been stung by bees."

"I never heard of such a thing," commented Porter. "A man that would
dope a two-year-old ought to be ruled off, sure."

"I think you oughter make a kick, sir," said Dixon, hesitatingly.

"I don't. When I squeal, Andy, it'll be when there's nothing but
the voice left. I bought a horse from a man once just as he stood.
I happened to know the horse, and said I didn't want any
inspection--didn't want to see him, but bought him, as I say, just as
he stood. When I went to the stable to get him he wasn't worth much,
Andy--he was dead. Perhaps I might have made a kick about his not
standing up, but I didn't."

"Well, sir, I'm thinkin' Lauzanne's a deuced sight worse'n a dead horse;
he'll cost more tryin' to win with him."

"I dare say you're right, but he can gallop a bit."

"When he's primed."

"No dope for me, Andy. I never ran a dope horse and never will--I'm too
fond of them to poison them."

"I'll freshen him up a bit, sir, and we'll give him a try in a day or
two. Would you mind puttin' him in a sellin' race?--he cost a bit."

"He couldn't win anything else, and if anybody wants to claim him they
can."

"I thought of starting Diablo in that mile handicap; he's in pretty
light. He's about all we've got ready."

"All right, Dixon," Porter replied. "It may be that we've broke our bad
luck with the little mare."

They were standing in the paddock during this conversation. It was in
the forenoon; Dixon had come over to the Secretary's office to see about
some entries before twelve o'clock. When the Trainer had finished his
business, the two men walked across the course and infield to Stable 12,
where Dixon had his horses. As they passed over the "Withers Course," as
the circular track was called, Dixon pointed to the dip near the lower
far turn.

"It's a deuced funny thing," he said, speaking reminiscently, "but that
little hollow there settles more horses than the last fifty yards of
the finish; it seems to make the soft ones remember that they're runnin'
when they get that change, an' they stop. I bet Diablo'll quit right
there, he's done it three or four times."

"He was the making of a great horse as a two-year-old, wasn't he, Andy?"

"They paid a long price for him, if that's any line; but I think he
never was no good. It don't matter how fast a horse is if he won't try."

"I've an idea Diablo'll be a good horse yet," mused Porter. "You can't
make a slow horse gallop, but there's