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

punctuation mark of disapproval from the
trainers horn-like hand. He had departed
from Ringwood. inwardly swearing re
venge upon everybody connected with that
place: against Diablo he was particularly
yirulent.
Mike tried to secure boy in the Brook
field neighborhood TO ride Diablo in his
work, but Shandy's evil tongue wagged so
blatantly about the horses bad temper
that no lad could be found to take on in the
stables.
Ned Carter might have ridden Diablo to
work, but the big black was indeed a horse
of many ideas. He had taken a notion to
gallop kindly while accompanied by Lu-
Cretia and Lausanne; worked alone he
sulked and awkward as a broncho
of Inc plains. Also, Diablo disliked Carter
he seemed to associate his personality with
that of Shandy's
Mikes discomfort over the hitch spread 10
John Porter 1t was too bad, the horses
had been doing so well.
Fer three days Diablo had no galop. On
the fourth Porter determined to ride the
horse himself. He would not be beaten
out by ungrateful whelp like Shandy.
In his day he had been a famous gentleman
jock, and still was light enough to ride
work.
Il don't like the idea sir; it's not good
enough" demonstrated Mike.
But his master was obdurate. If Alis
rode Lausanne. why shouldn't he ride
Diablo?
Gaynor would have ridden Diablo himself
rather than have his master do so. but he
had bad leg. Once upon a time 1t had
been crushed against the rail Somebody
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 10
the work and condition of the Derby candi-
date. Lucretia.
For three days after his discharge he sat
brooding with the low cunning f a forest
animal, over his supposed Ill treatment
God drat 'em." he muttered. I'm get
even or know why. They'll put Ned up on
Diablo will they? The sneaki He split on
me fer beltin' the black, 1 know: d-n
him, They amt got another boy an they
won't I'll fix that stiff, Carter, too; then
they won't have no boy"
He drank beer. and. as it irritated his
ferret mind a deviish 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 hyena pup. to Ringwood
That the stable was locked mattered not.
Many times, when through laziness Shandy
had not gone to Mikes quarters for the
keys he had found ingress by a small win
dow a foot square through which the soil
ed 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 a saddle rock at the farther end:
1.-The blOomin thing used to be on the
fourth peg" he muttered, drawing his
small figure up on tiptoe and feeling along
the wall for something BLOW met and
he chuckled fiendishly. as his fingers en-
countered the cold steel OF a bit. I'D
hot W. IN EsA got a of
It"
There was a patent device of twist and
a loose ring In the center Of the bit be
cIutched, which Porter had devised for
Dlablos hard mouth
Shandy gave the bride swing, and It
clattered to the floor from its peg. Diablo
snorted and paved the planks of his stall
nervously.
"AIl right. my buck" Kissed shandy
You walt TIL tomorrow; git the run of
yer life, I'm thinkin-d-n their eyes,'
and he went off into a perfect torrent Of
impre cation against everybody at Ringwood
low muttered.
Then he shut the door Of the saddle room
behind him, sat down on the floor, pulled
from his pocket a knife and stub of candle.
He lighted the latter and held it flame
down till a few drops Of tallow formed
tiny lake; in this he stuck the candle up
right shielding it's fame with his coat.
He opened the knife. and laying it down
inspected infinitely the bride, which lay
across his leg
IT'S Diablo's right enough" he said IT
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 ii gently with the
blade. Almost instantly he left off "Of all
the bloomiu Tits, God drat me fer a goatl
He'd feel that cut the first slip through the
fingers"
He gathered In the rein urt1 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 Ned he exclaimed
at last. inspection showed that only the
outer hard shell Of the leather rema med
uncut ''That'n Just hold till the black
takes one of his cranky spells, an you give
him stiff pull God help you them
Even this was blasphemous cry OF ex-
ultation: not plea for divine assistance
for the man he plotted against
His next move proved that his cunning
was of an exceptional order. From his
coat pocket he brought forth pill box.
In this receptacle Shandy dipped a forefin-
ger and rubbed into the fresh cut of the
leather a trif1e Of bIackened 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 it admir-
ingly.
THE bloke won't see that blast him.
He hung the bride up in it's place. put
cut the candle, dropped It In his pocket and
made his way from the stable.
AS he passed Diablo's stall the big black
snorted again and plunged IN alright
1ouH get enough of that tomorrow"
sneered the boy. 81 hope you and Ned both
break your On necks. Fer two cents I'd
drop something in your feed box that'd set
tie you right now. but it's the skunk has
split on me | want to- get even wit"
Shandy trudged back to his boardine,
house in Brookfield and went to bed. In
the first gray of the early morning he arose
and went out to the race course
The race course near Ringwood had for
merly been trOtting park; in fact 1t was
stih used at irregular intervals for the har-
ness horses In its primitive days a small
square. box-like structure had done duty .
judges stand With other improvements
new stand had been erected hundred
yards higher up the stretch
1t TO the little old stand that Shandy
took his way. Inside he waited for the
coming OF Gaynor's string of gallopers
He was supremacy happy in his I'M
righteous work as any evi-minded bow
might be at the prospect Of unlimited mis-
chief.
''Ned'll ride Diablo. sure-there's nothing
else to it," he muttered. II hope he breaks
his blasted neck. I'll pay 'em fer turnin'
me of like a dog" he continued, savagely,