Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1930, Page 98

B LCANT Here Is a Different Sort of a Race Track Story—DBut in Its Difference Lies Its Particular Charm—T1The Great Run of Alcantara Cannot Fail to Thrill the Reader—Another Complete Story, a Prize Story, Will Appear in The Star’s Magazine Next Sunday. : W I ever came to be a friend and ally, co-conspirator and business partner of Tobias Starkweather it is not important to relate. The moralist might find in the narra- tive a painful instance of moral disintegration and decay, the cynic might smile and regard the whole episode as indicating nothing more sulpable than childish credulity and vanity. For this reason the story will never be told. I am satisfied that those who have shared with me an interest in horses, those in whose veins has flowed the deadliest virus known to man, will understand. They know that this interest is fraught wtih many dramatic possibilities and that it may lead the most virtuous of men, on occasion, perilously near- the rocks of moral turpitude. From the moment that a horse lover takes his first tentative steps into this. half-gypsy wonderful country. It is not alone the noble beast that allures; it is far more the followers in his train—men and women, rich and poor, wise and foolish, virtuous and vicious, all actuated by motives ranging from the noblest and purest to the most sordid and unworthy. was into this unknown world that I ven- ured many years ago, and in it I have seen gs and stranger people. It was in d that I first encountered Tobias, and I dwelt there with him. It in the book of fate that we was the one person in the Tobias and his needs, and he the shadow of a great rock in a . The most trivial circumstance brought about this epochal meeting. I desired a horse. Not any horse, for I had long since that early stage. I desired one particu- lar and special horse. I desired a horse, and with cold deliberation and callous indifference to the consequences conspired to secure him. At this point Tobias came into the picture. The fullness of time had come. Tobias and I were to meet. It was & moment of tremendous significance to us both, thouglk we did not fully realize it at the time. Tobias came to me with credentials as the one intermediary who could secure the de- sired horse for me. Blinded as I was at the moment by the fervor of my longing, I did not regard Tobias as anything more than an in- strument to this end. TEB negotiations proved long and difficult. I was still inexperienced enough to find it almost impossible to dissemble my desires, and I marveled at the coldly indifferent manner in which Tobias approached the owner. I have since grown to regard as one of his most en- gaging qualities the horseman’s ability to stifie all his longings and to conduct long and deli- cate transactions in a manner of utter boredom. At last, however, I secured the horse. Even this triumphant conclusion of our labors did not excite Tobias. He brought me the news with the same air of world-weary indifference that had characterized him from the first. It is true that my exultation was somewhat tem- pered by the fact that the price paid for the beast was considerably higher than that I had authorized Tobiias to pay, but this did not seem to be a matter of interest to him. Nor did the horse prove to be the jewel I had hoped, but Tobias assured me that they rarely were; and after all, he pointed out, it was I who wanted the animal, not he. After a few months of troubled and disillu- sicning ownership I again sought Tobias, this time to dispose of the horse for me. The previ= ous owner had assurgd me that he had parted with the horse only under the pressure of tem- porary embarrassment, and that at any time he would be glad to buy him back at the price I paid for him. I imparted this information to Tobias, but e did not seem to be impressed by it. The proc- ess of selling was much more rapid than that of purchasing, despite the fact that the previ- ous owner was still in difficulties and could not buy the horse, as he most ardently desired. In fact, as Tobias explained to me, the horse mar- ket was in a very unsettled condition, and if I desired to sell (which I most certainly did) he advised me to take any offer I could get. Things were very bad. Again Tobias triumphed. I sold at a figure considerably below the lowest I had fixed, but any sale just then was a mira- cle, so Tobias said. By this time Tobias was firmly woven into the warp and woof of my horse life. On the whole, I profited by it. But sordid motives were the smallest factor in my regard for Tobias. His appearance alone was enough to reward me. A tiny scrap of a man, he might have been 30, he might have been 60. I never could decide. As I listened enthralled to the recitals of his experiences I leaned toward the higher figure, for no man of less than 60 could have had time to have all the things happen to him that had happened to Tobias. Yet as I grew to know him and witnessed repeated feats of strength and agility, I knew he must still be young. His face gave no hint of his age. Sallow, almost colorless, it still had the.fresh contours of youth, An utterly mirthless mouth, a head almost entirely bereft of hair, contrasted strangely with a mouthful of perfect teeth of unimpeachable genuineness. He was always clad in riding togs of a strange and indiscrimi- nate nature, and yet he had that gift, so in- frequently seen in men, of so wearing clothes, no matter what they were, that he looked well groomed and well set up. For some time our relations were not inti- mate nor were our contacts frequent. Tobias