ent the horse back in the market to the longer odds. Crane had
completely thrown him of his guard.

No sooner had Faust congratulated himself upon having slipped out of his
Diablo bets than he heard that a big commission had been most skillfully
worked on this outsider for the Brooklyn. In his new dilemma he went to
Crane, feeling very much at sea.

"They're backin' your horse again, sir," he said.

"Are they?"

"Yes; heavy."

"If he's worth backing at all I suppose he's worth backing heavily."

This aphorism seemed to merit a new cigar on Crane's part, so he lighted
one.

"He's travelin' up and down in the market," continues Faust. "He dropped
to thirty, then went back to seventy-five; now he's at twenty; I can't
make it out."

"I shouldn't try," advised Crane, soothingly. "Too much knowledge is
even as great a danger as a lesser amount sometimes."

Faust started guiltily and looked with quick inquiry at the speaker,
but, as usual, there was nothing in his presence beyond the words to
hang a conjecture on.

"I thought for your sake that I'd better find out."

"Oh, don't worry about me; that is, too much, you know. I go down to
Gravesend once in a while myself, and no doubt know all that's doing."

A great fear fell upon Faust. Evidently this was an intimation to him
to keep away from the stables. How did Crane know--who had split on him?
Was it Langdon, or Shandy, or Colley? Some one had evidently aroused
Crane's suspicion, and this man of a great cleverness had put him away
while he worked a big commission through some one else. The thought
was none the less bitter to Faust that it was all his own fault; his
super-cleverness.

"An' you don't want me to work a commission for you on Diablo?" he
asked, desperately.

"No; I sha'n't bet on him at present. And say, Faust, in future when I
want you to do any betting on my horses, on my account, you know, I'll
tell you. Understand? You needn't worry, that is--other people. I'll
tell you myself."

"I didn't mean--" Faust had started to try a plausible explanation, but
Crane stopped him.

"Never mind; the matter is closed out now."

"But, sir," persisted Faust, "if you've got your money all on, can I
take a bit now? Is it good business? We've worked together a good deal
without misunderstanding before."

"Yes, we have," commented Crane.

"Yes; an' I'd like to be in on this now. I didn't mean to forestall
you."

Crane raised his hand in an attitude of