bunch of his admirers carrying a big floral horseshoe for him to sit in.
From where I stood. looking down, I could see everything that happened, just like in
a close-up shot at the movies. Landi, his goggles down, still in the driving seat, his
hands clutching the wheel. I saw his mech Vetti open the door and get out, and then the
crowd closed in on the car, to lift their idol into the floral horseshoe.
But when they reached the car. it was empty. Landi had vanished--
That raised a hell of a stink. Everybody started questioning Vetti, They backed him
up against the grandstand right below where I stood. So I could hear every word. And they
fired questions at him.
Where had Landi gone? How had he got out of the car and slipped through the crowd
without being seen?
Vetti just stood there. staring at them blankly, wringing his hands, and shaking his
head.
Then the judges got the crowd shooed away and began to question him. "Where's Landi?"
one of them asked.
"I don't know!" Vetti mumbled.
"You don't know?" There was disbelief in the judge's tone.
"No. He was beside me. I turned to look at the crowd. Pouf! Like that--he was gone!"
"Gone--" the judge echoed.
"Yes. I am afraid."
"Afraid? Of what?"
Vetti's teeth were chattering as he replied: "The Evil One!"
I left the grandstand and went through the betting inclosure--saw the bets being paid
off by the clerks--saw my money going out in scads.
I felt sick and disgusted. There was something phony about this whole business. Landi
coming late, looking like a corpse, acting so different from his usual self, and then doing
the vanishing act. If I hadn't had a good look before the race and satisfied myself it was
him, I'd think it was a ringer had done the driving.
I took a taxi to my hotel. I was all tuckered out, wondering what I'd do next, how
I'd get a fresh start in the game. I went up to my room, gave myself a stiff drink, and
lay down on the bed to relax.
Maybe I slept. Guess I must have. I don't know. Anyhow, next thing I knew, I heard a
