Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-20

CHAPTER II.
1t was the May meeting at Morris park
and Morris park is the most beautiful race
course in all America.
John Porter, walking up the steps of
the grandstand. heard someone call him
by name. Turning his head he saw 1t was
James Dandy, an owner, sitting in his pri-
vate box.
Porter turned into the box and, taking
the chair the other pushed toward him,
sat down.
What about Lucretia ?" asked Dandy,
with the air of an established friendship
which permitted theoasking of such ques-
lions.
shes ready to the minute" replied
Porter.
''Can she get the 1--WE ~furlongsG" queried
Dandy. She's by Assassin and some Of
them were cutters"
She'll quit IL she falls dead" replied
the other man quietly. "I've worked her
good enough to win and I'm backing her"
"That'l do for me-" declared Dandy.
ITO tell you the truth, John, l liked the
little mare myself, but I hear that Lang
don. who trains Lausanne, expects to win"
The mare'll be there or thereabout," as
hOl WhO 4 WV NV" - 1a1N
rome yet much good as a 2-year-o old.
They're sulky brutes, like the old horse,
and II Lucretia's beat 1t won't be Lau-
zanne that1l turn the trick"
A bell changed imperiously at the Judges
stand. Porter pulled out his watch and
looked at It.
That's saddling," he remarked, lacou-
ically. II must go and have a bit on the
mare and then take a look at her before
she goes out"
AS Porter went down the steps his com
panion leaned over the rail and crooked his
finger at a thin-faced man with a blond
mustache, who had been keeping a corner OF
his eye on the box.
What are they making ~favorite, Lewis? %
queried Dandy, as the thin-faced man stood
beside him.
"Lucretia."
whats her price?"
1.-TWO to one"
whats second favorite7'
"~Lauzanne-hve to two"
Porter tells me Lucretia is good bust
ness" said Dandy. In a tentative tone.
"Langdon thinks it's all over bar the
shouting; he says Lausanne outclasses his
field" replied Lewis.
"Langdon's a betting man; Porter's an
owner and = good Judge" objected Dandy
land he's got a good boy up, too, Mckay
he added. slowly focusing his field glasses
on the Jockey board opposite the stand.
Crooked as a dogs hind leg" snarlec
Lewis. biting viciously at his cigar.
Bob, it's darn hard to hnd a straight
legged dog laughed Dandy. And wher
John Porter starts a horse there's never
anything doing. Here's six hundred; put 4
on the mare-straight."
As Lewis pushed his way into the showing
seething, elbowing crowd in the betting rinl
he was suddenly struck in the chest bs
something which apparently had the mo.
mentum of an eight-inch shell, but It wal
only John Porter, who, in breaking through
the outer crust Of the living mass, had beer
elected with more speed than was Of his
own v~oiition.
Bob smothered the expletive that had
risen to his lips when he saw who the un.
whiting assailant was and asked. What ar'
they doin' to the mare in the ring?''
mot MUCH answered his assailant
catching his breath; there's a strong pla,
on LangdOn's horse, and II I didn't knov m.
boy pretty we'll, and Lucretia better. I'd
have weakened a bit. But she can't lose
she can't lose!" he repeated in the tone Of
a man who is r~eassuring himself.
Lewis battled his way along till he stood
In front OF a bookmaker with a face easI
very much on the lines Of q Rubens eherub
but the oherub type ended abruptly with the
plump frontispiece OF "Jak4y" Faust, tbs
bookmaker. Lewis knew that. IF there's
anythin' doin' I'm up against it here" he
muttered TO himself What's bauzanne's
pTiee2" he asked in an indifferent tone Of
voice. for the bookmaker's assistant waf
busy changing the figures on the list.
Faust pretended not to hear him.
Sure thingi" whispered Lewis to him
self. Then aloud he repeated his ques-
tion, touching the bookmaker on the ell
bow.
The eherub smiled blandly. mot takin'
any" he answered, nodding HIS head in
the pleasant name Of a man who knows
when he's got a good thing.
What's Lueretia?" persisted Lewis.
"oh. that's IL, is IL? I'll lay you two "a
one"
The questioner edged away. shaking his