Evening star., 1902-09-13
CHAPTER XIII.


proxy. With all his masterfulness he was
very considerably in awe of Miss Allls.
There was a MOTTO be-daunted expression
in her extraordinary eyes which made him
feel that a love tilt with her would be a
somewhat serious business He pictured
himself as an ardent lover; he would cut
drou figure in that role, he knew-emotons
were hardly in his line. He might feel such
an assertive emotion love quite as
strongly as any one-in fact. did, but could
he express himself with faultless consist
ency? He rather doubted it. His usual
slow-advancing method was certainly or
dained of this intricate endeavor; and he
had made great progress with the mother,
the one above all others to be piacated; ad-
versity continuous it promised to be,
would probably settle POrters influence in
lis favor. His plan of action plainly was
to be often at RingwoOd, to familiariZe the
household with his presence; the acquiring
of Diablo would facilitate that
Diablo-a skatei He laughed to himself
over his purchase Certainly Lansdon
would laugh at him, too; not openly, of
course-Crane wouldn't tolerate that. What
an influence this girl had over him, TO be
sure Any man who had endeavored to sell
him bad horse would have had hopeless
task: with but a nod of encouragement
from Allis he would have bought every
horse-aIl the useless crooks they had-the
stable was full of them-Lauzanne among
the rest.
The influence was dividing his nature into
a dual one; starting into life infantie
thoughts of a generous morality; an unrest
of great vigCr coming to him. retribu-
ton possibly-the power to feel the differ
ence between an avariciousness fathering
dishonesty, and this new recognition of
other rights
on his arrival in New York he sent for
his trainer.
Il bought a horse at Ringwood-I want
You to look after him, Langdon," he said.
will hi
TO your stables.
The trainers face frightened. Did You
get Lucretia after alp
NO. bought big black, Diablo."
The look of delight faded from Langdons
eyes quickly. The devil,'' ne exclaimed.
That's what 1 said; that's his name"
But he's the most uncertain brute that
ever wore a set of plates. You'll get no
good of him. sir; he's bad. clean through.
It's come down to him from his second
sire. Robert the Devil without a bit of
the good. either. He'd break man that
would follow him.
He won't break me-" answered Crane.
quietly; nor you. either, Langdon-you've
got too much sense
This subtle tribute Modified the trainer.
Crane proceeded: Il remember the horse
quite well. Four thousand was paid for
him as a yearlng; as a two-year-old he
was tried out good enough TO win the Fu-
turity; but when it came to racing he cut
it and finished in the ruck.''
That's right" commented LangdCn He
owes me a gOOd DIT, tnat same Johnny, MS
people thought him a lead-pipe cinch, and |
went down the line on him, to my sorrow.
Just so. You know him as well as l do.
It's great way to get acquainted with
them, isn't il, LangdOn-put your money
on and have the good thing go down?''
LangdOn had the highest possible opinion
OF his masters -astuteness, and began to
waver in his antpathy to Dia6lo.
You think he's really good, then, sir;
did he show you fast trial?'
Il didn't even see the horse" Crane an
swered. looking dreamily out of the window.
/ bought him to he paused refectivey;
he couldn't tell Langdon why ne had bought
him, and he hardly cared TO have his pres
tige with the trainer destroyed.
He continued, shifting In the subject mat
ter trifie. You did John Porter up over
LaUZanne last summer, Langdon-'
Me-" questioned the trainer Was Crane
forgetting his share in the matter?
Yes. YOU" affirmed the other, looking
him steadily in the eye. You sold him
Lauzanne and Lauzanne was loaded"
Langdon said nothing. What the devil
was coming?
Well" drawled Crane. 'Porters badly
hurt. He's out of the race for some time to
come. They're friends of mine"
They're friends unused Langdon; who
In thunder are they?"
They're friends of mine and I offered to
buy LauZanne back just to help them out:
but the old mans daughter has got the
chestnut for hack and she won't sell him.
II was Diablo's fault that Porter got the
fall, so they were willing to part with him,
and took the brute"
This was certainly new role for Crane to
play. Langdon thought; his employer help
ing people out when they were in difficulties
was a revelation. The trainer felt inclined
TO laugh No doubt there was something
back OF II all, some tout must have given
Crane information OF fast gaIlop DiabIo
had done. and he had gone down to Ring
wood to buy the horse, thinking that Por-
ter would be selling some of his racers oW-
ing to the accident
Langdon tried to remember what Shandy
had said about Diablo or whether the boy
had mentioned his name at ALL
Il wonder what condition he's imp the
trainer remarked, questioningly.
Physically think he's all right: 1t seems
he galloped something under forty miles
with Porter before he came a cropper But
l understand they had an imp of boy
Sheedy or Shaney-'
Shandy," corrected Langdon
Yes. that's the name" affirmed Crane,
drawing semi-circle in the air with his
cigar, and he's a devil on wheels, by all
accounts. Diablo's no angel, you've said.
Langdon. and this boy made him a. heap
worse You've handled some bad horses in
your time and know more about 1t than /
do; but I'd suggest that you put Wesley
he's patient lad-tO look after the black;
give him quite a bit of work-and when
you've got him right, try him out with
something, and IL he shows any form we'll
pick out soft spot for him. Let me see.
year-old maiden,'
Langdon laughed approvingly. Crane was
evidently coming back to his view of the
case.
Well, as I've said, he's a maiden, and
Wen try and graduate him out of that
class 1t will be great chance for a kill
ing II We can round him into his early two
year-old form; and you can do it, Langdon
IL anybody on earth can
Now. I've got him on his reputation"
thought Crane. idly brushing specks of cigar
ash from the front of his coat
Just as thought" unused Langdon; the
oid man got horse after his own heart.
Everybody thinks Diablo's no good but the
boss has found out something and is on for
the biggest kind of COUP
"How's the Dutchman coming on?" asked
Crane intimating by the question that the
subject of Diablo had been closed out for
the present al least
Great. He cleans up his four quarts
three times a day and is as big as a car.
horse. i never had better doer in nv
hands II he keeps well, and / think he
will, you have a great chance with him for
the Brooklyn Derby"
That's encouraging. There are some
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