Evening star., 1902-08-30

| tion to an act which spoke far louder than
Mr. Porter's disclalming words.
Porter was not at all deceived by the
minister; in fact, he rather admired the
others cleverness in beating him on the
| post. He gave little laugh as he said:
Il should not have succeeded very well in
bank. l am more at home with the
| horses than | with figures; but / expect
| would have gone fairly straight, and hope
the boy will do the same. l fancy one of
the great troubles about banking is to
keep the men hOnest-the temptation Of
handling so much money being great. They
seem to have more chances to steal than
men the race course"
AS usual Porter seemed to be speaking out
of his thoughts, and without malice-no one
took offense. 1t was simply a straight
forward answer to Dolman's charge.
Porter had simply summed up the whole
business in a very small nutshell That
there was temptation everywhere, and that
honest men and thieves were to be found
on race courses, in banks, in every busl-
ness; but that, like horses, fair share Of
them were honest
Speaking materially Of race horses quite
outside Of the moral aspect said Crane, as
he was taking his leave, you'll have to be
mighty careful of that Diablo, Mr.. Porter
! when Miss Allis Is about. He seems a vim
dictive BRUTE
Yes, John; you'll have to sell him right
away. I'll be frightened to death while he's
about the place.
Il shall never be bit afraid of him."
all the mischief, has been discharged"
"Diablo has alway been more trouble than
he's WORTH said Porter. Il thought he
| was going to be a good horse, but he isn't;
and If he has taken to eating people I'll
give him away some day. 1 wouldn't sell
him as a good horse, and nobodyd buy
man-eater."
"Il buy him when you make up your
| mind, Mr.. Porter!' exclaimed Crane, some
| what eagerly. II have nobody sweet
| enough to tempt his appetite In the mean
time, Miss Allis, II 1 were you should keep
away from him"
Then presently, with good nights and
parting words Of warning about Diablo, the
| guests were gone, and Mortimer, having
| declined Porter's proffered help, was some
what awkwardly-having but one good hand
preparing to retire in Alan's ROOM
His mind worked somewhat faster than
his fingers; several new problems had been
given to 1t to labor over within the compass
of single moon. That horse racing should
ever become a disturbing interest In his
life had seemed very improbable: now it
was like a gale in his soul-it swayed him.
He was storm-tossed in the disturbing ele
ment-he could come to satisfactory con-
clusion. On the one hand, the thorough
| bred horses were to be admired; they were
brave and true creatures of love- Also Por-
ter was an honest man, the one thing he
admired above all else.
And Miss Allis! Somehow or other his
eyes flew up to picture that rested on
mantelpiece in the room. He took it down,
so, and, taking it close under the lamp that
was on the table. sattand gazed steadfastly
into the girish face.
Even In the photograph the big, wondrous
we are not wrong?'' That was the at
mosphere; so thoroughly straightforward
and honest that wrong failed of contamina-
ton.
Still, it was unconvincing to Mortimer.
The horses might be good, the man honest
and the girl pure and sweet but the lie
itself was distastefuI.9 Reason as one might,
1t was allied to gambling.
Mortimer rose with sigh; the whole
thing wearied him. Why should he dis
tress his mind over the matter? AS he put
the photograph back on the mantel he held
1t for an instant, then suddenly, with q
nervous, awkward gesture, brought 1t to his
lips and kissed the eyes that seemed to
command tribute.
The movement twisted his broken-ribbed
side. and an agony of pain came to him in
quick retribution. 1t was as though the
involuntary kiss had lurched him forward
beads OF perspiration, which stood cold on
his forehead Swift taken from the stimu-
liant of his thoughts, his nerves, overtaxed
by the evening. tangled discordantly, and
he crept into bed feeling an unutterable
depression, as though the room was filled
with evil. threatening spirits.
CHAPTER 2.
In coincidence, two men Mortimer and
Crane, had similar thoughts the day after
Mr.. Dolman's discussion; and, rather re-
markably, their deductions were alike, hav-