If Porter failed to win the Eclipse, his finances would be in a pitiable
state; he might even have to sell his good filly Lucretia. That would
be a golden opportunity.

From desiring the farm, insensibly Crane drifted into coveting the mare.
He fell to wondering whether The Dutchman might not beat Lucretia. A
question of this sort was one of the few he discussed with Langdon.
Crane had smoked his cigar out, had settled the trend of many things,
and developed the routine for his chessmen.

"I'll give Porter rope enough, in the way of funds, to tangle himself,
and in the meantime I'll run up to New York and see what Langdon thinks
about The Dutchman," was the shorthand record of his thoughts as he
threw away the end of his cigar, took his hat, and passed out of the
bank.

That evening he talked with his trainer.

"What should win the Eclipse, Langdon?" he asked.

"Well, I don't know what'll start," began the Trainer, with diplomatic
caution, running over in his mind the most likely twoyear-olds.

"Would Porter's mare have a chance?"

"I think she would. I hear somethin' about a trial she gave them good
enough to win--if I could find out her time--Porter don't talk much, an'
Andy Dixon's like a clam. There's a boy in the stable, Shandy, that I
might pump--"