“Crane told me so himself,” said the Trainer; “Porter's hurt, an' I guess they're in a hole, an' the boss took over Diablo.”
“Say, Dick,” and Faust edged close enough to tap the other man's ribs with his thumb, “were you born yesterday? I say,” continued the Cherub, for Langdon had turned away somewhat impatiently, “what's the good av givin' me that gup; you didn't stand for it yourself—not on yer life. Th' old man's pretty slick; buys a bad horse to help a poor mutt, an' enters him in the Brooklyn, eh?”
“The Brooklyn!” exclaimed Langdon, thrown off his guard.
With corpulent intensity the Cherub melodramatically drew from his pocket the Telegraph clipping and tendered it to Langdon, watching the latter's face closely. “That's the pea, Dick, eh?” he asked.
Langdon was thinking. Was Crane doubling on him all around? Why the devil hadn't he told him?
“Now you ain't takin' in that fairy tale of Crane's any more'n I am, Dick. Why can't we do a bit for ourselves over this; it won't hurt the boss none. Won't throw him down. This horse was a good youngster, an' Crane didn't get him without seein' him do somethin'. You jest keep me posted, an' if he shapes good I can back 'm fer an old-time killin', see? I'll divvy up straight.”
Langdon didn't answer at once—not with satisfaction to Faust; he knew that Crane held the butter for his bread, even the bread itself; but here was a man with cake, and he loved cake. Finally, in the glamour of Jakey's talk of untold wealth to be acquired, Langdon, swayed by the cupidity of his nature rather than his better judgment, promised half-heartedly to cooperate with Faust.
But no sooner had the latter gone than the lode-star of Langdon's self-interest flickered clearly in view, and he promised Mr. Jakey, mentally, a long trip to a very hot place, indeed, rather than a surreptitious partnership over Diablo.
It was some little time after this, while Faust was feeling somewhat irritated at the absence of information from Langdon, that he had an interview with Crane.
“I want you to back The Dutchman to win fifty thousand for me over the Brooklyn Derby,” the latter said.