Part 13 (1/2)

”I should advise you to hedge if you can, Miss Hannay,” he said. ”I think there is no doubt that Mameluke is a good deal faster than Seila.

I fancy he is pounds better. I only beat Vincent's horse by a head last year, and Mameluke gave him seven pounds, and beat him by three lengths at Poona. So I should strongly advise you to hedge your bets if you can.”

”What does he mean by hedge, uncle?”

”To hedge is to bet the other way, so that one bet cancels the other.”

”Oh, I shan't do that,” she said; ”I have enough money to pay my bets if I lose.”

”Do you mean to say you mean to pay your bets if you lose, Miss Hannay?”

the Doctor asked incredulously.

”Of course I do,” she said indignantly. ”You don't suppose I intend to take the gloves if I win, and not to pay if I lose?”

”It is not altogether an uncommon practice among ladies,” the Doctor said, ”when they bet against gentlemen. I believe that when they wager against each other, which they do not often do, they are strictly honest, but that otherwise their memories are apt to fail them altogether.”

”That is a libel, Mrs. Hunter, is it not?”

”Not altogether, I think. Of course many ladies do pay their bets when they lose, but others certainly do not.”

”Then I call it very mean,” Isobel said earnestly. ”Why, it is as bad as asking anyone to make you a present of so many pairs of gloves in case a certain horse wins.”

”It comes a good deal to the same thing,” Mrs. Hunter admitted, ”but to a certain extent it is a recognized custom; it is a sort of tribute that is exacted at race time, just as in France every lady expects a present from every gentleman of her acquaintance on New Year's Day.”

”I wouldn't bet if I didn't mean to pay honestly,” Isobel said. ”And if Mr. Prothero doesn't win, my debts will all be honorably discharged.”

There was a hush of expectation in the crowd when the ten horses whose numbers were up went down to the starting point, a quarter of a mile from the stand. They were to pa.s.s it, make the circuit, and finish there, the race being two miles. The interest of the natives was enlisted by the fact that Nana Sahib was running a horse, while the hopes of the occupants of the inclosure rested princ.i.p.ally on Seila.

The flag fell to a good start; but when the horses came along Isobel saw with surprise that the dark blue of the Rajah and the Adjutant's scarlet and white were both in the rear of the group. Soon afterwards the scarlet seemed to be making its way through the horses, and was speedily leading them.

”Prothero is making the running with a vengeance,” the Major said. ”That is not like his usual tactics, Doctor.”

”I fancy he knows what he is doing,” the Doctor replied. ”He saw that Mameluke's rider was going to make a waiting race of it, and as the horse has certainly the turn of speed on him, he is trying other tactics. They are pa.s.sing the mile post now, and Prothero is twelve or fourteen lengths ahead. There, Mameluke is going through his horses; his rider is beginning to get nervous at the lead Prothero has got, and he can't stand it any longer. He ought to have waited for another half mile. You will see, Prothero will win after all. Seila can stay, there is no doubt about that.”

A roar of satisfaction rose from the ma.s.s of natives on the other side of the inclosure as Mameluke was seen to leave the group of horses and gradually to gain upon Seila.

”Oh, he will catch him, uncle!” Isobel said, tearing her handkerchief in her excitement.

The Major was watching the horses through his field gla.s.s.

”Never mind his catching him,” he said; ”Prothero is riding quietly and steadily. Seila is doing nearly her best, but he is not hurrying her, while the fool on Mameluke is bustling the horse as if he had only a hundred yards further to go.”

The horses were nearing the point at which they had started, when a shout from the crowd proclaimed that the blue jacket had come up to and pa.s.sed the scarlet. Slowly it forged ahead until it was two lengths in advance, for a few strides their relative positions remained unaltered, then there was a shout from the carriages; scarlet was coming up again.

Mameluke's rider glanced over his shoulder, and began to use the whip.

For a few strides the horse widened the gap again, but Prothero still sat quiet and unmoved. Just as they reached the end of the line of carriages, Seila again began to close up.

”Seila wins! Seila wins!” the officers shouted.