Evening star., 1902-08-09

you buy the animal In your own best way. |
You will pay for him with check on my |
bank"
No man could close out an interview so |
efectually as Crane.
AS Langdon slipped away as though he |
had been thrust bodily from the room, there |
was in his mind nothing but admiration of
his masterthe man who backed up his
delicate diplomacy with liberal capital.
In spite of what he had said to Langdon
there was little doubt in Cranes mind but
that the son Of Hanover was a better horse
than Lucretia. sahgune owner-even
Porter was one at times-was so apt to
overrate everything in his own stable espe-
| cially If he had bred the animal himself as
| Porter had Lucretia
| To buy the Dutchman and back him on
such short ownership to beat Iucretia
would have been the policy of a very ordi-
| nary mind, indeed; he would simply be
| fencing with rapiers of equal length with
| John Porter
Crane had attained to his success by
| thinking a little deeper than other men,
| going little beyond them in the careful
| ness of his plans. He knew intuitively-in
| fact, Porters unguarded conversation had
] trended that way-that Lucretia's owner
| meant to win himself out of his difficult
| position by backing the little mare heavily
| for the Eclipse. expecting to get his money
| on at good odds. By owning the Dutchman
| Crane could whipsaW the situation, fore
| stall Porter in the betting by backing Lu-
cretia down short price himself, and have
| Jakey Faust lay with a full vigor against
| the Hanover colt. He would thus confine
Porter to the stake money. and Ringwood
would still lie chained to his bank by the
golden links he had forged on the place
| Almost insensibly side by side with this
| weed of villainy there growing In
! Cranes mind most pecriar flower of SEN
| timent a love blossom Strive as he would
| though the apathy of his rebellion some
| what startled him-Crane could not obliter-
| ate from his thoughts the wondrous gray
| eyes of Allis Porter.
Even after Langdon had gone the atmos-
phere of the room still smirched by unholy
underplay, thoughts of the girl came to
| Crane, jostling and elbowing the evil con-
ceptions of his restless mind. Grotesquely
| incongruous as it was. Crane was actually
in love; but the love flower pure enough in
| itself. had rooted in malarious ground. His
passion was absolutely love, nothing else
love at first sight. But he was forty and
the methods Of that many years must still
: ! govern his actions. Instinctively he felt
! that he must win the girl by diplomacy
and Cranes idea of diplomacy was to get a
Il man irrevOcably in his power. If John Por-
ter were indebted to him beyond redemp-
ton, If he practically owned Ringwood
why should he not succeed with Allis? Ali
his life he had gone on in just that way
| breaking men, for broken men were beyond
| doubt but potter's clay.
Langdon bought the Dutchman What
| methods he employed Crane took no pains
: to discover In fact, stopped Langdon alb.
| ruptly when he sought to enlarge on the
| difficulties he had overcome in the pur.
chase. The price was the only item that in.
=. terested Crane-seven thousand dollars
that included everything-even the secre
4 | service money.
. The horse acquired, Crane had one NOR,
move to make; he sent for Jakey Faust. tn,
= | bookmaker.
Faust and Crane had a reciprocal under
!, standing When the bookmaker needed
a | financial assistance he got it from th,
banker; when Crane needed a missioner,
10 among the other bookmakers Faust acte,
a for him.
II want to back Lucretia for tb
~ ! Eclipse Crane said to the bookmaker
q "Lucretia!' calculated Faust. "Shc',
ls have rosy time beatin' Dutchy on thei
l. last race. They'll put a better boy up O.
II | home all by himself"
# Yes fairish sort of jock will have tn
mount, think-Westley's a good enoug
a | boy
Z "Westley?' came wonderingly from Fans
is Yes, Langdon owns the Dutchman now
m The Cherub pursed his fat lips In sol
If whistle of enlightenment. 1t had staggere
a him at first that Crane, for whose acume
he had a profound respect should have In
ed tended such hazardous gamble; now h
n saw light.
~ Then my book is full on the Porte
mare?' he said, inquiringly.
IN Crane nodded his head.
Sc AN / lay against the Hanover colt?"
d. Again Crane nodded.
Its not bookmaking.' commented Faus
lis I'm not a bookmaker," retorted Gran
And see here, Faust he continue
1wrh rha,, ON ~.