Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-07

The trainers face frightened. "Did you
get Lucretia, after all?"
"No, / bought a big black, Diablo.''
The look Of delight faded from Langdon's
eyes quickly. THE dewitt" he exclaimed.
That's what l said; that's HE 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 sirel
Robert the Devil, without a bit Of the good.
either. He'd break a man that would fol-
low him.
He won't break me- answered Crane,
quietly; nor you, either, Langdon-you've
got too much sense"
This subtle tribute notified the trainer.
Crane proceeded: ~ remember the horse
quite we'll. Four thousand was paid for
him as a yearling; as a 2-year-old he was
tried out good enough to win the Futurity;
but when IT came to racing he cut It and
finished in the ruck."
That's right" commented Langdon, "He
owes me a good bit, that same Johnny; his
people thought him a lead-pipe cinch, and
/ went down the line on him, to my sorrow"
Gust so. You know him as well as | do,
It's a great way to get acquainted with
them. isn't It. 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 antipathy to Diablo.
you think he's really good, then, siri
did he show you a fast trial?"
81 didn't even Bee the horse" Crane an
swered, looking dreamily out Of the win
dow. az bought him to-" he paused. re-
fectively; he couldn't tell Langdon why he
had bought him and he hardly cared to have
his prestige with the trainer destroyed.
He continued, shifting in the subject
matter a trife. you did John Porter up
over Lausanne 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
Lausanne and Lausanne was loaded"
Langdon said nothing. What the d.
was coming?
WELL" drawled Crane, "Porter's badly
hurt; he's out of the race for some time
to ONT. They're friends of mine"
They're friends" unused Langdon, "whc
In thunder are they?"
They're friends Of mine and l Offered
to buy Lausanne back Just to help then
out, but the old mans daughter has &C.
the chestnut for a hack and she won't sci
him. 1t was Diablo's fault that Porter got
NA1 AoAAf oO NhNI WV IN W MI 10
him and I took the brute"
This was certainly a new role for Crant
to play, Langdon thought; his employs
helping people out when they were II
difficulties was a revelation. The traineI
felt inclined to laugh. No doubt Their,
was something back of II all, some tou
must have given Crane information of
fast gallop Diablo had done and he hai
gone down to Ringwood to buy the horse
thinking that Porter would be selling som
Of his racers owing to the accident.
Langdon tried to remember what Shand
had said about niahlo, CT whether the DO
had mentioned his name at all.
II wonder what condition he's in?' tn
trainer remarked, questioningly.
Physically. 1 think he's all right; 1
seems he galloped something under fort
miles with Porter before he came a crop
per. But l understand they had an imp Q
q boy, Sheedy or Shaney-"
~"Shandy," corrected Langdon.
Yes, that's the name" affirmed Gran,
; drawing a semi-circle in the air with hi
cigar, land he's a devil on wheels, by a.
, accounts. Diablo's no angel, as you'y
! said, Langdon, and this boy made him
heap worse. you've handled some ba
/ horses in your time and know more abou
II than / do, but I'd suggest that you pu
W~estley-he's a patient lad-to look afte
the black; give him quite a bit Of work
| and when you've got him right, try him on
with something and IL he shows any forr
we'll pick out a soft spot for him. Let IN
Sec, he's a ~maiden-fancy that, buying
!. 4-year-old maiden!"
Langdon laughed spprovingly. Gran
was evidently coming back to his view {
> the case.
well, as I have said, he's a Made
: and we will try and congratulate him on
. Of that class. 1t will be a great chanc
for a killing II we caR round him into hi
! early 2-year-old form and you can do Il
n Langdon, IL anybody on earth can"
Now, I've got him on his reputation,
= thought Crane, idly brushing specks {
I cigar ash from the front of his coat.
Just as | thought" unused Langdon
1.-THE old mans got a horse after his ow,
9 heart. Everybody thinks Diablo's no good
y but the boss has found out something, an
! is on for the biggest kind of a coup"
Flows the Dutchman coming on p aske
e Crane. intimating by the question that tn
X subject of Dlablo had been closed out, 70
e the present at least.
Q Great. He cleans up his four quart
d three times a day and Is as big as a car
horse. never had a better doer In m
5 hands. II he keeps well, and / think h
will, you have a great chance with him 70
the Brooklyn derby"
That's encouraging. There are som
y good horses in 1t, thought, White Moth, an
others. However, I'll back the Dutchma
to win $50, 900, and there1l be $40, 900 in tina
a for you. Langdon. II II comes on"
The trainers mouth watered. Money wa
his god. Horses were all right as a mean
to an end, but the end itself was gold
Practically, he would stop at nothing to at
tain that end; his avaricious mind stimu
lated by Cranes promise came at once {
the disturbing element In the pleasant pros
\ pect, shandy's report Of Lucretia's goo
" form.
Is did you hnd out anything about Porter
8. mare, Lucretia-I know White Moths form
N both ht and well, the Dutchman holds hil
m safe over the derby journey"
a "No. ! didn't hear anything about Poi
II ter's mare"
q II have" said Langdon. decisively. :
Is paid a boy TO keep an eye on her, and b
h says she'll be hard to beat"
Is Crane frowned. "What boy?" he aske'
he abruptly.
~ "shAndy."
"well. jpst drop that; chuck that gam
OF John Porter has his own troubles. II l