ractically owned Ringwood, why should he not succeed
with Allis? All his life he had gone on in just that way, breaking men,
for broken men were beyond doubt but potter's clay.

Langdon bought The Dutchman. What methods he employed Crane took no
pains to discover; in fact, stopped Langdon abruptly when he sought to
enlarge on the difficulties he had overcome in the purchase. The price
was the only item that interested Crane--seven thousand dollars; that
included everything--even the secret service money.

The horse acquired, Crane had one more move to make; he sent for Jakey
Faust, the Bookmaker. Faust and Crane had a reciprocal understanding.
When the Bookmaker needed financial assistance he got it from the
Banker; when Crane needed a missionary among the other bookmakers, Faust
acted for him.

"I want to back Lucretia for the 'Eclipse,"' Crane said to the
bookmaker.

"Lucretia," ejaculated Faust. "She'll have a rosy time beatin' Dutchy on
their last race. They'll put a better boy up on the colt next time, an'
he ought to come home all by himself" "Yes, a fairish sort of a jock
will have the mount I think-Westley's a good enough boy."

"Westley?" came wonderingly from Faust.

"Yes; Langdon owns The Dutchman now."

The Cherub pursed his fat round lips in a soft whistle of enlightenment.
It had staggered him at first that Crane, for whose acumen he had a
profound respect, should have intended such a hazardous gamble; now he
saw light.

"Then my book is full on the Porter mare?" he said, inquiringly. Crane
nodded his head.

"An' I lay against the Hanover colt?"

Again Crane nodded.

"It's not bookmaking," continued Faust.

"I'm not a bookmaker," retorted Crane. "And see here, Faust," he
continued, "when you've got my money on the Porter mare--when and how I
leave to you--I want you to cut her price short--do you understand? Make
her go to the post two to one on, if you can; don't forget that."

"If the mare goes wrong?" objected Faust.

"I don't think she will, but you needn't be in a hurry--there's plenty
of time."

"What's the limit?" asked Faust.

"I want her backed down to even money at least," Crane answered;
"probably ten thousand will do it. At any rate you can go that far."

Then for a few days Langdon prepared his new horse for the Eclipse
according to his idea of Crane's idea; and Dixon rounded Lucretia to
in a manner that gladdened John Porter's heart. They knew nothing of
anything but th