like a drunken man--swayed
all over the course, and he couldn't pull her together at all."

"Does he mean she was doped?"

"You've guessed it," answered the Steward, laconically.

"That's nonsense, sir; and he knows it. Why, the little mare is as sweet
as a lamb, and as game a beast as ever looked through a bridle. Somebody
got at the boy. I can prove by Dixon that Lucretia never had a grain of
cocaine in her life--never even a bracer of whiskey--she doesn't need
it; and as for the race, I hadn't a cent on Lauzanne."

"But your son."

"He had a small bet; I didn't know that, even, until they were running."

"Did you tell him not to back Lucretia, for he did Lauzanne?"

"I told him not to bet at all."

"And you played the mare yourself?"

For answer Porter showed the Steward his race programme, on which was
written the wager he had made on Lucretia, and the bookmaker's name.

"Ask Ullmer to bring his betting sheet," the Steward said to an
assistant.

On the sheet, opposite John Porter's badge number, was a bet, $10,000 to
$4,000, in the Lucretia column.

"Did this gentleman make that bet with you?" the Steward asked of
Ullmer.

"He carries the number; besides I know Mr. Porter, I remember laying it
to him."

"Thank you, that will do. Hit you pretty hard," he said, turning to
Porter. "And you hadn't a saver on Lauzanne?"

"Not a dollar."

"What about your buying him--is there anything in that story?"

Porter explained the purchase. The Steward nodded his head.

"They seem to have been pretty sure of winning, those other people,"
he commented; "but we can't do anything to them for winning; nor about
selling you the horse, I fear; and as far as you're concerned, Lucretia
was supposed to be trying. Who gave your jockey orders?"

"Dixon. I don't interfere; he trains the horses."

"We'd like to have Dixon up here again for a minute. I'm sorry we've
had to trouble you, Mr. Porter; I can see there is not the slightest
suspicion attaches to you."

In answer to the Steward's query about the order to McKay, Dixon said:
"I told McKay the boss had a big bet down, and to make no mistake--no
Grand Stand finish for me. I told him to get to the front as soon as he
could, and stay there, and win by as far as he liked. I got the office
that there'd be somethin' doin' in the race, an' I told him to get out
by himself."

After Dixon was dismissed, the Stewards consulted for a minute, with the
result that McKay wa