excitement.

Drake ran on forcefully, succinctly, his hand gripping Garrison's.

"Well, we'll take it up from that day of the Carter Handicap. Remember?
When you and Waterbury had it out? Now, I had suspected that Dan
Crimmins had been plunging against his stable for some time. I had
got on to some bets he had put through with the aid of his dirty
commissioners. That's why I stood up for you against Waterbury. I knew
he was square. I knew he didn't throw the race, and, as for you--well,
I said to myself: 'That ain't like the kid.' I knew the evidence against
you, but it was hard to believe, kid. And I believed you when you said
you hadn't made a cent on the race, but instead had lost all you had,
I believed that. But I knew Crimmins had made a pile. I found that out.
And I believed he drugged you, kid.

"Now, when you tell me you were fighting consumption it clears a lot of
space for me that has been dark. I knew you were doped half the time,
but I thought you were going the pace with the pipe, though I'll admit
I couldn't fathom what drug you were taking. But now I know Crimmins fed
you dope while pretending to hand you nerve food. I know it. I know
he bet against his stable time and ag'in and won every race you were
accused of throwing. I tracked things pretty clear that day after I left
you.

"Well, I went to Waterbury and laid the charge against the trainer;
giving him a chance to square himself before I made trouble higher up.
Well, Waterbury was mad. Said he had no hand in it, and I believed him.
The upshot of it was that he faced Crimmins. Now, Crimmins had been
blowing himself on the pile he had made, and he was nasty. Instead of