Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-06
further investigation into the methods

V.
 For week John Porter brooded over Lucretia's defeat, and, worse still, over 1 the unjust suspicion of the minimizing public. Porter loved good horse, and liked to see him win. The confidence of the public in his honesty was as great reward as the stakes. He raced as profession, honestly and squarely. He had asserted more than once that If he were wealthy he would never race two-year-old. But his income must be derived from his horses, his capital was in them; and just at this time he was sitting in particularly hard streak of bad luck; financially, he was in hole; morally, he stood i'll with the public.
 His reason told him that the il1-for- tune could not last; he had one great little msre; good enough to win, an honest trainer-there the inventory 1 stopped short; he had not a trusted jockey. In his dilemma he threshed it out with Dixon.
 How's the mare doing, Andy?" he asked.
 She was never better in her life,' the trainer answered, proudly. She'll win next time out, sir-I'll gamble my shirt on that"
 Not with another Mckay up." T think she's good enough for the Eclipse sir, dashed if don't. worked her the distance and she shaded the time they made last year,
 Whats the use,' said Porter, deject- edly 'Where'll we get .boy?"
 "Oh. lots of the boys are straight"
 T know that" Porter answered, "but all the straight ones are tied hand and foot to the big stables"
 I've been thinkin' 1t over," hazard ed Dixon, tentatively-"Boston Bills got good lad-there's none of them can put it over him, an his boss amt got noth;n in the Eclipse know: Well, they downed me last trip, Dixon-I guess I'm getting bit slow in my paces; and you do just as you lke-arrange with Boston Bill if you think it's good business. He makes g speciality of winning races mot pull ing horses, and we need win, too, I guess
 Thank you, sir We'll land that stake, an p'raps the sharp division'll take tumble. I'll bet dollar they'll | race the other day, and he's in the 'Eclipse-if they start him. Lucretia's right on edge, an may go back if we don't give her a race. She oughter be long price in the bettin,' too, the public soon sour on beaten horse. You'll have chance to get even."
 T don't like that part of it." mutter ed Porter. '.I'm in the black books now. They've got it into their heads that dirty job was of my making, and if the lilly starts at ten to one, and I win bit, they'll howl"
 .'You can't make a success of racin,' sir. an run your stable for the public they don't pay the feed bill.'
 For immediate financial relief Porter knew that he must look to Lucretia- no other horse in his stable was ready to win; but more immediately he must arrange certain money matters with his banker, who was Phillip Crane. To Porter, Crane had been tolerant finan- eier, taking the mans honesty lib- erally as security; not but what Ring wood had been called upon as tang ible asset So that day, following his conversation with Dixon, the master
 
 his banker. It was natural that he should speak of his prospects his hopes of winning the Eclipse with Lu- cretia, and, corroboratively, mention her good trial.
 "I think that's good mare of yours, ] MT. Porter said Crane, sympathetic ally '.I only race myself in small way, just for the outdoor relaxation it gives me. you know, so am not much of judge. Tne other horse you bought the winner of the race, mean, Lau- zanne-will also help put you right, I should say"
 Porter hesitated, uneasily He dis liked to talk about man behind his back, but he knew that Langdon trained for Crane, and he longed to give the banker friendly word of warning.
 With a touch of rustic quaintness, he said. with seeming irrelevaAce to the subject: Have you ever picked ! wild berries in the field, MT. Crane?''
 "I have"
 Did you ever notice that going !: down wind you could see the berries : better?"
 Crane thought for a moment. "Yes, that's right; coming up wind the leaves hid them.'
 "Just so.'' commented Porter; land when a mans got a trainer he's nearly always working up wind with him. '
 'The trainer hides things?" queried Crane.
 Some do. But the outsiders walk ing down wind see the berries"
 And the banker pondered for min ute, then he said, Whose garden are , the berries In, MT. Porter, yours or miner" ......S Well, you've always been 8 friend . of mine, Mr. Crane" Porter answered, evasively.
 'I see," said the other, meditatively; i; "I understand, I'm obliged. If l thought for an instant that any train CT wasn't dealing perfectly straight forward with me, I'd have nothing