life as in a race."

Carpenter nodded again.

"But it's different with Col. Troup's entry. Ever been to Lenox?" he
asked suddenly.

Carpenter shook his head.

"Don't know anybody there?" asked Travis. "I thought so--just what I
want."

He went on indifferently, but Carpenter saw that he was measuring his
words and noting their effect upon himself. "They work out over there
Tuesdays and Fridays--the fair is only a few weeks off--they will be
stepping their best by Friday. Now, go there and say nothing--but
just sit around and see how fast Col. Troup's mare can trot."

"That'll be easy," said Carpenter.

"I have no notion of losing my thousand and reputation, too." He bent
over to Carpenter and laughed. "All's fair in love and--a horse race.
You know it's the 2:25 class, and I've entered Lizette, but Sadie B.
is so much like her that no living man who doesn't curry them every
day could tell them apart. Sadie B.'s mark is 2:15. Now see if Troup
can beat 2:25. Maybe he can't beat 2:15."

Then he laughed ironically.

Carpenter looked at him wonderingly.

It was all he said, but it was enough for Carpenter. Fraud's wink to
the fraudulent is an open book. Her nod is the nod of the Painted
Thing passing down the highway.

Base-born that he was--low by instinct and inheritance, he had never
heard of so brilliant and so gentlemanly a piece of fraud. The
consummate boldness of it made Carpenter's eyes twinkle--a gentleman
and in a race with gentlemen--who would dare to suspect? It was the
boldness of a fine woman, daring to wear a necklace of paste-diamonds.

He sat looking at Travis in silent admiration. Never before had his
employer risen to such heights in the eyes of the Whipper-in. He sat
back in his chair and chuckled. His furtive eyes danced.

"Nobody but a born gen'us 'ud ever have tho'rt of that," he
said--"never seed yo' e'kal--why, the money is your'n, any way you
fix it. You can ring in Lizette one heat and Sadie B."----

"There are things to be thought and not talked of," replied Travis
quickly. "For a man of your age ar'n't you learning to talk too much
out loud? You go and find out what I've asked--I'll do the rest. I'm
thinking I'll not need Sadie B. Never run a risk, even a dead sure
one, till you're obliged to."

"I'll fetch it next week--trust me for that. But I hope you will do
it--ring in Sadie B. just for the fun of it. Think of old bay-window
Troup trottin' his mare to death ag'in two fa