seemed to have no place of permanent resi- dence. If I wished to find him I had to make a circuit of the sales rooms and stables, and sooner or later I would find him, dapper, shaven, clean, but as usual in the depths of an unconquerable melancholy. TB!N a never-to-be-forgotten day dawned. At an early hour I was interrupted at break- fast by the announcement that Tobias was without. I had not seen him for months. He had a habit of disappearing for long periods, and these absences were never explained. His intimates could not enlighten me, because he had no intimates. Before greeting him I tele- phoned my business associates that matters of the utmost importance might keep me busy all day. I felt that the day upon which Tobias sought me out was sure to be pregnant with possibilities. Tobias greetcd me in sadness, and the talk flowed along the easy channels of mutual horse interest. I waited for him to arrive at the matter in hand by his usual circuitous methods. At length I was rewarded. I wish I could re- produce with any justice the melancholy sweet- ness of his recital. In substance, I was told that a series of most unfortunate events had reduced Tobias to financial extremities un- known before. He blamed no one, least of all himself. They were due to the uncertainties inherent in his calling, and when disaster came it must be patiently borne. Financial extremity was no new experience for Tobias—I knew that—but on this occasion difficulties had arisen at a most unfortunate moment, just when fortune was about to smile. The circumstances appeared to be these: There was a horse we both knew. His reputation was bad; it could not be worse. Tobias felt sure, however, that his shortcomings were due to his environment and to lack of proper care and training. His career on the turf had been a . series of misfortunes, accidents and tragedies. He was now for sale, having nearly killed a stable boy and having lost two important steeplechases from a sullen refusal to leave the post. The price was low, but an immediate sale desired. Tobias saw a chance to retrieve all past losses. He wished to purchase the horse, spend as many months as necessary on his edu- cation and the correction of his faults, and then race him another season. But, most unfortu- nately, at just this moment his finances were at the lowest possible ebb. At this point, it seems, he had thought of me. Not at all as a possible source of money, but rather as the person to whom he could offer a priceless privilege. I had long enjoyed, he knew, the pleasures of the hunting field and show ring, and now he felt was the time for me to enter into a larger field of equine activ- ity. It was high time I tasted the joys of the turf and felt the thrill of winning a race with a horse of my own. To buy an outlaw, educate him and win with him! That was something to do. - Tobias came as near showing enthusiasm as I ever saw him. He unfolded the plan. For the moment it would be necessary for me to furnish the money for the price of the horse. Tobias did not_enlarge on this; it was a matter of no great concern who did it. He would give me a note for half the price and we could be joint owners and partners. He would conduct the education of our stable and ride our horse in the races in which he entered him. As Tobias led me on through all the stages ot our progress and showed me how inevitably we should reach that crowning hour when we should flash under the wire a winner amid the frenzied acclaim of a mighty throng, my blood began to tingle. I did not confess to him that in my wildest hours I had already dreamed this dream and longed for its realization. True to my horseman instincts, I demurred. I pointed out all the difficulties and enlarged upon the almost certain failure of our hopes. Tobias listened in respectful silence, and asked me if I should like to visit the We did so. I had seen the creature before, never realized what a perfect beast he was. He was the handsomest thing that ever stood on shoes. Tobias pointed out to me certain physical indications of stamina and speed and assured me that from my own experience I should see that he was one horse in 10,000. He certainly looked to be. I gazed long and ear- nestly at his eyes. They attracted my atten- tion, for I had never seen such human eyes in a horse’s head before. With all their beauty, there was a look of baffled cynicism in them. They fascinated me. They seemed to look out on a world made for disappointment; they told a story of unrewarded effort, of uncrowned strife, and seemed to say that, after all, the world’s rewards are but sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. THE horse was purchased in what struck me as a very short time. There seemed to be no doubt that the owner wished to part with him. He gave us minute directions as to his care and management and seemed deeply con- cerned lest we both come to an untimely end. Tobias seemed to have provided for most of the details in advance. He had secured quarters for the horse, and all I had to do was to hand the owner a check and receive a note for half the amount, duly signed by Tobias. After careful consideration we selected a name. Tobias was indifferent as to what it should be, provided it began with A. This seemed important to him for some occult rea- son, and I could raise né valid objection be- yond the fact that it restricted our choice. Finally I decided upon Alcantara. The name met Tobias’ requirement in regard to the A, and it had for me certain romantic literary associations. The weeks that followed our purchase of Al- cantara were uneventful except that I soon dis- covered