Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-28

-NN-N -a-"H
once. Wait, I've got it in my pocket. I
meant to speak to you about It before"
Crane drew from the inner pocket OF his
coat a leather case. and after a search found
Shandy's unsigned letter and passed II over
to the trainer.
ITS dollars TO doughnuts shandy wrote
It. Let me keep this. sir"
You're welcome to it," answered Crane.
"You can settle with him. But about the
Derby. l have reasons for wishing to win
that race: reasons other than the money.
l want to win 1t, bad. Do you understand
Il think / do. When you say you want to
win a race, you generally want to win It,"
Yes, I do. But, see here, Langdon. Just
leave their Jockey to take orders from his
own master, see?"
Il wasn't goin' to put up no game with
him, SIR"
CHAPTER XIX.
That evening Langdon and Jakey Faust
were closeted together in a room OF the
formers cottage. An Al piece Of villainy
was on, and they were conversing In low
tones.
IT'S a cinch for the Dutchman, II II
wasn't for that d-n mare Lucretia," Lang
don observed in an injured tone, as though
somehow the mares excellence was an I'M
warranted interference with his rights"
~ IbNhs FAUST
n good-can't be done. He's mooney
on the gal"
"Huh!" commented the Cherub did
you talk it over with the boss? He's not
a bad guy gettin' next a good thing
II gave me the straight tip to give
Redpath the go-by."
whats his little game-is he going to
hedge on the mare?"
INC, he'll stand his bet hat-footed. Say,
he's the slickest! II he didn't give me the
straight office that the mare might get
sick, then I'm a Dutchman."
Were both D~utchmen." The Cherub
laughed immoderately at his stupid Joke.
See, we're both standin' for the Dutch
man, amt we?'
Langdon frowned at the others levity.
you'll laugh out the other side your mouth
II Lucretia puts up a race in the Derby
like she did in the handicap"
But amt she goin' to get sick7 We
could ~whipsaw them both ways then, that's
II we knew 1t first. l could lay against
her an back your horse"
II wish the old man wasn't so devilish
deep; he makes me tired sometimes; gives
1t to me straight in one breath that's he's
got reasons for wantin' to win the race, an
then he pulls that preacher mug of his
down a peg an says, solemn like, But
don't interfere with their jockey Then
he talks about the Dutchman or Lucretia
gettin' the influenza, an that Andy Dixon
is pretty fly about watchln' the mare. Now
what do you make of all that, Jake?"
well, you are a mug. 1t don't need no
maxim up. That books all rounded to. He
wants the mare stopped, and don't want
no muddlin' about with the Jockey, see?
Wasn't there a row over stoppin' Lucretia
last year-wasn't the boy set down for the
,,ooA4nb0 Vo,, nnghf IN Lunw VOu had tn
pay through the nose for shuttin' his mouth.
But what made the old man talk about the
mare settin' slok?"
Langdon searched his memory; tust how
was that subject started? "D-n IL! yes, Of
course; l told him about the 2-year-old
havin' the Influenza"
well, Dick, my boy, you've guessed 1t,
though you weren't trying. Crane would
like to see the Porter mare coughin'."
"Bu you can't take a strange horse into
their stable. an him sick" objected the
trainer.
Right you are. Dick. But you could
with the same
I'm a poor man. whined Langdon, IAN
I can't take no chances on losin' ten thou
sand II 1t can be helped"
TITS got to be done right away. cause
it'll take a couple of days to get the mare
coughin'."
81 told Shandy to come here" said the
trainer; che ought to be turnin' up soon.
When you hear him knock just slip into that
other room an leave the door open a little,
so that you can hear what takes place.
God knows what that young imp wouldn't
swear IL a fellow had no witnesses. 1
think he's comm here tonight to ask me to
pay him to do some dirty job, an I won't
do It, see?" and he winked at Faust. He's
a bad boy" said the bookmaker in a tone
OF mock condemnation.
There he is now" declared Langdon. It
hear a step on the gravel. Quick. slip into
the room; he'll be peepin' through the
windows; he's like a fox"
There was a knock at the door. When
Langdon opened it ShandY shufied. into the
room with a peculiar little rocking-ho
sort of a gait, just like the trot of a
skunk. His whole appearance somehow
suggested this d~espised animal.
Have you heard anything from the
Porter stable?" Langdon asked, when the
boy had taken a seat.
1.-THE little mares we'll" the boy an
swered, laconically.
That's bad luck for us, shandy. Wen
be poorer by the matter OF a few thousand
II they win the Derby"
who's we?" questioned Shandy, with
saucy directness.
The whole stable. A man has played
the Dutchman to win a hundred thousand.
an he's goin' to give the boys. one or two
OF them, five hundred II it comes of"
The boy would have interrupted, but
Langdon motioned him to keep E.le5t. and
proceeded.
you see, II 1t leaked out. an we'd won
a lot OF money over the Dutchman, d-n
fools would say that I'd been at the bottom
OF it; an II they had me up in front Of
the stewards l couldn't swear that I'd had
nothing to do with IT,"
He pulled a sheet OF paper from his
pocket. held It in front OF Shandy's eyes
and said: What did you write that letter
for?"
The boy stared in blank amazement. He
trembled with fear; II was the warning
note he had sent to Crane.
Now. II I was to show that to Faust
he'd put a pug on to do you up. sect I
wouldn't give 3 cents for your carcass
after they'd finished with you"
II didn't mean nothin', s. help ne God,
1 didn't" pleaded the boy. give It back
TO me, sir"
"You can take it, only don't play me
the double cross no more. II you're doin'
anything crooked don't mix me UP in it.