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“How about exercise?” asked Kennedy.

“Well,” replied Murchie, “I work out horses according to age, with the distance for fast work gradually increased.”

Our trip through the wonderful stable over, we returned to the office, Murchie walking ahead with Broadhurst. As we reached the door, Broadhurst turned to us.

“I hope you will pardon me,” he said, “but there is some business up at the house that I must attend to.”

“Oh, Mr. Broadhurst,” interjected Murchie, “before you go back to town, I want to talk over with you some of the changes that ought to be made about the boys here, as well as their food and quarters.”

“All right,” returned Broadhurst; “jump into the car and ride with me. We can talk on the way, and you can come right back. I’ll pick you gentlemen up later.”

Kennedy nodded, quick to perceive the cue that Broadhurst had given him to watch the stables without Murchie watching us.

We sat down in the office, and I looked about at the superb fittings.

“Do you think it is possible for an owner to make a financial success of racing without betting?” I asked Kennedy.

“Possible, but highly improbable,” returned Craig. “I believe they consider that they have an excellent year whenever they clear expenses. I don’t know about Broadhurst, but I believe that a good many owners don’t bet on their horses. They have seen the glaring crookedness of the thing, especially if they have happened to be officers of jockey clubs or stewards of various race-meets. Personally, I should think a man of Broadhurst’s stamp would not permit himself to be made a victim of the leeches of the turf–although he may wager a bit, just to give zest to the race. American racing has often been called a purely gambling affair, and I think, before we get through, that we shall see the reason for much of the public opposition to it.”

Just then a small man entered the office, and, seeing us, asked for Mr. Murchie. His face was pinched and thin. He wore the latest cut of clothes, but was so very slight that his garments hung loosely on him. One could well imagine that he had tried all sorts of schemes to keep himself down toward the hundred-and-ten-or-twelve-pound mark. He was the very type of jockey. He introduced himself to us as Danny McGee, and I recognized at once the famous twenty-five-thousand-dollar-a-year rider, who had so often successfully defended the Broadhurst colors.

“Mr. Murchie has gone up to the house,” replied Kennedy to his inquiry.

McGee looked us over a minute.

“Friends of his?” he asked, in a confidential tone. Kennedy smiled.

“Of Mr. Broadhurst’s,” he said quietly.

There was a noticeable change in McGee’s manner.

“Just out here to look the stable over,” went on Kennedy; “a wonderful place.”

“Yes; we think so,” assented McGee.

“It seems strange,” ventured Kennedy, “that, with all this care, Lady Lee should not be keeping up to her record.”

McGee glanced at us keenly.

“I don’t understand it myself,” he said. “I suppose lots of people must think it is the fault of the jockey, but I have certainly earned my salary lately with that filly. I don’t know what’s the matter. I’ve done the best I can, but in spite of it there’s something wrong.”

He spoke with an air of genuine worry, and, although I tried hard, I must confess that I found it impossible to fathom him.

“The filly,” he added, “has her regular work-out and the regular feed, and yet she seems to be all tired out most of the time. Even the veterinaries can’t seem to find out what’s the matter.”

An awkward silence followed, during which both Kennedy and myself endeavored to conceal our ignorance of horses by saying nothing about them. Finally McGee rose and excused himself, saying that he would be back soon.

There were still a few minutes before Murchie would be likely to return. Without saying a word, Kennedy rose and opened the door which led into the stable. Across the lawn in the center we could see a man’s figure rapidly retreating through the main entrance, and, somehow or other, I felt that at the sound of the opening of our door he hastened his pace.