CHAPTER XXXI 



THE CITY AND SUBURBAN 



The City and Suburban morning broke fine; one 

 of those April mornings fresh and sweet as Spring 

 herseK. Mr French, staying with Major Lawson 

 at Badminton House, just outside Epsom, had 

 awakened from a night of dreams, feeling pretty 

 much as a man may be supposed to feel who 

 expects the hangman as an after-breakfast visitor. 



He awoke from sleep with the dead certainty of 

 failure upon him. Months and months of anxiety 

 had passed, obstacle after obstacle had been 

 overcome ; the last obstacle was now before him — 

 The Race. That, he felt, was insurmountable, 

 and for no special reason. Garryowen had arrived 

 safe at Lawson's stables; the horse was in the 

 pink of condition; Andy was fit and well; the 

 favourite had been scratched two days before; 

 several good horses had been scratched; the 

 betting-Hst had altered considerably since we 

 referred to it last, and Wheel of Fortune was now 

 favourite. White Moth second. These new con- 

 ditions were not unfavourable to the Irish horse; 

 all the same, the sense of coming disaster weighed 

 on French. 



Before breakfast he visited the stables with 

 330 



