"The young chap won't look at the mare no more, 'n' Brown tells me to put her up. I hustles her back to the stall, 'n' goes down to the street door 'n' waits. There's a big gray automobile at the curb, with six guns stickin' out of her side in front--she looks like a battle-ship. Pretty soon the young chap comes out 'n' starts to board her 'n' I braces him.
"'I think I know where you can get the hoss you're lookin' fur,' I says.
"He stares at me kind-a puzzled fur a minute.
"'Oh, yes, you are the man who brought the mare up-stairs,' he says. 'What leads you to believe you can find a hunter good enough to beat Macbeth?'
"'I ain't said nothin' about a hunter,' I says. 'Would you stand fur a ringer?'
"'I think I get your inference,' he says. 'Be a little more specific, please.'
"'If I puts you hep to a hoss that ain't no more a hunter than that automobile,' I says, 'but can run like the buzz-wagon 'n' jump like a hunter--could you use him in your business?'
"'What sort of a horse would that be?' he says.
"'A thoroughbred,' I says. 'A bang-tail.'
"'Oh--a runner,' he says. 'Do you know anything about the runners?'
"'A few,' I says. 'I'm on the track nine years.'
"'You seem to run to that sort of thing,' he says. 'What's your name?' he asks.
"'Delightful!' he says. 'I'm glad I met you. Who has this remarkable horse?'
"'Equally delightful! I'd like to meet him, too,' he says.
"'Regrettable,' he says. 'What's the name of his horse?'
"'And I thought this was to be a dull day,' he says. 'Jump in here and take a ride. I don't know that I care to go rainbow-chasing assisted by Blisters, and Peewees--but nefarious undertakings have always appealed to me, and I desire to cultivate your acquaintance.'
"We goes fur a long ride in the battle-ship. He don't say much--just asks questions 'n' listens to my guff. At last I opens up on the Rainbow deal, 'n' I tries all I know to get him goin'--I sure slips him some warm conversation.
"'You heard what Brown said of Macbeth!' he says. 'Why are you so certain this Rainbow can beat him in a steeplechase?'
"'Why, listen, man!' I says. 'This Rainbow is the best ever. He can beat any brush-topper now racin' if the handicapper don't overload him. _He's_ been coppin' where they race your eyeballs off. _He's_ been makin' good against the real thing. _He's a thoroughbred_! If _he_ turns in one of these here parlor races fur gents, with a bunch of hunters, _they won't know which way he went_!'