398 LIFE WITH THE TROTTEES. 



in proper condition, and that yon can drive Mm well.^ 

 Always remember that some other man may have the tools- 

 to do just as well with. I have often heard people say that 

 a still tongue indicates a wise head. I think that to a cer- 

 tain extent this is so. There was one trait about Mace which 

 resembles a point in the character of "Veritas," who was a 

 warm friend of Mace, and that was this: If Mace had a race 

 against you. and was anxious to find out what you thought, 

 about your horse he would interview you on a plan of his 

 own. He would not take you by the arm and walk you 

 away into some secluded spot in a mysterious manner and 

 cross-question you as a lawyer would, but if he happened 

 to meet you with a party of friends, would in a laughing, 

 jolly manner turn the conversation on the matter of the 

 race, and while he told you how well his horse was going 

 and what he expected to do with him, would listen very 

 carefully to any remark that you might drop about your 

 horse. After you got through talking you would go away 

 with the feeling that you knew all about Mace' s business 

 and that he had been unable to get any pointers from you. 

 But if you would take the trouble to think it over carefully, 

 you would find that while Mace had done a good deal of 

 talking and said some wise and good things the information 

 on a particular point would be very vague. I have found 

 that in interviewing a man ' ' Veritas ' ' invariably follows the 

 same tactics. If there is any subject that he wishes to get. 

 your opinion of for publication or otherwise, he does not 

 approach you with his pencil and book in hand, but on the 

 contrary strolls in as though he had come for a social chat. 

 Does not even start the conversation off on the subject he 

 wishes to interview you on but leads up to it gradually and 

 before the man fairly knows it he is interviewed and has 

 unbosomed himself to the fullest extent. If you want to, 

 as the boys say, throw the public off and keep them from 

 watching and touting your horse, find out how well they 

 think he can go and whenever you are going to work him 

 invite them out to time him. If he shouldn't happen to go 



