what I am hoping for," said the other. "He 's used to mud. I
have ridden him in it after cattle many a day. He can out-gallop any
horse in the State in mud."

Robin looked at the young man keenly. He showed more shrewdness than he
had given him credit for.

"Kin he jump in mud?" he demanded.

"He can jump in anything. He can fly. If you just had let me take him
over those fences----"

Robin changed the subject:

"What 's his name? I got to go an' enter him."

The boy told him. The old man's countenance changed, but the other did
not see it. He was busy getting a roll of bills--by no means a large
one--from his pocket.

"How much is it? I have the money all right." He proudly unrolled the
money, mostly dollar bills. The old negro took the roll and counted the
money slowly.

"Is dis----?" he began, but stopped. After a minute's thought he went
over them again.

"Heah." He took out about half the money, and handed the rest back.
"Wait. I 'll tend to it." He reached for his coat. "Don't you do nuttin'
to him while I 'm gone, an' don't you lef' him, not a minute." He put
on his coat and went out.

His path led out from among the stables to the wing of one of the
buildings where the superintendent and his staff had their offices. Here
a colloquy took place between Robin and the cigar-smoking, dark-skinned
clerk in charge, and then Robin left and paid a visit to another kind
of official--an official on the main road, just outside the grounds, who
kept an establishment which was divided into two departments. One was
dignified by the word "Cafe" painted in black letters on the white
ground of the painted pane, though on the door was the simple American
word "Bar." Over the door of the other was an attempt to portray three
gilded balls. The proprietor of this bifurcated establishment, a man
with red hair, a low forehead, a broad chin, and brawny shoulders, a
long lip and long arms, rejoiced in the name of Nicholas Crimins, though
by most of his customers he was irreverently called by a diminutive of
that name. The principal part of his business undoubtedly came from the
side of the establishment with the short name; but it was known to the
stable-fraternity that on occasion "Old Nick" would make an advance to a
needy borrower who was "down on his luck" of at least fifteen per cent,
of almost any article's value. Saddles, bridles, watches, pistols,
scarf-pins, and all the indiscriminate belongings of a race-track
po