Evening star., 1902-08-16

on Lucretia last time: an what do you sup
pose made her favorite today?' queried
the tout, derisively. 1T took a barl of
money he continued, full of his own logi-
cal deductions, AN I'll bet Porter cleaned
up twenty thousand. He's a pretty slick
cove, is old Honest john if you ask me-
The girl at Cranes side cackled laugh.
He's funny, isn't hep she said, nodding
her big plumed hat in the direction of the
man group.
Hes a talkative foolH' muttered the
banker, shortly. The steps are clear on
the other side. Miss LangdOn you can get
down there. I've got to go into the pad
dock-you'H excuse me-"
Being vicious out OF emptiness-for the
fun OF the thing had never appealed to
Crane; he raced, as he did everything else
10 win. If other men suffered that was the
play CT fate. He never talked about these
things himself. almost Gisliked to think of
them. He turned his back on Belle Lang
don and went down the right-hand steps.
On the grass sward at the bottom he stop
ped for an instant to look across at the
jockey board
Three men had just come out from the
refreshment bar under the stand, They
were possessed of many things: gold of the
bookmakers in their pockets, and its ever
attendant exhilaration in their hearts One
of them had cracked bottle OF wine at the
bar as tribute to the exceeding swiftness
of Lucretia, for he had won plentifully. At
that particular stage there was nothing
left but to talk it over, and they talked.
Crane, avaricious, unhesitating in his
fighting, devoid Of sympathy, was not of
the eavesdropping class, but as he stood
there, he was as much a part Of the other
mems conversation as though he had been
a fourth member of the brotherhood.
Il tell you none of these trainers amt in
1t with a gentleman Owner-when he takes
TO racin'. When man of brains takes to
runnin' horses as profesh, he's Centrally
a Jim Dandy" 1t was he of the wine
opening who let fall these words of wise
value.
'Dyou mean Porter, Jim?" asked num-
Der two of the trio.
Maybe that's his name. An he put it all
over Mister LangdOn this trip.
LAS how?' queried the other.
Last time he runs his mare she's got
corns in her feet the whole journey, an all
the time he owns the winner, Lauzanne.
see?-buys him before they go out. Then
Langdon thinks the Dutchman's the goods,
an buys him at fancy price-gives a bale
of long goods for him-Tve got 1t straight
that he parted with fifteen thousand. Then
the gentleman owner, Honest John, turns
the trick with Lucretia, an makes the
Dutchman look like sellin' platter"
Il guess Langdon'I feel pretty SICK" haz-
arded number three.
I'D been watchin' the game" continued
the wine man, "an' soon's l saw a move
today from the wise guys in the ring,
pumped for the mare 'toot sweet d"
What an extraordinary thing manipula-
tion was, Crane unused, as he listened; also
how considerable of an ass the public was
In its theoretical wisdom.
Then the three men drifted away to fol-
low some new toy balloon of erratic posi-
b.lities, and Crane wound through the mar
row passage which led to the paddock.
There he encountered Langdon.
He didn't run a very good horse, SIR"
began the trainer.
Il thought otherwise" replied Crane,
measuring the immediate vicinity of listen
erS.
Il had to draw it a bit fine," declared
LanSdon, with apologize remonstrance.
Running second is always bad business,
except In selling race retorted his mas
ter.
I've got to think of myself" growled
Langdon. IF he'd been beat off, there'd
been trouble; the stewards have got the
other race in their crop bit yet"
m not blaming you, Langdon; only I
was Just trifie afraid that you were going
to beat Porters mare. He's a friend of
mine and needed a win badly. I'm not ex-
er. which amounts to pretty much the same
thing"
What about the horse, sir?' asked the
trainer.
We'll see later on. Let him go easy for
the present"
II wonder what he meant by that" Lang
don unused to himself as Crane moved
away. He don't make nobody present of
race for love- Suddenly he stumbled
upon solution of the enigma. well I'm
id II that wasn't slick; he give me the
straight tip to leave Porter to him-to let
him do the plannin; see."
CHAPTER VI.
Porter was an easy man with his horses.
Though he could not afford, because of his