"There goes the 'King'!" exclaimed Lady Caine, almost rising from her

seat in her excitement. "Oh, I do hope he will win don't you, Mr.

Vermont?"

Jasper smiled.

"I do, indeed," he said, while his little steely eyes rested upon the

shrivelled figure of Peacock, the jockey, with a keen, cold scrutiny.

Meanwhile the horses pounded away over the course, still in the same

order. "Miracour" leading, "Bluebell" falling behind, and the "King"

creeping up easily to the second place.

The first fence placed nearly half the horses out of the running; the

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next threw out two more, though the "King" cleared it in his stride, so

close in the wake of his rival that a speck of white foam flecked the

haunches of the leader.

Adrien nodded approvingly.

"That fellow knows how to ride," he said. "If he keeps the 'King' like

that, the race is ours."

"Oh yes," agreed Vermont, smiling grimly; "he understands him,

evidently. It is to be hoped he keeps him cool till the spurt comes."

"Which will be after the last jump," put in Lord Standon, as he shifted

his field-glasses.

"Exactly," purred Jasper.

Hedge after hedge was cleared, and still "Miracour" was leading; but it

was evident that the high blood of the "King" was burning to get away,

and that his jockey was playing a waiting game.

It was at the stream that the strain began to tell. "Bluebell," the

Irish mare, had struggled on gamely; but at the last she refused to

leap, she stopped short, and her jockey was pitched forward into the

water.

A laugh arose even in the midst of the excitement; but it was

speedily drowned in the cries of "The 'King' wins. No! No!

'Miracour!'--'Vicket'--beats. No! No! the 'King'--the 'King's' got

away!"

They were right, for Peacock had thought it wisest to put the spurt on

already, and the "King," with every fibre stretched to its utmost, had

darted ahead. "Miracour" caught up again, and side by side they raced

over the level flat, cheered and shouted at by the frantic crowd.

A roar like that of the sea broke forth as the two animals neared the

last obstacle, a great hedge filled with thorn, and like a miniature

mountain. Neck and neck they seemed to be, when suddenly the "King"

darted forward, and, amid terrific shouts of astonishment, took the leap

too short, fell sideways, and pitched his jockey into the short scrub, a

dozen feet away.




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