Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-06

Swinging into the saddle on Diablo's back.
Ihats the game, Ell? God strike me
dead! l hope you git enough of him. My
arms ache yet from bein' near pulled out of
me sockets by that leather-mouthed brute.
zee! II the boss hasn't got spurs en-! If
ne ever tlckles the black wit them-say
BOYS; there'I be merry hell to pay, and
no pitch hot,"
The young Arab spoke to the boards as
1noush they were partners in his iniquity.
lhen he chuckled diabolically, as in fancy
ne saw Porter being trampled by the horse.
The girls on Lausanne" he muttered;
she's the best IN the lot. if she did run me
DOWN A ridin' that old crook, too, when
she ought to be in the house washing
dishes. A woman amt got no more bust
ness about the stable than mans got in
the kitchen. Pett:coats is the devil. 1
never could abide EN-"
Shandy sometimes harked back to his
carry English Whitechapel for he had come
from the old country, and had brought with
him all the depravity he could acquire in
the first five years of his existence there.
Neds got the soft snap in that blasted
punch, as his eyes discovered Carter on
Luereia: He's slipped me this go, but
I've nabbed the boss so 1 don't care. I'm
next them this trip and as the three
horses and their riders came on to the
course he pulled out silver split-second
stop watch Langdon had equipped him with
for his touting, and started and stopped it
several times
You'll pay fer their feed. you damn ole
sklnf1nt'-he was apostroph. zing Porter
an II ne next the pest they can do, an
stan in on the rake-off Gee! 1 thought
they was out fer a trial." he muttered
looking disconsolately at the three as they
cantered the part of the journey. "Tll
ketch EN- at the half, on the off chance"
he added
But though the timepiece In his hand
clicked impatiently, after he pressed the
stem with his thumb, as Diablo's black
nozzle showed past the half-mie post the
three horses still cantered.
Lausanne was Looping leisurely with the
action of wooden rocking horse. Lucre-
tia, her long, in-tipped ears cooked eagerly
forward, was throwing her head impa-
tlentIy into the air, as though pleading for
Just one strong gallop. Diablo's neck was
arched like the half of Cupid's bow, his
mead, almost against his chest, hung heavy
In the reins tight-drawn in Porters strong
hands. His eyes. showing full of a suspi-
eious whteness, stood out from his lean,
full, impatient look. Froth ficked from the
nervous, quivering lips and spatted against
his black satin-skinned chest, where it
hung ing! Ike sea foam on holding sand
Whoa! Steady, old boyI" Porter was
coaxing soothingly. Steady, boyy'
The ease up has put the very deuce into
this fellow" he flung over his shoulder to
Aiiis, who sat at Diablo's quarter Hes
hard-mouthed brute, if ever there was
one"
He'll be all right, dad" she called for
ward. raising her voice. for the wind cut
her breath; "shandy rode him with
III put rubber bit-in his mouth-to
soften it" he pumped, brokenly. Let
out rap-gir-and We'll breeze them-up
the stretch; come on-Carter-get to the
front-With the mare"
A quarter of a mile fl ON the finish the
horses raced into swinging stride. Diablo
was simply mad with a desire to gallop; but
IN the saddle was his MASTER no horse ever
did as he wished with John Porter. Bat
ting against the sharps, his honesty might
handicap him out of the strife, but in the
saddle the citation of movement crept into
his sirews, and he was superb-a king AS
jockey. he would have been unsurpassed
1t filled his heart with delight to play with
the herce' impetuous animal he rode.
steady, my boy-no, you don't!" This
as Diablo stuck his neck straight out like
an arrow, and sought to hold the bit tight
against tie bride teeth, that he might race
at his own sweet will. Back came the
right hand, then thes left; three vicious
saws, and the bit was loose, and Diablo's
head drawn down again close to the mar
tingale; Lucretia and Lauzanne were pull
ing to the front
Go on!' called Porter to Ned Carter;
I want to see the little mare In her stride.
Take him out at the three-quarter gallon
down the back stretch. Ill be treading
your heels off,
By this time they were opposite the old
stand where hid Shandy. The boy sur
missing that gallop was on and anxious
to see them as they rounded the turn GO
ing down the back, had knocked a board
loose to widen the crack AS the horses
came abreast, Shancy, leaning forward in
his eagerness, dislodged 1t at the top and
1t fell with clatter, carrying him half
through the opening The wind was blow
ing fair across the little stand, so the scent
OF the boy came to DiabOs nostrils at the
same instant the startling noise reached his
nervous ears. In a sWerVe he almost
stopped, every muscle of his big body
trembling in fright.
Porter was nearly thrown from his seat
by his crouching side-step; the horse Seem
ed to shrink from under him Just for an
instant; but the reins had tapped loose
against the wet neck, and Diablo felt free
dom.
With a snort he plunged forward like
wounded buck, and raced madly after Luz
cretia, who had bolted WI en- the crash
came.
Porter had lost stirrup in the sudden
twist, and the reins had slipped through
his fingers as he grabbed the name on
Diabio's wither, to pull his weight back into
the saddle.
Now the black neck was straight and
taut, flat-capped by the slim ears that Law
close to the thrOat-latch. The thunder of
his pounding hoOfs reached to the ears of
Lucretia and Lausanne in front and urged
them onward.
Garter had sat down In the saddle, and
taken steadying pull at the brown mare
Even Lausanne seemed lifted out Of his
usual lethargy, and, wide-mouthed. was
pulling Allis out of the saddle
Curse the bruter gasped Porter bury
ing his knees in the saddle flaps, and
searching for the dangling strrup with the
toe of his right foot. Once he almost had
1t, but missed; the iron, swinging viciously
caught Diablo in the fank-it made little
difference; his terror was complete
All the time Porter was kneading the
dangling reins back through forefinger and
thumb, shortening his hold for a strong
pull at the galloping brute's head
wv ho-o-oa-h, Who-o-oa-h, stead-y-y;" and.
bracing himself against the pommeI, he
swung the weight Of his shoulders on the
rsins.
As well might he have pulled at the rock
of Gibraltar. Diablo's head was up, his
teeth set hard, and the mans strength was
as nothing against the fuII-muscled neck
| OF the tive-year-oid. Diabio was cutting
! down the lead the other two held over him,
galloping like demon. Porter felt that he
| must loosen the bit and throw that set head
| down to get command of the horse. One
| fierce yank to the right, and the black head
swayed trifie; another to the left and
| God In heaven! the rein snapped, and its
| loose end came back, slashing the rider
| across the face. He reeled with the recon-:
| nearly bringing Diablo to his knees with
the sudden swing OF weight on the right
rein.
| In an instant q he trot,aa