot
easy Of execution because OF his familiarity
with the Ringwood stables.
That night he slipped through the dark,
like a hyena pup. to Ringwood.
That the stable was locked mattered not.
Many times, when, through l~aZiness, Snandy
had not gone to Mikes quarters for the
keys, he had found ingress by a small
window a foot square through which the
soiled straw bedding was thrown into the
yard.
Standing on the dung heap, shandy
worked open the board slide that closed this
window and wormed his weasel form
through the small opening. He passed
down the passage between the stall and
entered q saddle rock at the farther end.
'The bloomin' thing used to be on the
fourth peg" he muttered, drawing his
small fgrue up ON tiptoe and feeling along
the wall for something. BLOW mel
and ne chuckled hendishly as his fingers
encountered the cold steel Of a bit. I'D
know that snafie In HI, II / got a feel
Of it."
There was a patent device Of a twist
and a loose ring in the center OF the bit
he c~lutehed, which Porter had devised for
Diablo's hard mouth.
shandy gave the bride q swing and IL
cIattered to the floor from its peg Diablo
snorted and paved the planks of his stall
pervously.
"Au right. my buck" Kissed Shandy.
"You wait till tomorrow; git the run of
yer life, I'm thinkin'-d-n their eyes!"
and he went OF into a perfect torrent OF
imprecation against everybody at Ringwood
low muttered.
Then he shut the door of the saddle
room behind him, sat down on the foor,
pulled from his pocket a knife and stub OF
candle. He lighted the latter and held 1t
flame down till a few drops OF tallow formed
q tiny lake. In this he stuck the candle
upright, shielding Its flame with his coat.
He opened the knife, and, laying NJ down,
e inspected infinitely the bride. which lay
across his leg.
TITS Diablo's right enough" he said; Il
couldn't be mistook on the bit nor them
strong lines"
He picked up the knife. and, holding the
leather rein across the palm Of his left
hand, started TO saw It gently with the
blade. Almost instantly he left on. o
all the bloomln' ijits! God drat me fer a
goat! He'd feel that cut the nrst slip
through the fingers"
He gathered in the rein until he had it
six inches from the bit. There he cut,
stopping many times and doubling the
leather close to the candle light. to see
how deep he had penetrated.
''There Mr.. Bloody Nedl" he exclaimed,
at last, as inspection showed that only the
outer hard sholl Of the leather remained
uncut. ''That'n Just hold till the black
takes one OF his cranky spells, an you
give him a stin pull. God help you. them"
Even this was a blasphemous cry Of
exuItation, not q plea for Divine assist
ance for the man he plotted against.
His next move proved thai his cunning
was OF an exceptional order. From his
coat pocket he brought forth a pill box,
In this receptacle shandy dipped a fore
hnger and rubbed into the fresh cut Of
the leather a tribe Of blhekened axle
grease, which he had taken from a wagon
wheel before starting out. Then he wiped
the rein with his coat tail and looked
at Il admiringly.
THE bloke went see that. blast himl"
He hung the bride up In its place, put
out the candle. dropped II in his pocket
and made his way from the stable.
As he passed Diablo's stall the big black
Enorted again and plunged in alright.
You'll get enough Of that tomorrow"
kneered the boy. II hope you and Ned
both break your d-n nseks. For 2 cents
I'd dron eomefhinR In your feed box that'd