which half of Alcantara I owned. I was in firm possession of the forward end, the end that was fed. Each month I received mounting bills for grain, as well as for strange accounterments, with which I was not familiar. Each month Tobias calculated to a penny and sent me a note for an exact half of the expenses. I did not see much of Alcantara, but Tobias reported progress, and he seemed satisfied with his pupil. For some reason he did not care to appear before the world as even half owner, and he allowed it to think that I owned the horse and that he was in my employ as trainer. I attributed this at first to Tobias’ natural modesty, but I soon learned that there were the best of reasons why Tobias did not wish to have any possessions of any character. So I assumed the entire responsibility of ownership with all its attendant glories and inconveniences. One morning I was told that Alcantara was right. He had been moved to a large training stable and Tobias had been working him over the jumps for some time. The expense of keep- ing him here was considerably greater, but, as Tobias pointed out, this was unavoidable if I meant to do the right thing by the horse. He never said “we”; he always spoke as if I had sole authority. Upon being asked to visit the horse, I brushed aside all business matters and went to the scene of action. It was an extensive and beautiful estate used entirely for the care and schooling of horses. By some means unknown to me, To- bias had secured admission and was using the schooling fields. There was a steeplechase course laid out for school, and it was over this that Tobias intended to give Alcantara his first serfous work, and he wished me to witness it. Tobias greeted me and led me to the stable. If Alcantara had been a thing of beauty when I first beheld him, he was a thousand times more so after weeks of care and attention. He was led out for his owner's inspection. I could not conceal my admiration, bad form as I knew it to be to express it. Tobias pronounced him to be fair, but added that further improvement was possible, Tobias mounted and assumed that curious crouching position affected by THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHI R A—Oneof the Best Short S pre- arranged signal from me Tobias let him go. passed me—a blur of shining satin and thundering hoofs. I watched him through my glasses as he the course and disappear. Long and I awaited his return. Finally, far horizon, a tiny speck appeared. It tara returning home. Tobias was crouched his back, and as he passed me I caugh glimpse of a face as expressionless the of my hand. If Tobias was ill at ease, he not betray it. "A FTER the details of Alcantara’s toilet were attended to Tobias joined me. “What happened?” I asked. “He ran away,” Tobias replied, and that his sole comment. I returned to the city and left Tobias to so the difficulty of making Alcantara go in the right direction at the right time. I felt surg that if this could be done, and if he proceeded with anything like the rapidity he had shown that afternoon, there was not a living that could pass him. From then on Tobias worked in secret. I sa no more trials and had only meager repo from the training field. Tobias and I had few conferences at which we decided to play for high stakes. We elected to let the mino race meets go and to enter Alcantara in the Bedford Steeplechase. This was described an open steeplechase for gentlemen or profe sional riders, about 3 miles of natural country, over post and rails and brush. Then followed detailed statements as to weights and other restrictions. The prize S a small purse and a piece of plate, but immense prestige. We knew the field would be large and| the quality good, and the winner would jump in value and reputation. Both Tobias and Alcantara were found to| meet all the requirements of the committee in charge. Tobias attended to all the details and] I signed the entry blank and paid the mino expenses. It was necessary for us to appea: under colors. This I left entirely to Tobias, who acquired, at my expense, however, appropriate garments to wear on the great day. His taste in this connection was not what I could have wished it to be. He chose a tunic of pure white with sleeves slashed with lavender, and a laven der and white striped cap. It was a bit more conspicuous than the modest extent of my rac ing stable seemed to justify, but here I felt tha ‘Tobias should have his way, as he was to ap pear in the garments, not I. ‘The week before the race I saw little o Tobias. He spent all his time with Alcan or else in moody cogitation. I found busines affairs irksome and could not seem to keep m: mind off the impending trial of speed. The sporting sections of the newspapers we; a solace until they began to discuss the con testants. Scant attention was paid to Alcan: tara by any of the writers. Only one referreq to him at length, and then merely to enlarg on his bad behavior during training. As th day of the race approached, however, man strange stories began to appear. Not only we his bad manners discussed, but there were hint: of lack of condition and innuendo as to physi cal blemishes. I was enraged by this an sought Tobias to see what could be done stem the tide of misstatement. Tobias professe never to have heard of any of it, and as he evidently deeply engrossed in more importan matters, as well as suffering from a severe a! tack of melancholia, I decided to accept hi dictum that the least said the sooner mended At last the fateful day came.” I was earl; on the field and felt strangely nervous and il at ease. I read the entry list a thousand time