Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-20
CHAPTER XVI.

meant to have this good thing all to HIM
self
Then Langdon had promised to cooper
ate. now he, too. had closed up like chaln'
he was as mute as oyster
Crane is dealin the cards all the time,
thought Faust; but there's some game
on, sure"
He determined to back Diablo for himself
at the long odds and chance it.
Two days later Crane received very
luterate epistIe evidently from a stable
boy; 1t was unsigned:
"Dere Boss-Yous is gittin 1t in the neck
de big blak hors he didn't carrie the sadel
you think the blak hors had on his back
Yous got de duble eros that time. Der
bokie hes akin me wot de blak hors Is good
fer der bokie is playin fer to trow yous
downe.
mo moar at presen
This was the wholly ambiguous comnu M
cation that Crane had found under ms
office door. There was no stamp, neltner
plate nor date written in the letter, notfnhg
but an evident warning from some one;
who, no doubt, hoped to get into MS sood
eraces bv putting him on his guard
AS 1t happened, Crane had just made up
his mind to make his plunge on Diablo
while the odds were long enough to make II
possible with the outlay of very little capt.
tai He smoked a heavy Manuel Garcia
over his new contingency. 1t did not mat
ter about the saddles. Langdoh t haa l, con
of the ill-spened missive known of that
natter"
these whisperings came to other ears.
But the bOOkmaker mentionedE mat
must be Faust. Why was he prowling
about among stable lads?
He sent for Faust. When the latter had
come Crane asked Diablo's price for the
ITS 80 to / now" replied the bookmaker.
somebody's backin him"
Faust's small baby eyes were fixed fur
lively on Cranes pale, sallow face as ne
impaired this information, but he might as
well have studied ,-.e ingram paper on the
wall; its unfigured surface was not more
placid more devoid OF indication than the
smooth countenance he was searching.
Crane remained tantalizingly silent for a
full minute Evidently his thoughts had
drifted away to some other subject.
Yes" said Faust, speaking again ',Il,, to
break the trying quiet, some ones nlDoiln
at Diablo in the books. l wonder II 1t g
Porter. Did he think him good horse?|
at can't be Porter nor anyone else who
knows Diablo. It's some foolish outsider
tempted by the long odds. | suppose, now tHo
better You took that five thousand 10
fifty for me, didn't YOU?
YES"
wei, just lay it off. You can do so now
you don't want to back Diablo. them?
Shall I lay against him further?'
''If you like-in your own book. l don't
want to have anything to do with him one
way or the other. 1 always thought ne
was a bad horse, and-and-well, never
mind Just lay that bet off. l shall prob
ably want to back the Dutchman again
shortly"
When Faust had gone Crane opened the
little drawer which held his betting book,
took 1t out and drew pencil through the
entry he had made opposite Allis name.
That's off for few days, thanks to
Mr. Faust" he thought. Then he ran his
eye back over several other entries. An,
that's the man-Hummel; he'll do"
Next he consulted his telephone book;
tracing his finger down the H column,
he came to Ike Hummel, commission bro
ker, Madison 711s4.
Over the phone he made an appointment
for the next day at IL o'clock with Hum
NELL and the result of that interview was
that Crane backed Diablo to win him
q matter Of seventy-fve thousand dollars
at the liberal odds of seventy-fve to one;
for Jakey Faust. feeling that he had MADE
O mistake IN backing the black had LAID on
al his own bets and sent the horse back
In the market to longer odds. Crane had
completely thrown him off his guard.
Faust no sooner had congratulated him
self upon having slipped out OF his Dlablo
bets, than he heard that big commission
had been most skinfully worked on this
outsider for the Brooklyn. In his new d.
iemma he went to Crane, feeling very much
at sea -. o,, .,r -
They're backin' your horse again, Sir
he said.
Are they7'
yes. heavy"
eff he's worth backing at all l suppose
he's worth backing heavily"
This aphorism seemed to merit a new
cigar on Cranes part, so he lighted one.
Hes Fsvei9 up and DOM n in Srd tine %a to
thirty then went back to seventy-five; now
he's at twenty; l can't make 1t out.
at shouldn't try" advised Crane sooth-
tngly TOO much knowledge is even as
a lesser
Faust started guilty, and looked with
quick inquiry at the speaker, but, as usual
there was nothing in his presence beyond
the words to hang conjecture on.
az thought for your sake that I'd better
ind out"
"Oh. don't worry about me. that is, too
much, you know. 1 go down to Gravesend
once IN while myself. and no doubt know
all that's doing"
A great fear fell upon Faust Evidently
this was an intimation to him to keep
away from the stables. How did Crane
know-who had split on him? Was 1t Lang,
don Shandy or Coney? Someone had
evidently aroused Cranes suspicion, and
this man of a great cleverness had put him
away while he worked a big commission
through someone else. The thought was
none the less bitter to Faust, that 1t was
ell his fault. his supercleverness.
AN you don't want me to work COM
mission for you on Diablo" he asked des-
perately.
say, Faust. in future when l want you to
DO any betting on my horses on my &C
count. you know, I'll tell you. Understand?
You needn't worry. that is-other people,
I'll tell you myself"
81 didn't mean-"Faust had started to
try a plausible explanation. but Crane
stopped him.
Never mind. the matter is closed out
now"
''But, sir" persisted Faust 'lf you've
got your money all on, can take a bit now
lis It good business? We've worked to-
gether a good deal without any misunder-
Standing before"
''Yes we have" commented Crane.
Eyes an I'd like to be in on this now. I
didn't mean to forestan you"
Crane raised his hand in an attitude OF
supplication for the other man TO desist,
but Faust was not to be stopped.
ST made a mistake, an I'm sorry. an II
YOU will tell me whether Diablo's good
business for the Brooklyn. I'll back him
now at the shorter price. There's no use of
as helm bad friends"
81 think Diablo's fairly good bet" said
Crane, quietly. entirely ignoring the ques-
ton of friendship.
at won't be poachin' II 1 have bet.
them" asked the cherub. more solicitous
nor1i oto tra