i6 THE RACING WORLD 



would be provided with plenty of amusement about 

 the affairs of neighbours as to which they felt a 

 little inquisitive. The invention of a cipher, 

 moreover, is such a common and simple thing, that 

 people would be betting when the authorities 

 thought they were buying potatoes or enquiring 

 about the health of their aunts. 



Is it an honest world .? It varies as other worlds 

 do, but on the whole I verily believe it does not 

 suffer by comparison, especially when one considers 

 the temptations and opportunities which arise : on 

 one side a little array of wealthy men, many of 

 whom are practically exuding gold ; on the other 

 side a very large array of exceedingly needy persons 

 who have been attracted by the belief that there is 

 something to be gained by a little exercise of wit 

 and cunning, many of these latter being quite un- 

 scrupulous, and others ready to sail as near to 

 the wind as they can do with the chance of saving 

 some shreds of reputation. 



A wide difference exists between the observance 

 of the spirit and the letter of the law. Mr. A. 

 has a promising two-year-old. It is not nearly 

 ready, but it has to be introduced to a racecourse ; 

 to run it would sharpen it up ; it has an engage- 

 ment, and may just as well be sent to learn some- 

 thing of its business. The animal runs, its eyes 



