200 MR. SWINDELL 



even that Brocket had left Prestbury until he returned 

 to it; and although convinced of the exchange, was 

 not in a position to prove the facts. 



Another clever thing was done with ' this same horse 

 Ruby for the Derby. For that race he was an immense 

 winter favourite. He had no chance for it, being affected 

 in his respiratory organs. Yet that clever party, Mr. 

 Atkins, his owner, assisted by his astute trainer, managed 

 that the failing should not be detected. They went 

 further, and even invited people down to see the amount 

 of work the horse was doing, and the gallant way in 

 which he was doing it. It was dodged in this way, I am 

 told. He used to be galloped round a hill, about half or 

 three-quarters of a mile, whereas the real or farther 

 course, which he was always supposed to go, was a mile 

 longer, making the supposed gallop a mile and three- 

 quarters. The hill, I understand, excluded any view of 

 the horses except at the start and finish; and as the 

 horse always went the shorter course, he was always 

 credited with doing it very quickly, and always pulled up 

 exceedingly sound and well ; and to further prevont the 

 chance of suspicion falling on him, he was galloped with 

 a horse well known to be a confirmed roarer. This 

 deception they managed to keep up so long as there was 

 a shilling to be got out of the horse by laying against him, 

 when the bubble burst, and he was struck out of the race. 



Later in life, Mr. Swindell showed his shrewdness and 

 sagacity in detecting and partly preventing a great 

 swindle, of which a friend was the intended victim. 

 Two wretched knaves, betting-men, aided and abetted 

 by an ignorant but subtle trainer, in the shape of a lately 

 turned-off stable boy as wicked and contemptible as 

 themselves, were the intriguers. The names, though 

 well known, I refrain from giving, as nothing would be 



