CAPTAIN WARNER'S CLOSING SEASONS 137 



of vacillation at this period, and only telegraphed 

 late on Saturday to his opponent to meet him at 

 Reigate on Monday morning at six o'clock. There- 

 on Lord Lonsdale put horses and carriages in a 

 special train, and went straight to the appointed 

 spot. It was found impossible to run the match on 

 the Monday, and ten o'clock on Tuesday was there- 

 fore fixed. 



" The morning arrived, and found Lord Lonsdale 

 encamped with all his force at the 'White Hart,' 

 Reigate ; but there was no sign of either Lord Shrews- 

 bury or the referee. Snow had certainly fallen 

 heavily in the night ; but a gang of men and a snow- 

 plough had been early at work, and had cleared 

 away all obstructions. Several well-known sport- 

 ing men and press representatives had assembled; 

 but, though the road was reported clear, the Shrews- 

 bury party failed to put in an appearance. Tele- 

 grams flew to and fro between London and Reigate, 

 and at last, late on Tuesday night, a message arrived 

 from Lord Shrewsbury to say he would pay forfeit. 

 This was, naturally, a great disappointment to Lord 

 Lonsdale, who, however, in consideration of the 

 public money that had been wagered about the time, 

 decided to go the course and make the best record 

 in his power. 



" Though the match, by becoming a mere race 

 against time, was shorn of much of its interest, yet 

 a very large crowd was collected at Reigate, and 

 much discussion ensued as to the time it was possible 

 to do the twenty miles in. Another heavy fall of 

 snow had come down the previous night, but the 

 plough had been early to work, and the whole 

 length of road was cleared. The course was a five- 



