Volume I Part 10 (2/2)

All eyes are now directed to the wall, which the horses are rapidly approaching. Fortescue is seen to lead at it, and the old horse clears it at a bound, as did the mare.

”It's all up,” said Bradon, as he closes his gla.s.ses; ”Fortescue will win in a canter.”

”The Captain's down!” screamed a host of voices, as he and the mare came to grief at the second water-jump.

”May he stick there for the next ten minutes!” muttered the sly little man, a wish in which not a few joined--a certain fair lady especially.

But he is up and at work again, none the worse. The horses were going at a great pace, and the jumps were taken with beautiful precision by both. Bradon began to look anxious, the sly little man fidgety, and Lord Plunger wore a thoughtful look.

The anxious girl's face was flushed to scarlet with excitement and emotion, and she trembled fearfully.

”It will be a close thing,” said the sly-looking little man; ”the mare is better than I thought.”

There were only a few things to be jumped now of any consequence--the two brooks and the big wall. The horses there turned, ran through an opening made in the wall, and finished on the flat in front of the carriages. The brook is now approached for the second time: the mare comes at it first, jumps it, and topples down on her nose on the opposite side; the Captain is pitched forward on her ears, but recovers himself like lightning, and is away again, leading Fortescue at a terrific pace.

But what is the little sly man doing? As the mare recovers herself he is seen to dart across the course and pick up something flat, and put it into his pocket. ”By G--d! turn out as it will we are saved,” he muttered. ”I'll lay any money against the mare,” he screamed out. But no one took him.

The wall is now approached again; the Captain leads; but as the mare is about to rise he turns her sharply round and gallops in a different direction. Screwdriver refuses it too.

”d.a.m.nation! I thought it,” said Bradon; ”there's a blackguard's trick!”

”Oh! poor Charles,” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the beautiful Alice; ”my poor colours!”

”The Captain's cleared it!” shouted out the mult.i.tude, as the mare was seen to take the wall splendidly.

”Where's your soldier now?” shouted out a chorus of voices.

”Shure it's myself,” said the captain, ”could never be licked.”

”Most unfortunate!” said the old Colonel, ”a dirty trick; and after my kindness to him, too!”

”The soldier is going at it again!” cried the people; and the horse is seen to rise gallantly at it, but both horse and rider came down on the other side.

”Och, wirra wirra, vo vo! Mother of Moses, he's kilt entirely!” bawled out a countryman; ”poor young fellow!”

”Miss Gwynne's fainted,” said a young sub, running into the tent for water.

”By G--d! he's up and at it again,” screamed out the sly little man: ”the mare's baked too; look at her tail.”

All faces were flushed and eager. The horse was coming along at a tremendous pace. The captain was at work: his legs could be seen sending the spurs deeply into her; and he took an anxious look over his shoulder every now and then.

”The mare's beaten!” resounded on all sides, as she was seen to swerve in her stride.

”Oh that the finish were only a hundred yards farther!” said Lord Plunger.

The winning-post is approached. The old horse has not been touched by Fortescue, whose face is seen, even at that distance, to be deluged with blood. He holds Screwdriver well in hand; he sees the mare is flagging.

”Green wins!” ”Red wins!” shouts the crowd.

<script>