Evening star., 1922-07-23

Was Arthur so innocent as to be-
! lieve that racing was conducted on
the level? What were these rich
| owners in the game for? The sport of
| it? Ha! That was for the digestion
| Of the boobs that came and bet their
| dollars. White and Arthur knew, as
| business men, that sport was a busi-
ness nowadays and that no one was
out for anything but the money.
No more was said at the time. for
White knew with certain knowledge
that his dupe would think this infor-
| nation over in the solitude of his
chamber, that his imagination would
be stirred at Blacks colossal adven-
lures and that his greed would soon
start forging chains for him. The
confidence man is nothing if not a
practical psychologist. He has under
stood for many years what DR.. Freud
has lately expounded in scientific
terms, namely. that the mind of man
always translates and transforms
whatever it receives into personal and
egotistic terms and images. White
understood that Arthur would shortly
be imagining himself in Blacks shoes
and thirsting for a slice of crooked
winnings
A few days later the inseparable
White and Arthur encountered Black
again. This time White went up and
spoke to the betting magnate. while
Arthur stood by. Black fixed White
with a fishy eye and received him
with much reserve, but after White
had reminded his man of their pre-
vious meeting. Black unbent some
what and received Arthur cordially
when White introduced them. But
when White began to inquire a little
familiarity how luck was treating
Black and how the ponies were run
ming. Black drew in warily and left
Arthur with the impression that here
was a cautious man, difficult of ap-
proach. Arthur thought he knew a
more diplomatic manner of proceed
ing and invited Black to dine. Black
graciously accepted for himself and
his wife So a party of six got to-
gether that evening, and as the result
Bimini liquor the aloof and taci-
turn Billy Black unlimbered and
made himself thrice agreeab BILE. He
wound up by asking his new friends
to dine with him and his wife at his
own hotel the following night. And
later on he took the party for a cruise
on a yacht he had leased for the sea-
son.
RTHUR was duly impressed and
4 continued to be further bolstered
| ard built-up, as confidence men say.
When Black was away White told
Arthur how great and wise a man
| this Black was and in the absence
of White Black sang the praises of
| his partner in con. The women took
| a hand in this old and effective game.
boosting one another endlessly to
Arthur, but always with subtle fiat
teries for himself hid in their words,
till the hapless quarry verify be-
Iieved himself to be in the company
Of the elect.
AS these people grew more intimate
Black abandoned some OF his reserve
and began to talk OF his bets and
winnings. On one occasion he was
furious Something had gone wrong
and he had lost $4,000, he said. Some
I one had disobeyed his orders. But he
soon rallied and dismissed the matter
| as one of small Importance. Such
reTerses came along occasionally, be-
cause the machine he used was. after
all, human. A little later on he came
| in triumphant with fat roll of thou
sand and hundred dollar bills in his
hand. He had won $4,000 that day.
No suggestion was ever made that
Arthur ought to bet his money on any
of Blacks races. Indeed. the bettor
was invariably inscrutable and Sc
cret. The CON men knew. to be sure,
that this was the cautious and sue